In political comeback, Cristina Kirchner calls for 'citizen front' to fight for 'lost rights'.

Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner addressed thousands of activists that rallied outsider the Comodoro Py courthouse building where the former head of state arrived earlier today to give explanations on the dollar future probe conducted by Federal Judge Claudio Bonadío.

The case stems from $3 billion in losses the Argentine Central Bank incurred after current President Mauricio Macri devalued the peso by 40% in a single day. Supporters of Mrs. Kirchner believe the case is a politically motivated attempt to distract from Macri's own devaluation.

“I want you all to be very calm. They can summon me 20 more times, they can put me in jail; but they won’t stop me from saying what I think,” Mrs. Kirchner said as she spoke to the cheering crowd in front of the courthouse.

“Don’t see this as an attack against a person; let’s remember our history, and you will see this is not the only case in which a former president was politically persecuted,” she said. “If they could prohibit the letter ‘K,’ they would do it.”

Former President Fernández de Kirchner also referred to the Panama Papers leak that revealed President Mauricio Macri’s offshore dealings. “They wanted Argentine to 'return to the world',” she recalled, using a frequent Macri slogan. “And we have, to the covers of all the international newspapers - although not the newspapers in Argentina.”

“This government does not take care of Argentines. We have industries in crisis, closing businesses, hikes in public services that people can’t do without,” she said in reference to the austerity policies carried out by the Macri administration since taking office in December. “I have kept a democratic and respectful silence, respecting popular will; but the administration that promised wit would not devalue must respect it as well.”

Accordingly, Mrs. Kirchner called on Argentines to form a “citizen front” in which people “ask themselves if they are doing better or worse.”

Referring to the state of political rights under Macri, she dais that “Argentines are living a time of anxiety; I want people to be happy again, free again. I don’t want a social leader like Milagro Sola to be jailed without knowing what she is accused of. With regards to me, don’t worry. I don’t need privileges; I have the privileges of the people.”

“We should be unified by our lost rights,” she concluded. “Work together. We cannot allow setbacks because later it is more difficult to climb out again.”

As she concluded her address, sunlight appeared after what had been a rainy morning with dense fog. “You see?” the former president remarked, “The sun always comes out.”

At: http://buenosairesherald.com/article/212512/in-political-comeback-cfk-calls-for-citizen-front-to-fight-for-lost-rights

Argentina wins WTO appeal in case targeting Panama tax practices

The World Trade Organization's appellate body on Thursday threw out a complaint from Panama about Argentina's efforts to combat alleged tax evasion and avoidance.

The case brought by Panama, now under global scrutiny because of a huge leak of secretive offshore accounts data from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, was the first WTO dispute over steps taken against "harmful tax practices."

Panama accused Argentina of discriminating against suppliers of financial services based in "countries not cooperating for tax purposes", and it won a partial victory in a ruling last September.

Panama claimed in 2012 that Argentina discriminated against countries that did not exchange information with Argentine authorities for the purposes of fiscal transparency. Argentina countered that its measures were in line with recommendations by the OECD and the Financial Action Task Force, which combats money laundering and terrorist financing.

The appeal ruling found Argentina's measures did not break WTO rules; but it did not go so far as to say Argentina was definitely within WTO rules, either. Instead, it decided there had been insufficient analysis of Panama's original complaint, leaving the way open for similar disputes in future.

The Appellate Body did rule that countries could restrict trade with tax havens for "prudential" reasons or to comply with national laws, as long as they did so in a consistent and non-arbitrary manner.

At: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-argentina-panama-wto-idUSKCN0XB2D4
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Please note that Argentina's policies targeting offshore tax evasion were enacted during the center-left administration of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Like Bernie Sanders and many other progressives, she saw Panama Papers coming years before the scandal broke.

The current president, Mauricio Macri, is a GOP clone that opposed these measures at the time, and as mayor even attempted to make Buenos Aires into an offshore tax haven in direct contravention of federal laws.

Macri is one of only five current world leaders implicated in the Panama Papers scandal.

Legendary Tango composer and pianist Mariano Mores dies at 98.

Pianist, composer and conductor Mariano Mores died today at the age of 98, his grandsons Gabriel and Mariana Fabbiani informed in social networks.

Born Mariano Martínez in Buenos Aires in 1918, he made his professional debut at the age of 14 at Café Vicente on Corrientes Avenue. He created the Mores Trio with two sisters, Margot and Myrna Morales; he and Myrna married in 1943.

