🇦🇷Week of October 12

The Argentine government filed a criminal complaint against 25 people detained during incidents at a university march, on counts of injuries, damage and resisting authority. The march was held in support of the University Financing Law, and residents of Azul also mobilized to demand the law be enforced.12

The government characterized the incidents as an "attack on the constitutional order." Perfil reported that the only detentions were for resisting authority, framing the government's language as broader than the charges filed.31

Attributed claim: Página|12, a left-leaning outlet, reported that the march was met with a brutal repression and that Monteoliva is seeking to cover himself with a criminal complaint. The centre-right Clarín instead reported the complaint as a straightforward account of the charges against the 25 detainees.41

Viral images from the university march at the Congress circulated online.5

The UN Security Council failed in its sixth secret ballot to choose the next secretary-general, leaving the selection pending. No candidate has yet secured the required support to win the post.123

Rafael Grossi remains in the race for secretary-general, positioning himself as the main challenger after moving into second place behind Rebeca Grynspan, who still leads. Grossi drew two vetoes from the veto-wielding powers, as did his rivals.413

The veto-holding countries signaled dissatisfaction with all seven candidates vying to lead the UN, according to El País, a centre-left outlet, which framed the sixth ballot as a rejection of the field rather than a verdict on any single contender.3

The deadlock raises the question of what happens if the UN does not agree on a new secretary-general before December, with the race still open after repeated failed votes.5

Brazil's presidential election is going to a runoff between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, with the race described as a total tie heading into the second round.123

A poll put Lula two points behind Flávio Bolsonaro, narrowing the gap in the runoff contest.4

Attributed claim: Radiocanal: A second Datafolha survey showed Bolsonaro ahead of Lula by two points, the mirror image of the other published poll.5

The runoff campaign is being fought as a street-level contest, with the classic on-the-ground campaign framed as no longer enough to stop bolsonarismo.2

Argentina's severance-payment scheme, the Fondo de Asistencia Laboral (FAL), is set to begin operating in November, with companies required to take steps to avoid sanctions from the tax authority ARC. The fund covers a universe of roughly 2 billion dollars in indemnity payments.12

Market chambers have asked for a further extension of the FAL's start date, and the launch could be pushed back by one month. The request leaves the November start in question.34

The scheme's rules also extend to non-profit entities: guidance addresses how a civil association without profit motive adheres to the FAL.5

Mauricio Macri publicly backed a mayor who challenged President Javier Milei to cut taxes, then deleted his message. The episode unfolded amid negotiations between Macri's PRO and Milei's La Libertad Avanza.123

The mayor's challenge centered on a tax swap: local officials pressed Milei and Economy Minister Luis Caputo to eliminate the IVA. One line quoted in coverage put it as "Bajar los impuestos que cobra otro es fácil" — cutting taxes someone else collects is easy.4

Attributed claim: La Política Online, a centre-left outlet, framed the deleted post as Macri trying to outflank Milei on the right with the Passaglia family and ending up removing the tweet; centre-right and centre outlets reported the support and the deletion without that framing.512