Argentina Decides to Cooperate with US Court in YPF Case

In the YPF case, Argentina informed Judge Loretta Preska of its decision to cooperate with the delivery of the messages and emails requested by the US justice system. In the court filing, the government also requested a new extension to comply with the requirement: the deadline, which had already been extended to November 4, is now being postponed to November 21. According to sources, the objective of the request is to gain additional time to obtain the consent of the 35 officials and former officials whose communications were requested as part of the investigation. The issue is being closely followed by the Ministry of Economy and the Attorney General's Office, as it is part of the final stage of the process following an adverse ruling that left the country exposed to a multimillion-dollar claim. Meanwhile, the government is trying to buy time without further straining its relationship with the court, in a scenario where each filing can influence the negotiation of the next legal steps. "At this stage, the priority seems to be to avoid new legal sanctions and to show goodwill before the New York court," sources close to the defense emphasized. They noted that the management involves both current officials and former members of the previous government, and that the procedure is being carried out "on an individual and confidential basis". Judge Preska will have to decide in the coming days whether to grant the requested extension and under what conditions the material will be delivered. Judge Preska had previously requested that the country submit the communications or justify its inability to do so within the set deadlines. The filing presented by the lawyers representing the Argentine state details that they are working to obtain individual authorization from the people involved, in line with the privacy procedures imposed by local legislation. The cooperation, they clarified, does not imply an admission regarding the content of the messages, but rather a willingness to facilitate the judicial process. The decision to cooperate marks a change in tone in the government's defense strategy, which until a few weeks ago insisted on the technical and legal difficulties in accessing those records.