Mores had his first Tango hit with his 1939 composition Cuartito azul, so named for the little blue room he rented as a young man. His best known compositions were written with the iconic Tango lyricist Enrique Santos Discépolo; these include Uno (1943), Sin palabras (1946), and Cafetín de Buenos Aires (1948).

While he was considered one of the last surviving old school Tango musicians, Mores is credited with creating the modern tango sextet (organ, piano, bandoneón, electric guitar, keyboard, drums, and bass). Mores was also well known for his interpersonal skills, and was one of the few artists who were not persecuted for their Peronist affiliation after the overthrow of the populist President Juan Perón in 1955.

He later composed extensively for film and television, and in 1963 created a hit theater production, Buenas noches Buenos Aires. His best known stage production in later years was Todo Tango, which toured internationally in 1985. Mores was reunited in 2006 with many of his fellow old school Tango greats in Gustavo Santaolalla's acclaimed documentary, Café de los maestros. He continued to both conduct and perform until age 94 when he handed the baton to his grandson, Gabriel Mores.

Mores lost his wife Myrna two years ago after 71 years of marriage. He died in Buenos Aires today at age 98.

At: http://buenosairesherald.com/article/212511/legendary-tango-performer-mariano-mores-dies-at-98
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Mores' ode to Buenos Aires café life, Cafetín de Buenos Aires:

Appeals Court opens way for Argentina to end battle with hedge funds.

The United States Court of Appeals paved the way on Wednesday for Argentina to raise billions of dollars to pay a group of hedge funds, bringing it one step closer to re-entering international markets for the first time in 15 years.

In a ruling from the bench, three judges on the court of appeals in New York upheld a ruling by Judge Thomas P. Griesa of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan to lift an injunction that has barred Argentina from paying most of its foreign bondholders since 2014. In March, the United States government weighed in on the battle, lending its support to Argentina in a “friend of the court” or amicus curiae brief.

The ruling caps years of bitter legal wrangling that goes back to 2001, when Argentina defaulted on nearly $100 billion of bonds. Over 92% of bondholders accepted two debt restructurings by Argentina in 2005 and 2010; but a small group of holdout investors refused to take part. Hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, the principal litigant, bought defaulted Argentine bonds at a steep discount in 2008.

Argentina agreed on February 29 to pay $4.65 billion to four hedge funds including Singer’s Cayman Islands-based NML Capital, which would receive around half of that. As part of the deal, Argentina’s Congress had to repeal domestic laws that prevented the government from paying the holdouts, which it has now done. Argentina was also required to pay the investors by April 14, after which the hedge funds could walk away from the deal.

Argentina asked that Judge Griesa’s original injunction be lifted after it made an offer to pay $6.5 billion to settle lawsuits from other holdout bondholders on Feb. 5, which the Appeals Court today did. There are still some disgruntled bondholders who were not part of the $4.65 billion deal with the four hedge funds. They have argued that they will receive far worse terms if they agree to Argentina’s $6.5 billion proposal.

Argentina is now poised to raise more than $12 billion through bond sales, the proceeds of which will pay its holdout cbondholders. Top officials from Argentina will travel to New York and other American cities this week to meet with potential investors.

“This is going to be settled next week,” Alfonso Prat-Gay, Argentina’s economy minister, told journalists in New York, where he is pitching Argentina’s multi billion-dollar bond sale to investors, according to news media reports in Argentina. Prat-Gay, according to the reports, said Argentina would issue the bonds on Monday and Tuesday and that the holdout creditors would receive payment by Friday.

At: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/14/business/dealbook/court-opens-way-for-argentina-to-end-battle-with-hedge-funds.html?_r=0
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Singer no doubt had a word with these judges to make sure they don't get in the way of his 1,180% return. If only some of that could at least go toward reimbursing taxpayers for the $7 billion in TARP money he extorted from the U.S. Government in 2008.

Taxi drivers block streets in Buenos Aires after Uber launch.

Uber, the smartphone app that connects riders and drivers, launched on Tuesday (April 12) in Buenos Aires without authorization, triggering protests by taxi drivers who blocked major avenues and snarled traffic.

"The Uber smartphone app will be available as of 4:00 p.m today Buenos Aires time, and can be downloaded at the App Store," the San Francisco-based company said on Twitter.

Although ride-hailing apps have risen rapidly to become a booming industry, they face stiff resistance from traditional taxis and bans over safety concerns and questions about legal issues including taxes.

