International

Milei celebrates 100 days as president, between the controversy and his obstinacy about the course

The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, celebrates 100 days of management this Tuesday, in which he has shown obstinacy in the course to achieve fiscal balance and reduce the weight of the State to lower inflation, despite the setbacks in Congress; the fall in purchasing power and criticism for his confrontational method.

In several publications that Milei replied on his social network account X, a direct media that he appreciates a lot, he celebrated that he “avoided the hyperinflation” that was “activated” by his predecessor, the Peronist Alberto Fernández (2019-2023); he began the “sustained process of disinflation” and the decrease in country risk, today at 1,520 basis points.

In terms of security, he replied messages that say that he “ended the pickets” and “he stood against insecurity and narco-terrorism,” and as for corruption, “the amount of illegalities” that he is discovering.

Milei took advantage of this Tuesday to exhibit the unit with her vice president, Victoria Villarruel, on social networks, where they came to publish a photo hugging, after she participated in the meeting of the Cabinet of ministers in the Casa Rosada: “Those who are fighting…!!!,” the president said ironically.

The relationship between Milei and Villarruel reached a peak of tension last week due to the decision of the vice president – who also chairs the Senate – to convene a session in the Upper House where the megadecree of necessity and urgency (DNU) signed by the president in December was rejected.

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The presidential spokesman, Manuel Adorni, defined the first 100 days as “a case study” and “an atypical case,” in his usual press conference at the Executive headquarters.

Adorni listed that since Milei took office on December 10, Congress rejected the DNU and a fundamental bill for the Executive, the main union center called for a general strike on January 24 and there were train and bus stops.

In addition, the Patagonian province of Chubut threatened to cut off the supply of hydrocarbons and opposition groups “fantasized” that the far-right would fall for these months.

“This was the only Government (…) that in the first days of the Government has meticulously fulfilled each of the points it had promised in the campaign,” Adorni said, because it “attacked from the outset” the fiscal deficit and clung to the balance of public accounts to “end inflation and the destruction of the currency.”

Milei is an ‘outsider’ who, with aggressive speech and disruptive forms against the “political caste,” won the elections in a second round last November, with 56% support.

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“No other government so far had been encouraged to put their hand in politics’s pocket” or “exposed as much to politics” as Milei’s, Adorni said.

Fernández is one of the opposition politicians who criticized the first 100 days of Milei, by showing on his social networks that inflation rose by 71.3%, industrial production fell by 19.4%, retail sales of SMEs fell by 23% and the real salary of registered private workers fell by 27.1%, among other negative indicators.

Amnesty International Argentina warned that the “confrontation” practiced by the Government of Milei is to divert attention from those real conflicts – inflation, poverty, lack of medicines – and violate freedom of expression, and asked for “basic rules of coexistence and non-aggression, especially from the presidential investiture and its collaborators.”

Despite the severe economic adjustment that causes a loss of purchasing power, with inflation that climbed to 276.2% year-on-year last February, Milei maintains a positive image of more than 50%, according to opinion polls.

In that sense, the Government of Milei also boasts of having “changed the concept of governance” because now “it is given by the support of the people,” in a context in which its far-right party, La Libertad Avanza, only has 38 deputies, 7 senators and no provincial governor.

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Adorni acknowledged that “there is still a lot to do,” remembering that seven out of ten minors are still poor in Argentina, but that “this time a new sun comes to impoverished Argentina.”

International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.