# Latin American fiscal and electoral developments

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/latin-american-fiscal-and-financial-developments
> Updated: 2026-09-01T18:43:28.000Z. Sources: 40. Developments: 2.

Latin American nations are undergoing various financial and legislative transitions. Initially, focus was placed on banking sector developments, including the launch of new services and infrastructure modernization. Specific actions included debt restructuring lines in Argentina, transitions to contactless debit cards in Venezuela, and security-focused infrastructure investments in Ecuador. This has evolved into broader discussions regarding national fiscal policies and legislative reforms. In Argentina, the Senate is set to discuss electoral reforms, including the potential elimination of the PASO primary system. Other regional developments involve managing significant public debt in Paraguay, budget proposals in Guatemala and Colombia, and disputes over state debt to social security funds in Costa Rica. Recent developments show intensified legislative and fiscal pressures. In Argentina, the government has moved to reactivate the electoral reform debate within Senate commissions, a process coordinated during a political meeting led by Karina Milei, the General Secretary of the Presidency. The debate is scheduled to resume in the Senate on September 15. The proposed reform package includes the elimination of the PASO (Primaries, Open, Simultaneous, and Mandatory) system to allow parties to manage candidacies through internal mechanisms, the implementation of ‘Ficha Limpia’ to bar individuals with corruption convictions from office, and new rules for political campaign financing. The administration intends to push the full text of the initiative to encourage negotiations with opposition sectors. Concurrently, the PAMI social security agency faces a 1.2 trillion peso deficit following the removal of the ‘Impuesto País’. Alongside these reforms, the Executive branch intends to submit the 2027 Budget project to the Chamber of Deputies in the coming weeks. In Paraguay, public debt has reached USD 21.9 billion (34.4% of GDP) amid a healthcare crisis and doctor strikes.

## Claims

- The Argentine Executive decided to relaunch the legislative debate on electoral reform. (single source)
- The electoral reform project includes the elimination of the PASO primary system. (single source)
- The reform project includes a 'Ficha Limpia' mechanism to prevent candidates with corruption convictions from running. (single source)
- Debates on the electoral reform are scheduled to begin in the Senate commissions on September 15. (single source)
- The Argentine government plans to submit the 2027 Budget project to the Chamber of Deputies in the coming weeks. (single source)
- The reform package includes adjustments to rules regarding private and public contributions for political campaigns. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-01: Argentina restarts electoral reform debate in Senate

The Argentine government is relaunching the debate on electoral reform, with Senate commission discussions set to begin on September 15. The plan includes eliminating PASO primaries and implementing 'Ficha Limp

33 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/costa-rica-ministry-of-finance-proposes-124-trillion-budget-for-2027

### 2026-08-28: Latin American banks launch new financial services and upgrades

Financial institutions in Argentina, Venezuela, and Ecuador are launching new services, including debt restructuring, debit card upgrades, and interest-free purchase advances.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nuevo-banco-del-chaco-launches-interest-free-debit-advance-service

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Cite as: Latin American fiscal and electoral developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/latin-american-fiscal-and-financial-developments