The Argentine Navy ended search operations for the missing ARA San Juan submarine and its 44 crew members, as they are no longer expected to be found alive. 29 members of the last military dictatorship received life sentences for crimes against humanity in the historic ESMA trial. The Senate passed bills reforming pensions and requiring provinces to reduce spending to reform fiscal policy. The historic Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires will receive renovations to be completed in April 2018.

1. December 4, 2017
Happy December, everyone!
Yes, we are in December already.
And before you know it you will be celebrating Christmas.
In 2024.
Time flies, so make the most of it.
This is what happened in the last seven days:
WE NO LONGER EXPECT THE CREW OF THE ARA SAN JUAN TO
BE FOUND ALIVE
• The Argentine Navy announced last week that the search operation for the
ARA San Juan submarine no longer hoped to find its 44 crew members
alive. In a new contact with the press, Navy spokesperson Enrique Balbi
read a press release informing the end of the search and rescue operation,
which means the efforts will now only be aimed at finding the vessel.
Balbi explained that altogether, the ships involved in the operation sailed
roughly 1 million nautical miles, and combed the search area – of about 40
square kilometers – at a depth of up to 300 meters. However, all results
proved unfruitful. As a result of this, some ships began to make their way
back to the Comodoro Rivadavia port, in the province of Chubut. In the
meantime, the investigation continues over two objects identified at the

2. bottom of the ocean that may or may not be the missing vessel.
HISTORIC ESMA TRIAL ENDS WITH 29 PEOPLE SENTENCED TO
LIFE IN PRISON
• 29 members of the last military dictatorship were sentenced to life in
prison last week, after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by
the Fifth Federal Tribunal, in the so-called “ESMA trial.” This was the
longest judicial process in Argentine history, and the first one to document
the “death flights”: a practice conducted by which members of the
dictatorship sedated their victims, who in this case were being held at the
clandestine detention that gives name to the trial, to then throw them in to
the Río de la Plata from a moving plane. In fact, it was the first time two
pilots who partook (participated) in these flights were sentenced. They
were Alejandro D’Agostino and Mario Arrú. Among others who received
life sentences were the infamous (tristemente célebre) Alfredo Astiz,
Jorge “tiger” Acosta and Ricardo Cavallo – although the three are already
serving sentences for previous convictions – as well as Jorge Antonio
Asic, known for having “appropriated” now National Deputy Victoria
Donda. Aziz was one of the members or friends of the military who stole,
kept and raised as their own the children that civilians had in captivity.
THE SENATE PASSED A BILL TO REFORM THE PENSIONS SYSTEM
AND REDUCE FISCAL SPENDING
• Last week, the Senate passed three bills aimed at implementing reforms in
different areas of the state, reforms the Macri administration began
pushing since its victory in October’s midterm elections: to the pensions
system, to get provinces to reduce their spending and for all of them to
have a cohesive (logically connected) fiscal structure. The first bill was
by far the one that caused the most controversy. If approved by the Lower
House – taking for granted the President would then sign on the bill,
considering his administration is pushing it – the initiative would reduce
the extent to which pensions would increase from 2018 on. Even though
they would still beat the inflation rate, they would do so for a lesser

3. margin than with the existing system. Moreover, the project would enable
eligible pensioners to choose not to retire when they reach the age
threshold (limit/umbral) – 65 for men, 60 for women – and continue
working for five more years. During this period, their employers – should
they have one – would stop paying the part of their salaries that goes to the
state to pay for, among other things, their pensions and healthcare. The
initiative would also grant that people who made these payments for the
required 30 years and get the minimum pension would get 82 percent of
the minimum salary at the time as pension. The project was approved with
43 positive votes, 23 negative ones and three abstentions. Within the group
of senators who voted in favor, however, were different arguments about
the reasons to do it. PRO Senator and provisional president of the Senate,
Federico Pinedo, for example, said “this will guarantee that Argentina will
not explode in 20 or 25 years’ time.”
THE PLAZA DE MAYO IS ABOUT TO GET A MAJOR FACELIFT
• It was a long time coming, but it looks like the Plaza de Mayo, one of
Buenos Aires’ most popular tourist attractions and historic locations, is
getting the facelift it deserves. In a video recently released by the city’s
Ministry of Environment and Public Space, we are offered a preview of
what the plaza will look like once renovation works are finished in April
of 2018. The Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires has been the epicenter of
some of Argentina’s most important moments since the birth of the nation.
From the May Revolution, the aerial bombings of 1955 and Evita’s
speeches, to the meeting point of the mothers of the disappeared and the
protests during the economic meltdown (colapso) of 2001, few locations
in this country can claim to have witnessed as much history as this place.
Have a great week, kids!