Taxi drivers often complain that Uber drivers do not pay for permits or taxes; Uber argues it is not a transport company like taxi firms - just an app. "What they are doing is illegal. They are not delivering transport under existing laws," Buenos Aires Transport Secretary Juan José Méndez told TN cable news.

The Buenos Aires metro area is home to 13 million people, around 2 million of whom commute in and out of Buenos Aires every day. The city proper alone has some 38,000 taxis.

Uber does not employ drivers or own vehicles; but uses private contractors with their own cars instead, allowing them to run their own businesses. Licensed taxi drivers, who must undergo hundreds of hours of training in some countries, accuse Uber of endangering their jobs by flooding the market with cheaper drivers who need only a GPS to get around.

At: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/international/taxi-drivers-block/2690792.html

Another offshore Panamá company tied to Argentine President Mauricio Macri revealed.

Journalist Hugo Alconada Mon, who testified today before Federal Judge Sebastián Casanello in the Panamá Papers probe, said that during his research “data emerged related to another offshore company tied to the Macri Group” of which he also provided documentation.

The firm, Foxchase Trading SA, was opened in Panamá City on December 23, 2014 - just as Macri was preparing his presidential run - and remains active.

Partnership expert Silvana Martínez, an aide of Congresswoman Margarita Stolbizer and former official of IGJ, said that offshore companies should be declared before the AFIP tax agency if the business has a return. And in the case of directors, “they must be declared if they receive compensations over rendered services.”

Macri failed to do so, even after his swearing-in last December.

Both witnesses testified before Judge Casanello, who is expected to move forward with the case.

At: http://buenosairesherald.com/article/212376/another-alleged-offshore-company-tied-to-macri-revealed

Fernando Niembro, to whom Macri gave $2.3 million for phantom services, hid proceeds in Panamá.

Former FOX Sports Américas sportscaster and close Macri ally Fernando Niembro was linked to an offshore account in Panamá by Open Corporates, the same database that earlier this week helped identify a second Panamá shell company in President Mauricio Macri's name. The Niembro account, according to Open Corporates, was opened in 2014, is listed under his son Diego F. Niembro, and remains active.

These revelations come just days after the international money laundering scandal known as the Panama Papers named Argentine President Mauricio Macri and several family members and officials in his administration as clients in the massive Mossack Fonseca offshore shell company scheme.

The offshore company, Tres Leones SA (Three Lions, Inc.), was opened shortly after the elder Niembro registered an advertising production company in Buenos Aires, La Usina, that from 2013 to 2015 received municipal publicity contracts for 21 million pesos ($2.3 million at the time) while Macri was still mayor of Buenos Aires. La Usina, however, has no registered employees.

The La Usina scandal, which emerged in September 2015, forced Niembro to abandon his bid for a seat in Congress on Macri's right-wing PRO ticket Buenos Aires, as well as his longtime post as senior football sportscaster at Fox Sports Américas. He was charged in September with suspected money laundering, and the case remains pending.

Niembro at the time denied the charges, asserting that he proceeded "in accordance with the law" and that he was being subjected to "an undeserved lynching."

At: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lavoz.com.ar%2Fpolitica%2Fempresas-offshore-el-escandalo-tambien-salpica-de-cerca-fernando-niembro

California judge OKs FDA decision to approve additive banned in 150 countries.

Last Thursday, a federal judge in California dismissed two lawsuits claiming the Food and Drug Administration illegally approved a dangerous drug for use in animal feed.

The lawsuits were filed by the Center for Food Safety, the Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, United Farmworkers of America, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and the Humane Society of the United States. The Center for Food Safety originally filed the suit against the FDA in November 2014, stating the agency violated the National Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedure Act when it approved an animal feed additive that contained the controversial drug ractopamine hydrochloride.

Ractopamine is part of a class of drugs known as beta-agonists, which are intended to add muscle weight to animals before they are led to slaughter. Ideally, the drug helps animals gain weight while eating less, resulting in reduced costs. However, imports of beef, pork, and turkey with ractopamine are banned in 150 countries, including China, Russia, and member states of the European Union. Japan, the United States, Canada, South Korea, and 27 other countries still assert meat containing ractopamine is safe for human consumption.

The plaintiffs argued the FDA approved drugs manufactured by Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly, without properly testing ractopamine. An investigation by the Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN) found that ractopamine is fed to “an estimated 60 to 80% of pigs in the United States” and has “resulted in more reports of sickened or dead pigs than any other livestock drug on the market.” In FDA records released under a Freedom of Information Act, FERN found that as of March 2011, 160,000 pigs administered the drug were reported to have suffered adverse effects including hyperactivity, trembling, broken limbs, paralysis, and death.

