{
  "id": 301713,
  "title": "The law of the land",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/the-law-of-the-land",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-08T08:02:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Buenos Aires Times",
    "slug": "buenos-aires-times",
    "url": "https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/op-ed/the-law-of-the-land.phtml"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Last week could well be remembered in future histories as the moment when deregulation faced its limits under the Javier Milei administration. On four consecutive days, Decree 690/2026, which aimed to radically deregulate harbour pilots, was enacted and then withdrawn after a brief strike turned the River Plate into the Strait of Hormuz and stranded numerous export vessels. The setback, though not total, marked a clear retreat for the government which, while quadrupling fees at most regional ports, managed to cut them by 20 percent. Simultaneously, nationalistic fervor had grown, leading to a decree barring \"Argentinophobes\" from entering the country, which did not deter international artists like Rosalía from performing in Argentina. Sturzenegger then introduced a chapter in the government bill that lifted all restrictions on land sales to foreigners, an initiative that had already failed to gain traction in the Senate and was withdrawn. The criticism from politicians and lawyers focused on the law's breach of Article 41 of the Constitution, which they argued jeopardized sovereignty. However, the measure was in line with the 1853 Constitution, as Sturzenegger pointed out, reflecting the spirit of Alberdi's time when Argentina needed to encourage immigration by giving away land. Even with the failure of this initiative, over 200,000 square kilometres of land in Argentina is still theoretically available for sale, though only a fraction has been taken up, mostly in remote areas. The opposition rejected the legislation due to concerns about selling out the country to Milei allies, though they might have considered alternative options, such as engaging with China. Despite these setbacks, the government's focus on deregulation continues to be a central theme, with critics arguing that it is causing the administration to lose touch with the public's concerns.",
  "summary": "This last week might well go down in any future history of the Milei administration as the one marking the limits of deregulation. Leer más",
  "key_points": [
    "Decree 690/2026 aimed to deregulate harbor pilots, then withdrawn after a strike",
    "Argentina barred Argentinophobes from entry, yet Rosalía performed in the country",
    "Land sales to foreigners lifted restrictions, but Senate rejection halted progress"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}