Southern Cone Reporter

The role

We are looking for a reporter based in Buenos Aires to cover the Southern Cone countries of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. This is a freelance, stringer position that pays a monthly retainer plus lineage.

Argentina is a subject of perennial interest for investors as the once-wealthy regional power lurches from crisis to crisis. Debt restructurings and IMF talks are a staple of coverage, along with the travails of the economy, some of the world’s highest inflation rates and periodic bouts of political turmoil, interspersed with the eternal hope of a new beginning.

The country faces a pivotal election in October this year, in which the unpopular ruling Peronists face a strong challenge from an emboldened conservative opposition. Candidates have yet to be chosen but two unpopular former presidents – Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on the left and Mauricio Macri on the right - still wield outsize influence in the contest and could conceivably run again. A far-right populist campaigning for the abolition of the central bank will add extra spice.

One of the world’s leading exporters of soybeans, Argentina’s main exports are agricultural but lithium mining is growing fast, giant shale gas fields in Patagonia are finally coming on stream and the country has a nascent tech sector exemplified by MercadoLibre, Latin America’s answer to Amazon. 

Neighbouring Chile, once the investor favourite in Latin America, is grappling with the aftermath of huge social protests which traumatised the country in 2019. President Gabriel Boric’s radical left coalition government is struggling with rising crime, an indigenous insurgency in the south, a sluggish economy and the challenge of squaring ambitious campaign promises with the realities of government. 

Investors remain worried about the risks of constitutional change. After voters overwhelmingly rejected a radical left draft document last year, Chile has gone back to the drawing board and it remains to be seen what balance is struck in a fresh blueprint. 

Investment in the crucial mining sector has been largely on hold owing to uncertainty about the constitution. Major changes may undermine the foundations of Chile’s free-market model, which has outperformed the rest of the region over the past three decades.

Uruguay, while one of the smaller Latin American states, is often held up as a model of successful, efficient government and has developed a vibrant tech sector. Paraguay faces presidential elections at the end of April, with the growing influence of drug traffickers a major issue.

This opportunity calls for an energetic journalist able to keep on top of breaking news from four nations with a keen eye out for the FT story. Pitching and writing in an imaginative and original way for the distant reader is essential. Fluent Spanish is essential.

Key responsibilities 

• Cover breaking news stories from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay
• Offer features and analysis from the region
• Seek interviews with leading decision-makers from business, politics and markets to produce scoops and original insights
• Engage with readers across social media platforms and use digital tools to tell stories in a compelling way for readers

Your skills

• Highly motivated and driven with a good eye for an FT story and an ability to pitch it    enthusiastically and cogently for an international readership
• Excellent networking skills with a proven ability to develop contacts at senior levels in government and business in order to break stories
• Fluent writer with an eye for colour and vivid detail who is comfortable with news, features and analysis
• Correspondent able to write on a broad range of topics, including the economy, business, politics and society
• Fluent spoken and written Spanish is essential 
• Prior reporting experience in Latin America is a plus

Please submit your application by the end of the day, 13th March 2023. 

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace

The FT is committed to providing an inclusive working environment for all. We are an equal opportunities employer who seeks to recruit and appoint the best talent regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We believe that a supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves at work and have the flexibility they need to meet their personal needs. 

Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, please contact a member of our HR team who will be happy to help.

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