The EconomistAugust 17th 2019 51The world this week Politics
An indicative vote in
Argentina’spresidential
election suggested that the
opposition, led by Alberto
Fernández with the country’s
previous president, Cristina
Fernández de Kirchner (no
relation), as his running-mate,
would handily win the actual
election in October. The Argen-
tine peso shed a quarter of its
value against the dollar and its
main stockmarket fell by 37%.
Investors fear the return of Ms
Fernández, whose policies
between 2007 and 2015 ruined
the economy.The result was a blow to the
incumbent Argentine
president, Mauricio Macri.
After the poll he announced a
number of giveaways to win
over voters, including tax cuts,
more welfare subsidies and a
three-month freeze in petrol
prices.The election of Alejandro
Giammattei as Guatemala’s
president threw doubt on the
safe-third-country agreement
signed by the outgoing presi-
dent, Jimmy Morales, with the
United States. Under the deal
some migrants would seek
asylum in Guatemala rather
than travelling through Mexico
to the American border. Mr
Giammattei thinks Guatemala
might not be able to honour
that commitment.The nomination by Brazil’s
president, Jair Bolsonaro, of
his son, Eduardo, as ambassa-
dor to the United States
prompted the public prosecu-
tor’s office to ask a federal
court to rule on the formal
qualifications required to be a
diplomat. Eduardo Bolsonaro’s
appointment must still be
confirmed by the senate in
Brasília, but that hasn’tstoppedtheoppositionfrom
cryingfoul,sayinghisonly
diplomaticcredentialsseemto
bethatheisa friendofthe
Trumpfamily.Canada’sethicscommissioner
criticisedJustinTrudeau,the
primeminister,forpressinga
formerattorney-generalto
dropchargesagainsta firm
accusedofbriberyinLibya.
ThecommissionersaidMr
Trudeauandhisofficeacted
outsidetheboundsofconven-
tion,andthattheirbehaviour
was“tantamounttopolitical
direction”.Hisreportcompli-
catesMrTrudeau’sbidfor
re-electioninOctober.Hopeatlast
TwotreatmentsforEbola
provedtobeeffectiveintests
conductedintheDemocratic
RepublicofCongo,wherethe
latestoutbreakhaskilled1,
people.Thesurvivalratejumps
to90%if thetreatments,
whichemployspecial
antibodies,aregivensoonafter
infection.If untreated,most
peoplewhocatchEboladie.SouthernseparatistsinYemen
seizedthecityofAdenfrom
forcesloyaltotheinternation-
allyrecognisedgovernment.
Theseparatistsandthegovern-
mentarepartofa Saudi-led
coalitionfightingtheIranian-
backedHouthirebels,who
controlmuchofthecountry.
Manyinthesouthdislikethe
government,aswellasthe
Houthis,andhopetosecede.Failing a test
Mystery surrounded an
explosion in Russia’sfar
north, which led to a spike in
radiation in nearby towns. The
Russians said only that a rocket
had exploded, killing five
scientists. Analysts think it
may have been a Skyfall, a
cruise missile powered by a
tiny nuclear reactor that the
Russians are developing.Another huge weekend prot-
est, this one the biggest yet,
was held in Moscowin opposi-
tion to the authorities’ deci-
sion to bar certain candidatesfromcontestingelectionsto
thecitycouncil.Thedemon-
strationhadbeenauthorised,
butpolicestillbeatupmanyof
thosetakingpart.JohnBolton,DonaldTrump’s
nationalsecurityadviser,
visitedBorisJohnson,thenew
Britishprimeminister,in
London.MrBoltonheldoutthe
prospectofa quicktradedeal,
negotiatedsectorbysector(to
placatethoseworriedbyAmer-
icandesignsonBritain’shealth
service)inthecaseofa no-deal
Brexit.Buta fewdayslater
NancyPelosi,theDemocratic
SpeakerofCongress,again
scotchedanyhopeofa dealif
Britainreinstatesbordercon-
trolswithIrelandpost-Brexit.Hardening the rhetoricChinese state media adopted a
harsher tone against the prot-
esters in Hong Kong, warning
that they were “asking for
self-destruction”. Video foot-
age was released purporting to
show manoeuvres by Chinese
troops near the border with
Hong Kong. China described
the demonstrations as “behav-
iour that is close to terrorism”.
Hundreds of flights in and out
of Hong Kong were again can-
celled when protesters occu-
pied its airport.America’s envoy to Afghani-
standescribed the latest round
of peace talks with the Taliban
as “productive”. The talks, held
in Qatar, ended without a deal
by which American troops
would leave Afghanistan.
America is hoping to secure an
agreement soon, ahead of a
postponed presidential elec-
tion in Afghanistan that is
scheduled for September 28th.
Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan
president, this week rejectedwhat he described as foreign
interference in his country.A communications blackout
was still in force in most of
Indian-administered Kashmir
following the government’s
decision to strip the region of
its autonomy and split it into
two territories that will in
effect be controlled from Delhi.
Sporadic protests broke out.
The biggest took place in Srina-
gar, Kashmir’s main city, where
thousands of Muslims took to
the streets after Friday prayers.A former president of Kyrgyz-
stan, Almazbek Atambayev,
was charged with collusion in
the early release of a mafia
boss. Mr Atambayev has fallen
out with his successor and
former protégé, Sooronbay
Jeyenbekov. Investigators say
Mr Atambayev could face other
charges, including of murder,
after a dramatic siege of his
home left a police officer dead.Only the healthy and wealthy
The Trump administration
published a rule that would
stop legal migrantsfrom
becoming permanent resi-
dents in America if they use
public-welfare programmes,
such as food stamps. Migrants
must already prove they will
not rely on government assis-
tance if they want to stay. The
new rule specifies that receiv-
ing certain benefits will be a
disqualifying factor. Ken
Cuccinelli, who heads the
immigration agency, said that
America wants “self-suffi-
cient” immigrants.America’s attorney-general,
William Barr, ordered an inqui-
ry into the suicide of Jeffrey
Epstein. Mr Epstein, once a
wealthy financier, was in jail
awaiting trial for trafficking
under-age girls for sex.The release of a film reportedly
premised on a global elite who
shoot “deplorables” (ie, Trump
supporters) for sport was
postponed in the wake of
recent mass shootings. “The
Hunt” is described as a
“satirical social thriller” by
Universal Pictures.