Argentina, whilst US farmers struggle……

China no longer purchases soya beans from American farmers due to the current trade war between the US and China.

American farmers feel cheated:

American Soybean Farmers Sold Out by Trump While Argentina Gets Bailed Out

“The farm economy is suffering,” says the head of the American Soybean Association, “while our competitors supplant the United States in the biggest soybean import market in the world.”

Oct 14, 2025Common Dreams

Incredible, but:

15th October, 2025

Treasury Scott Bessent announced that the U.S. is DOUBLING its bailout of Argentina to $40 billion.

The bonding:

From Villa Urquiza to Washington: The tale behind Milei’s chainsaw gift for Elon Musk

President Javier Milei presents billionaire Elon Musk with a replica of the chainsaw he keeps at the Casa Rosada — how a tool manufacturer found a niche in the libertarian marketplace.

President Javier Milei gifts Elon Musk a chainsaw. | SOCIAL MEDIA

During his visit to the United States, Javier Milei surprised Elon Musk with an usual gift: a customised chainsaw.

The object was not chosen at random. For Milei, the chainsaw is the symbol of his libertarian agenda, representing the slashing of bureaucracy and shrinking the state. In the United States, Musk has been entrusted with the same task by President Donald Trump via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The Milei-Musk was swiftly shared on government channels. First came images, then a video of the exchange. Accompanied by the song ‘Bad to the Bone’ by George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Argentina’s President strides in, his sister Karina Milei in tow, and declares: “I have a gift for you,” unveiling a sleek black box with a gleaming chainsaw inside.

Milei sees Musk as an ally in his war on red tape. He claims DOGE, which the billionaire leads, was inspired by his own Deregulation & State Transformation Ministry, headed by Federico Sturzenegger.

Then we follow Milei’s success then plummeting lows

Here is an analysis:

Despite impressive macroeconomic gains, Milei’s project proved fragile. The austerity measures that balanced the budget and tamed inflation created severe social consequences. Poverty levels surpassed 50% at one point during the year, and the economy contracted sharply in 2024.

A core vulnerability emerged from the government’s anti-inflation strategy: an increasingly overvalued Argentine peso. To stabilize prices, the government slowed the peso’s depreciation against the U.S. dollar. But with domestic inflation still running high, the real value of the peso soared, making it one of its strongest in decades when adjusted for inflation.

This policy had damaging side effects. It made Argentine exports expensive and uncompetitive, widened the trade deficit, and created a critical shortage of U.S. dollars needed to pay for imports and service foreign debt.

The situation came to a head in mid-2025. A series of political setbacks shattered investor confidence. Milei’s coalition suffered a major electoral defeat in Buenos Aires province. Corruption scandals involving his sister and close advisor, Karina Milei, began to surface. The opposition-dominated Congress overturned key elements of the government’s fiscal consolidation plan.

This combination triggered a classic run on the peso, a crash in the Merval stock index, and rapid depletion of the central bank’s dollar reserves as it desperately tried to defend the currency.

https://govfacts.org/analysis/trumps-40-billion-argentina-bailout-strategic-gamble-or-political-favor/

Hunger in Argentina

Milei did improve life for the poor briefly, but this is what improvement looked like:

“The path of economic freedom and fiscal responsibility is the way to reduce poverty in the long term,” the government said in a statement after the poverty data was published.

There are still some 11.3 million people in poverty, INDEC said, with 2.5 million of those in severe poverty.

Some Argentines said that despite the slide in the headline figure, they still felt the pain,with some having to find thrown-away food to get by or taking informal low-salary jobs.

“There are more and more people rummaging through dumpsters here, foraging,” said Jorge Silvero, a Buenos Aires resident who survives by scavenging in the suburb of Tapiales.

“People coming to look and take a small bag of bagallo, as we say, some vegetables home. They have enough to eat, at least to take home. But there is a terrible hunger.”

There is hope that the worst hardship might be over.

“Now we have price stability, or at least macroeconomic stability and much lower inflation,” Agustin Salvia, director of the Argentina Social Debt Observatory at the Catholic University of Argentina, told Reuters.

He warned, however, that income levels for workers, retirees, and pensioners remained below what they were at the end of 2023, and that many people were taking on “more precarious, subsistence jobs, and informal work.”

https://www.stabroeknews.com/2025/04/01/news/regional/argentina-poverty-levels-slide-though-many-still-feel-the-pinch/

Foreign Investment suggestion from:

https://elinversordebolsillo.com.ar/en/inversiones-rentables-en-argentina/

Argentine real estate market has traditionally been a safe haven in times of economic instability. Investing in properties, whether for residential, commercial, or tourist use, offers the possibility of earning income in dollars or generating long-term appreciation.

One of the recent trends in the sector is the investment in Small apartments or studios in central areas of large cities such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba or RosarioThese properties are in demand for both temporary and long-term rentals, allowing for additional income generation. Furthermore, the supply of mortgage loans is limited, which maintains high demand for rentals.

For those looking for a medium or long-term investment, the purchase of land or early-stage developments It can result in significant profits upon project completion. However, it’s important to consider associated costs, such as taxes, maintenance, and real estate commissions, which can affect net profitability.

6. Investments in Precious Metals

Precious metals, such as gold and silver, are considered safe havens in times of economic crisis or high inflation. Gold, in particular, tends to maintain its value over the long term and is an effective hedge against currency devaluation. In Argentina, where the peso has steadily depreciated against the dollar, investing in gold has been a popular option.

Gold ingots or coins can be purchased through specialized houses, or invested in investment funds that replicate the price of the metalAlthough investing in gold doesn’t generate returns like financial assets, its ability to maintain purchasing power makes it an attractive option in highly uncertain scenarios.

7. Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies have gained popularity in Argentina as an investment alternative and protection against inflation. Bitcoin, for example, has been used both as a store of value and as a form of speculation. The volatility of cryptocurrencies can generate significant returns in a short period of time, but they also carry a high level of risk.

For those who wish to invest in cryptocurrencies, it is advisable to allocate a limited part of the total capital, as the risk is high. It’s also important to learn about the characteristics of each cryptocurrency and the exchange platforms to avoid scams or losses.

A strategy that has become popular is the dollar-cost averaging (DCA), which involves investing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals, regardless of the asset’s price. This helps soften the impact of volatility and reduce risk.

8. Startups and Private Equity

Investing in startups or small emerging companies can be very profitable, although it is also one of the riskiest options. The startup ecosystem in Argentina has grown significantly in recent years., with technology, fintech, and agribusiness companies leading the way.

Investing in startups can provide very high returns if the company manages to grow and scale its business model. However, it is important to consider that many startups do not survive the first few years, so Investing in several companies at once can be a way to diversify risk.

Some platforms allow you to invest in private equity or equity crowdfunding, making this type of investment accessible to people who don’t have large sums of money.

9. Dollar Accounts and External Debt Securities

Another way to protect your savings in Argentina is Keep a portion of your capital in dollar accounts or invest in sovereign bonds in foreign currency.Foreign debt securities, although volatile, can offer significant returns for investors willing to assume the risks associated with Argentine debt.

The Global Bonds 2030 or 2035 These are examples of dollar-denominated securities that can be purchased at significant discounts relative to their face value, allowing for high returns if the country achieves economic recovery. However, it’s important to be aware of the credit risk and the possibility of debt restructuring.

10. Knowledge Economy and Agroindustry

Argentina has highly competitive sectors that offer profitable investment opportunities. The knowledge economy, including software, IT services, and biotechnology, has shown significant growth in exports and foreign exchange earnings. Investing in companies linked to this sector can result in returns above the market average.

After the October elections:

Javier Milei’s victory in Argentina’s midterm elections is also a win for Trump

Published: October 27, 2025 3.49pm GMT

https://theconversation.com/javier-mileis-victory-in-argentinas-midterm-elections-is-also-a-win-for-trump-268339?utm_medium=article_native_share&utm_source=theconversation.com

China is the largest world creditor:

World Map Shows Countries That Owe China Money


Published

Jun 06, 2025 at 04:36 AM EDT

updated

Jun 06, 2025 at 05:12 AM EDT

………..

But as repayments mount, the burden will strain developing economies and divert resources from priorities such as health care, education and poverty reduction, the Lowy Institute wrote.

…………

What To Know

China accounted for about 5 percent, or $441.8 billion, of the $8.8 trillion in public external debt owed by all low- and middle-income countries, according to data from the World Bank’s 2024 report on International Debt Statistics.

https://www.newsweek.com/world-map-countries-indebted-china-development-finance-loans-2081770

Also, an AI summary suggests:

The U.S. national debt is primarily owned by two groups: domestic investors, including private individuals and institutions, and foreign investors. As of recent estimates, about 75% of the debt is held domestically, while approximately 25% is owned by foreign entities, with countries like Japan and China being the largest foreign holders. Library of Congress nationalpriorities.org

The relationship between the US and Latin America has a long history, and China and the US interact in numerous ways, for example, the trade in Fentanyl:

How They Did It: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Series Exposing Fentanyl’s Global Supply Routes

by Devin Windelspecht • June 2, 2025

The diversity in delivery locations was intentional. “There has been — and continues to be, to some extent — a fairly simplistic narrative from some areas of government and law enforcement, that this stuff all just comes in and is produced in Mexico and is then consumed in the US, a very kind of binary narrative,” Eisenhammer said. “We really wanted to show that it’s not as simple as that, that these supply chains are incredibly complicated and actually the US plays a pretty important role.”

Reuters graphic supply chain of precursors from US to Mexico

The Reuters team’s reporting showed that the US plays a key link in the supply chain of providing fentanyl precursors to illegal drug manufacturers in Mexico. Image: Screenshot, Reuters

https://gijn.org/stories/series-exposing-fentanyls-global-supply-routes/

We might all think locally, and base our perceptions of government decisions based on how they impact us, or members of our community.

There are many issues we have the option to look into more deeply, since investigative and reliable journalists are working hard to explain the global interactions which flow around us.

Some of these may pose threats we do not expect to arise from covert activities.

Instead we may be lazy and guided by rumour or misinformation. We can all look beyond social media or glib AI answers. Locating reliable information helps us protect ourselves and our communities.

Whilst Trump visits China and gets a deal which restores status quo to before tariffs, look what happened to US farmers since the start of the trade war:

Farm bankruptcies are soaring amid low crop prices, while Trump considers bailout of up to $14 billion

By Jason Ma

October 4, 2025 at 2:49 PM EDT

https://fortune.com/2025/10/04/farm-bankruptcies-low-crop-prices-trump-bailout-agriculture-economy-crisis/

And some investors are waiting to buy the land:

JD Vance funded AcreTrader. Here’s why that matters.

  • Tags: US

Civil Eats | 18 September 2024

https://www.farmlandgrab.org/post/32430-jd-vance-funded-acretrader-here-s-why-that-matters

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About borderslynn

Retired, living in the Scottish Borders after living most of my life in cities in England. I can now indulge my interest in all aspects of living close to nature in a wild landscape. I live on what was once the Iapetus Ocean which took millions of years to travel from the Southern Hemisphere to here in the Northern Hemisphere. That set me thinking and questioning and seeking answers. In 1998 I co-wrote Millennium Countdown (US)/ A Business Guide to the Year 2000 (UK) see https://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9780749427917
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