Argentina and Chile grant subsidies and fee cuts to help local merchants

The Chamber of Deputies of Buenos Aires province approved a subsidy of 300 million Argentine pesos to support merchants in Bahía Blanca. The aid, to be distributed by the local Chamber of Commerce and municipal authorities, targets roughly 300 businesses and will be allocated based on a financial vulnerability index that considers each establishment’s turnover and municipal debt.

In Viña del Mar, Chile, Mayor Macarena Ripamonti ordered a reduction in municipal permit fees for market stalls and fair vendors, extending the payment deadline for three months. The measure aims to relieve entrepreneurs whose operations were disrupted by recent flooding and other impacts of a declared climate emergency.