Latin American ports brace for cargo shifts as US-China trade war stands on fragile truce
Lingering tensions between the US and China have ports across Latin America bracing for cargo shifts, despite the fragile trade war truce between Washington and Beijing. CNN's Dario Klein visited a soy cargo port in Nueva Palmira, Uruguay, to see how the uncertainty could bode for them and neighboring nations as supply chain experts warn decades-old trade networks could unravel amid growing uncertainty.
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Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Forbes
Argentina To Launch New Citizenship Program: Here's What You Need To Know
Overlooking the Buenos Aires skyline at sunset. Argentina is preparing to launch a new citizenship-by-investment program, drawing interest from expats and global investors. getty More and more Americans are dreaming of moving abroad. Whether it's to escape the current political situation, for better work-life balance or just the thrill of a new adventure, there's a booming demand for second passports and long-term visas. While some countries offer citizenship after years of residency, a handful will give you a passport in exchange for investment. Now, Argentina—one of the most affordable countries to live—is getting in on the action. The South American country is rolling out a new citizenship-by-investment (CBI) program that will help make it easier for foreigners to get citizenship there. According to Isabela Schrotke, research team lead at Nomad Capitalist, the program will require a minimum investment of $500,000 in sectors like technology, agribusiness, energy or tourism. It is expected to launch by the end of 2025 or early 2026. 'The focus is on job-generating contributions—not real estate or donations,' Schrotke told me in an interview. 'Two executive decrees are being drafted to create a solid legal and administrative structure that avoids future court challenges.' Unlike Argentina's traditional path to naturalization—which requires two years of permanent residency—the new citizenship-by-investment route would offer investors a direct line to citizenship. And there's real value to being an Argentinian citizen: 'The lifestyle is culturally rich, affordable and has a strong European feel, especially in cities like Buenos Aires,' says Schrotke. A street scene in Palermo Hollywood, one of Buenos Aires' trendiest neighborhoods—known for its café culture and buzzing nightlife. getty Thanks to its café culture, walkability, thriving arts scene and European-style architecture, Buenos Aires often tops lists of the best cities in Latin America for expats. Outside the capital, regions like Mendoza and Bariloche also offer expat appeal. Another perk: 'Argentine citizenship gives you visa-free access to 172 destinations and the right to live and work in all Mercosur countries,' says Schrotke. The Mercosur countries include Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. Plus, there are several other associated countries including Chile, Colombia and more. The launch of the program coincides with a broader economic transformation under President Javier Milei, who was elected in December 2023. In just over a year, Milei has lifted currency and capital controls, cut inflation and posted a budget surplus. "Argentina's past is turbulent, but current reforms are aimed at stability,' says Schrotke. 'Inflation is down, investor sentiment is improving and the program is part of a broader economic repositioning.' International Living correspondent David Hammond is enthusiastic about the new opportunity. 'So many times I've heard people say, if Argentina ever got its political and economic act together, it could rank among the best places in the world to live and invest,' Hammond wrote in a recent article. 'With reforms in place, financial barriers removed and international backing secured, this could be the most accessible and potentially profitable time to explore Argentina in decades.' Not everyone agrees. Jen Barnett, founder of Expatsi—which helps Americans find places to live abroad—is skeptical. 'I don't think Argentina is a safe choice in its current political climate that includes a recent incident where lesbians were set on fire, not to mention out-of-control inflation,' Barnett told me in an interview. 'We recommend Uruguay instead, which is a stable democracy that eliminated laws against homosexuality in 1934.' Taking in the natural beauty of Patagonia, one of Argentina's most awe-inspiring regions. With the soon-to-launch citizenship-by-investment program, the country is drawing new interest from nature lovers and investors alike. getty And Ted Baumann, chief of global diversification at International Living, calls Argentina's new approach a sharp pivot. 'Whereas before Argentina was relatively open to immigrants up and down the economic spectrum, now it appears to be narrowing those opportunities in favor of those with wealth and skills,' Baumann told me in an interview. Baumann says that Argentina will need to work hard to attract high-net-worth individuals, given its remote location and political unpredictability. 'There are numerous opportunities for people with half a million dollars to invest, and Argentina will have to compete hard to find its place in the CBI world,' he says. 'The country has great natural beauty and a European cultural flare. But it has two drawbacks from an international migration perspective. First, it's a long way from the centers of action. In terms of time zones, it's accessible to the U.S. East Coast, but anybody who needs to travel for business is going to have to get used to long haul flights if they settle there.' The political issue is much more consequential. 'Argentina has a history of significant sociopolitical and economic instability,'says Baumann. 'If the world goes into a global recession, Argentina could be hit hard.' And there are other issues to consider: 'Dual citizenship is allowed in Argentina without major restrictions. However, once naturalized, you are legally considered fully Argentine within the country, and the citizenship is permanent and cannot be renounced,' says Schrotke. 'This could carry legal or tax implications depending on your other nationality.' Whether this new program becomes a true game changer remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: For anyone dreaming of a new life abroad, Argentina is a country to watch. Golden hour in Mendoza's wine country—just one of the many regions that make Argentina a compelling destination for expats and investors. getty When will the program launch? Late 2025 is the earliest expected timeline, with early 2026 also a possibility depending on implementation. How much do I need to invest? A minimum of $500,000 in approved sectors such as technology, agribusiness, energy or tourism. Can I invest in real estate? No. The government has specifically excluded real estate and donations from qualifying investments. Do I need to live in Argentina? No residency is required under this program. That's one of the major differences from Argentina's traditional two-year path to citizenship. Does Argentina allow dual citizenship? Yes, but once you are naturalized, you are considered fully Argentine in the eyes of the law, and citizenship cannot be renounced. What are the risks? The country has longstanding oolitical and economic volatility, plus potential shifts in policy. And there are legal and tax implications tied to permanent citizenship status. Who is this program best for? Entrepreneurs and active investors looking to engage with Argentina's economy. It is not intended for remote workers or passive citizens.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
