Argentina is putting citizenship up for sale. In the October episode of The Argentina Brief, Francisco Aldaya and Daniel Politi break down the government’s new $350,000 Golden Passport and the surprisingly optimistic mood among global CEOs at Argentina Week in Paris, even as financial markets grow increasingly nervous.

They also sit down with economist and Wall Street veteran Alberto Ades to talk about the Milei experiment, why he thinks Argentina would benefit from a weaker peso, and what could decide next year’s election.

Plus, what Flávio Bolsonaro’s surprise first-round victory in Brazil means for Argentina.

Paige Nichols joins La Sobremesa to talk natural wine and why the success of Miércolesb, the monthly party she co-created for queer women in BA, points to a clear shortage of events geared toward that community in Argentina’s capital.

Follow us on X:

Fran: https://x.com/ArgentinaBrief + https://x.com/franaldaya

Dan: https://x.com/dpoliti

Paige: https://x.com/Pagina924

Follow us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/theargentinabrief/

Fran: https://www.instagram.com/franciscoaldayajournalist/

Dan: https://www.instagram.com/dnpoliti/

Paige: https://www.instagram.com/lapanza/

Recorded on Oct. 13, 2026

The CEOs of Eni, Glencore, Rio Tinto and Santander lined up behind Argentina's reforms at Argentina Week in Paris, a first-round lead for Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil set off a rally that lifted MercadoLibre more than 11% on the week, and at home the Milei government privatized the AySA water utility for US$340 million while a federal judge reopened the fight over the University Financing Law. We also cover the central bank's downgraded growth forecast, Milei's upcoming trip to Washington, Mindlin's pitch for AI data centers on Vaca Muerta gas, the YPF-TotalEnergies biorefinery, record bank dividends, and the auto-sector reshuffle with Renault, Toyota and Nissan.

In this episode:

*Argentina Week in Paris: Eni, Glencore, Rio Tinto and Santander CEOs backed Milei's reforms

*Bolsonaro's first-round lead in Brazil sent MercadoLibre, the Merval and Argentine bonds higher for the week

*The government privatized water utility AySA for US$340 million

*A federal judge struck down Milei's decree freezing the University Financing Law

*The central bank's REM survey cut 2026 growth to 1.5%

*Milei confirmed a fifth U.S. trip of 2026, with a Washington gala before the midterms

*Pampa's Mindlin pitched AI data centers on Vaca Muerta gas

*YPF sealed a US$400 million-plus biorefinery deal with TotalEnergies

*Industry and construction rebounded in August but stayed red year-on-year

*Banks leaned on public debt for income while paying record dividends

*Renault launched the Niagara pickup and Toyota's US$1.3 billion plan cleared the RIGI; Nissan exited

About the Argentina Brief:The Argentina Brief is a weekly English-language video series covering the most important economic, financial, and business news from Argentina, built for investors, executives, and anyone following the Milei era in real time. Hosted by Francisco Aldaya, Bureau Chief for Argentina at Bloomberg Línea. Also, a monthly hour-long podcast alongside Dan Politi and Allie Lazar.

President Javier Milei has abruptly made the Malvinas a centerpiece of his presidency, seizing on Donald Trump’s comments about the dispute and escalating Argentina’s campaign against offshore oil development near the islands. Daniel Politi and Francisco Aldaya look at why the nationalist turn came now, after a strange few weeks in which Milei largely disappeared from public view before returning with a barrage of insults aimed at journalists, business leaders, and critics of his government’s policies.

They also discuss how, even as energy, mining, and agriculture are seeing strong growth, there are clear weak spots in the economy, including sharp drops in manufacturing and construction, weak formal employment, and a household debt problem that has left millions of borrowers behind on payments. And they ask whether some officials inside the government are beginning to acknowledge economic problems that Milei himself insists do not require a change in course.

Plus, Allie Lazar investigates Buenos Aires’ mysterious boom in egg shops and the rise of the city’s pancho scene, exploring what both say about how Porteños are eating in a squeezed economy. She also shares one of the city’s best lunch hacks for getting into a famously hard-to-book Japanese restaurant in Villa Crespo.

Recorded on Sept. 15, 2026