Wednesday Feb 22, 2023 - Argentina - Racism bias, Officials head to Washington, Heat and drought taking its toll

These are some of the Trending news in Argentina on Wednesday February 22nd, 2023.

Argentina's racism bias was exposed after the death of Fernando Sosa, a son of Paraguayan immigrants who was killed by men who screamed racist slurs as they kicked him to death in a nightclub altercation. Despite the murder sparking public outrage, most people perceived the crime through the lens of youth, sport, masculinity and class, with the racial element as a subordinate variable. The case exposed Argentina's failure to have a national reckoning over racism, with some Argentinians continuing to question whether racism exists. Racism has been timidly debated in Argentina and across Latin America.

Top officials from Argentina have headed to Washington for talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the latest quarterly review of the country's US$44.5-billion debt deal. Approval of the fourth quarterly review is of high importance for President Alberto Fernández’s government, which needs to boost Central Bank reserves at a time of low foreign currency inflows and a punishing drought that has dramatically slashed projections for the agricultural harvest. If the IMF board signs off on the deal, Argentina will receive a new disbursement of US$5.4 billion in fresh funds that will boost the state’s coffers. The talks will also address the impact of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine on energy prices and logistics costs worldwide.

Heat and drought are taking a toll on large parts of South America. Since 2019, Argentina and neighboring countries have been grappling with drought conditions, receiving less than half of the average precipitation in the last four months of 2022 - the lowest rainfall in 35 years. This, along with high temperatures, has resulted in widespread crop failures. Agricultural exports for 2023 are projected to drop by 28% compared to 2022 levels, with Uruguay declaring an agricultural emergency. While human-induced climate change wasn't the main driver of the reduced rainfall, it increased temperatures in the region, reducing water availability and worsening the drought's impact. Heatwaves, which have increased in frequency, intensity, and duration due to climate change, are also a major issue. Central Chile's Mega Drought, the longest in the region in at least a thousand years, has exacerbated the water crisis. The low rainfall is partly due to the third consecutive year of La Niña, a naturally occurring phenomenon. WMO will release its next El Niño/La Niña and Global Seasonal Climate Update by the end of February.

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