JFK Files: How Cuba's War Of Words Flooded The Americas
Join authors Dennis McCuistion and Dory Wiley for an explosive panel discussion at The Dallas Express' 'Who Killed JFK?' event on June 9, 2025. , , or today! The CIA feared that Cuba's true revolutionary export wasn't fighters—it was a playbook for turning a country's own resources against itself. Newly declassified intelligence files from the 1960s, released by President Donald Trump in March 2025 as part of the broader 'JFK Files' disclosure, detail extensive efforts by Fidel Castro's Cuba to spread communism across Latin America—not through mass invasions or military might, but by subverting nations from within. One such document from then-CIA Director John A. McCone to then-Senator John Stennis (D-MS) is marked 'Secret' and appears to be from the spring of 1963. The document outlines the CIA's assessment of Cuba's subversive strategy as a potent mix of ideological indoctrination, sabotage training, and psychological warfare. According to the report, Cuba offered revolutionaries from across Latin America a chillingly precise deal: 'Come to Cuba; we will pay your way, we will train you…in guerrilla warfare, in sabotage and in terrorism.' Though the Cubans generally avoided supplying weapons or personnel, they promised political support, training materials, demolition guides, secret communication techniques, and, in some cases, funding. The strategy focused on training guerrillas to be self-sufficient and to weaponize their surroundings. Pocket-sized manuals, such as '150 Questions on Guerrilla Warfare' by Spanish Civil War veteran Alberto Bayo, circulated widely. They instructed revolutionaries on how to craft explosives from household items and steal arms from government forces. CIA agents found versions of these texts adapted for countries like Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. In the early 1960s, the CIA leadership believed between 1,000 and 1,500 individuals from almost every Latin American country (except Uruguay) reportedly traveled to Cuba for ideological or guerrilla training. The Cuban government tried to obscure the movement, issuing visas on separate slips to avoid passport stamps and even providing falsified passports. American intelligence used agents within communist parties and foreign customs authorities to track and estimate the scale of this traffic, the director told the senator. The report highlights Cuba's two-pronged media campaign into the United States as an early extension of this subversive agenda. 'Radio Free Dixie,' hosted by North Carolina-born Robert F. Williams, was broadcast in English to Black Americans in the South, while 'The Friendly Voice of Cuba' reached a wider Southern audience. These programs, the CIA noted, could be heard clearly in Florida and across much of the Deep South and represented a subtle yet strategic psychological campaign aimed at undermining American unity. Castro's ambition, the report asserts, was to make Cuba the blueprint for the Latin American revolution. He famously stated in 1960 that he aimed to 'convert the Cordillera of the Andes into the Sierra Maestra of the American continent.' The Sierra Maestra was the mountain refuge from which Castro launched his successful revolution against Batista. 'Socialism,' he argued, could not afford to wait for democratic change—it had to be won by force. And yet, Cuban communism was not as militant as it might seem. The CIA noted that Castro often trod a careful line between the Soviet Union and Communist China. 'Castro's heart is in Peiping but his stomach is in Moscow,' one section reads, referencing the ideological tug-of-war between Chinese revolutionary zeal and Soviet pragmatism. While China promoted all-out militancy, the Soviets favored subversion through legal means. Castro attempted to serve both masters—adopting Chinese revolutionary theory but relying on Soviet material aid. Despite this ideological balancing act, the CIA classified the Cubans and Venezuelans as the only Communist parties in Latin America 'totally committed to terror and revolution.' Other parties, while ideologically aligned, preferred subversion, propaganda, and infiltration to outright violence—at least initially. Several revolutions swept through South America during the decades following Cuba's turn to communism, some succeeding and others collapsing. In Nicaragua, the Sandinistas ultimately overthrew the Somoza regime in 1979 with tactics reminiscent of the Cuban model. In Chile, Salvador Allende's Marxist government came to power democratically in 1970 but was overthrown in a military coup three years later. Guerrilla movements plagued Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia, with groups like the FARC and the Shining Path drawing from the ideological and tactical lineage traced back to Cuba's training camps and printed materials. Even where communist revolutions never took root—such as in Brazil, Ecuador, or Paraguay—leftist guerrilla groups launched campaigns of sabotage and terror, often mimicking Cuban tactics. Many of these movements were ultimately suppressed, but not before spreading fear and destabilization. Perhaps the most telling metric of Cuba's nonviolent infiltration was its printed word. 'It may be worth noting,' the CIA director wrote, 'that the postal and customs authorities in Panama are destroying on average 12 tons a month of Cuban propaganda.' Another 10 tons were reportedly confiscated monthly in Costa Rica. These materials, in the form of books, pamphlets, and ideological tracts, were seen as weapons of war. Despite accepting Soviet missiles and troops during the Cuban Missile Crisis—20,000 Soviet personnel were reportedly stationed in Cuba, according to one document—the island's long-term strategy was quieter and more insidious. The CIA concluded that Cuba's effort to spread communism through nonviolent means was far more effective than the Cuban effort to spread communism through violent means.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
‘No, we're not doing that': Democrat voter rebukes centrists ahead of primary vote
South Carolina has often bucked the electoral trend – voting for candidates who lost in Iowa or New Hampshire and thus helping pick which candidate will move on to the general election. CNN's Jeff Simon spoke to multiple voters at a Democrat dinner in Columbia, South Carolina about the party's leadership and future.