Elanco Companion Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly's Elanco, had previously filed a motion to dismiss the suits, claiming the defendants lacked standing because of their failure to “exhaust administrative remedies.” U.S. District Judge Yvonne González Rogers agreed and dismissed the lawsuit. The judge made no mention of the adverse health effects witnessed in animals.

At: http://www.myhealthycaregroup.com/judge-oks-fda-decision-to-approve-additive-banned-in-150-countries/

Panama Papers: Argentine President hires Obama's former public image advisor.

In response to strong pressures for unpopular policies and hit by the effects of the recent Panama Papers, Argentine President Mauricio Macri has hired expert Jim Messina, President Barack Obama's former public image advisor.

Veinte y Tres magazine reports that Messina while is a stranger in Argentina he has a successful career as a consultant, which includes leading Obama's political campaign in 2012 when he won reelection.

One of the main cornerstones of the campaign was the use of social networks and information posted by users in different platforms to know the preferences of voters, the article reveals.

On Wednesday, March 30, a representative of the Messina Group, vice-president Brennan Bilberry, met with Chief of Staff Marcos Peña and Public Communication secretary Jorge Grecco, the article goes on.

Messina, who was the architect of Obama's reelection in 2012, is regarded as one of the greatest strategists in public and communications issues worldwide. Currently, the Messina Group advises clients from several countries and a variety of fields that include energy, security, telecommunications, entertainment, health assistance and sports, and now will advise President Macri.

He comes at the right time, when President Macri is going through a difficult period after the revelations that he led a ghost company based in Bahamas and is the vice-president of another company in Panama.

At: http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4763341&Itemid=1

Macri's media law decrees debated at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Civil rights organizations and the Argentine government faced off yesterday at a public hearing of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) over the right to the freedom of expression and the Mauricio Macri administration's decrees rescinding the 2009 Broadcast Media Law. The hearing was part of the 157th period of audiences which are currently being held by the IACHR, in Washington DC. The commission is part of the Organization of American States (OAS).

The hearing was set up following a request by the Argentine Public Ombudswoman’s office, which warned of the effect the amendments made to the anti-trust mandates of the regulation may have on the autonomy of the regulatory bodies. The decree, issued less than a month after President Macri was sworn-in, dissolved the AFSCA media watchdog and the AFTIC telecommunications watchdog, replacing the two with a department (ENACOM) with an overwhelming pro-government majority.

Horacio Verbitsky, president of the Centre for Legal and Social Studies (CELS), opened the debate, saying that “the Macri administration argues that all media will be able to compete in the market, glossing over the differences in scale that would make most community media inviable without regulation by the state. If the implementation of law was incomplete or imperfect, the new government had the opportunity to correct those aspects - but not to suppress with the stroke of a pen a legal framework that guarantees communication as a right for all society, and to instead decree the law of the jungle, where the big players will grab everything and will leave nothing for society.”

Professor Martín Becerra drew attention to the fact that in “Argentina there are high levels of market concentration. Nearly 40% of the broadcast television are in the hands of two groups. In cable television, which is how 83% of homes have access to television in Argentina, nearly 70% of subscribers are controlled by two groups. However, the new guidelines decreed by the government turn their back on this problem, blocking competition and as such promoting concentration.”

“ENACOM was decreed with a complete governmentalization of media in mind, departing from republican ideals as it combined the discretionality of the market with the discretionality of the executive.”

The government responded by attacking former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s record and promising to work toward the implementation of a new telecommunications law. Represented by Human Rights Secretary Claudio Avruj, ENACOM President Miguel de Godoy, the Argentine delegation argued that freedom of expression would be best served by the changes they have promised.

Avruj was among those listed in the Panama Papers scandal as the head of an offshore shell company, “Kalushy,” that he and his wife have maintained since 1992.

The public hearing is taking place a few days after the 2009 Broadcast Media Law - which has been praised the UN, the Carter Center, the IFJ, and Reporters Without Borders - was buried by Congress on Wednesday, as Macri's coalition in Congress and members from Sergio Massa’s Renewal Front voted to approve the president’s recent “emergency” decreto dissolve it. The ruling coalition ordered that voting take place through a show of hands instead of an electronic vote, meaning there was no record of each lawmaker’s vote.

At: http://buenosairesherald.com/article/212224/media-law-dispute-reaches-oas-stage-