US$500M Metro line to benefit a million commuters

Santo Domingo.- The modernity of the collective transport system points towards Los Alcarrizos with the construction of Line 2-C of the Santo Domingo Metro, which according to the authorities, will benefit one million commuters who reside in populous neighborhoods and residential areas of the municipality Santo Domingo Oeste and part of the National District.

It is one of the top works of the government headed by President Luis Abinader, which also includes the Los Alcarrizos Cable Car and the Cibao bus terminal, all converging on the “Multimodal” at kilometer 15 of the Duarte Highway.

The Metro, expected to be completed next year at a cost of more than 500 million dollars, and which would generate more than 2,500 direct jobs, is part of the original project for the system designed during the governments of former President Leonel Fernández, but redesigned by the current authorities.

Government freezes prices of all fuels

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Mipymes (MICM) announced today that the price of fuels would remain unchanged for the week of March 19 to 25.

In this regard, Premium Gasoline will remain at RD$293.60, and Regular Gasoline will remain at RD$274.50.

Meanwhile, Regular Gasoil will continue at RD$221.60, and Optimum Gasoil will remain at RD$241.10 per gallon.

Likewise, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) remains at RD$147.60 per gallon, and Natural Gas maintains its price at RD$28.97 per m3.

Others
Avtur will be sold at RD$249.54 and Kerosene at RD$284.88;

Fuel Oil will also increase to RD$192.11 per gallon and Fuel Oil 1% to be sold at RD$211.77.

IATA highlights tourist boom in Dominican Republic: “It progresses as if it were under normal conditions”

Peter Cerdá, Regional Vice President for the Americas of the International Air Transport Association ( IATA ), explained that Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica are markets that have recovered “because even today no type of antigen test or PCR is required, or show if they are vaccinated or not. They are operating as if they were under normal conditions, allowing for a much faster recovery.

“There are markets that are advancing much faster, that are going to reach the goal that they had in 2019 before 2023 or 2024, but it has depended a lot on how the markets have been reopening,” he added.

In addition, he said that “however, the situation varies by country, since in 2021 Mexico recovered international traffic, while the national one even exceeded that of 2019.”

He indicated that it is a projection since there are still countries that have their borders closed, others that maintain sanitary protocols that slow down the situation, and the effects that the conflict in Russia and Ukraine may have for the sector are still unknown, as well as the cost of the fuels.

“As for profits, they expect that from 2024, airlines will recover the international traffic they had in 2019, while they calculate that by mid-2023 global domestic traffic could be recovered,” he added.

Cerdá, who offered the details when participating in the Aviation Day Forum in Ecuador, assured that despite everything, the Latin American region is, at the moment, “the best located, compared to Europe, Asia, and Africa, where they are still suffering the pandemic or other factors that are not allowing a recovery.

Humpback whales travel up to 6,000 kilometers in search of a mate

Scientists from Hawaii’s Whale Trust Maui found that humpback whales may be much more mobile during their breeding season than previously thought, with some traveling up to 6,000 kilometers in search of mates.

Humpback whales, whose scientific name is Megaptera novaeangliae, are found in all major oceans.

Those in the North Pacific typically spend summers feeding in Alaska and Canada before migrating south in the winter to waters near Mexico and Hawaii to breed.

Scientists had assumed that the whales chose Mexico or Hawaii as their breeding grounds. However, some evidence suggests that the two groups may mix, such as the songs of this cetacean species.

Specialist James Darling of Whale Trust Maui in Hawaii and colleagues studied the Happywhale photo database of more than 26,000 individual humpback whales in the North Pacific taken by professional and amateur photographers since 1977.

Details
This was possible because the whales have distinctive skin pigment markings on the underside of the tail that allow them to be accurately identified.

Using the software, the researchers recognized two whales photographed in both Hawaii and Mexico during the same winter breeding seasons.

One male had traveled 4,545 kilometers in 53 days, leaving a group off Olowalu on the Hawaiian island of Maui to join a group of three whales off Isla Clarion in Mexico’s Revillagigedo archipelago in 2006.

A second whale, probably also a male, had traveled 5,944 kilometers from south of Zihuatanejo in Mexico to the waters of the ʻAuʻau Channel off Maui, where it was sighted 49 days later in the winter of 2018. She was one of seven whales chasing a single female as a challenger to her primary mate.

“Our first reaction was, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!” Darling told New Scientist. But distances that seem monumental to humans may not be significant to whales.

“They could be traveling through the ocean as if it were their own backyard,” he explained. “This really changes the way we think about whales.”

In the summer months, observers had spotted these two animals in the northern feeding grounds off the coasts of Canada and Alaska.

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While the matching photos in the study showed males, females may also be making these long journeys, Darling considered.

“If the males were following the females, it would make more sense than them swimming alone for 40 days without the females during the breeding season,” he opined.

Darling said that whales typically travel at cruising speeds of about 4 kilometers per hour. Even if these whales had been photographed exactly on their departure and arrival dates, calculations suggest they were swimming faster than this.

The findings indicate that there are not distinct populations of whales in the northeastern Pacific, but several overlapping groups, Darling concluded.

If this is the case, it could raise important questions about the conservation status of humpback whales.

“The results also call into question the rules about the conservation status of whales,” the researcher said. For example, since the 1990s, whales that hibernate in Mexico have been considered endangered, while those that hibernate around Hawaii are labeled as “not at risk.”

The study comes shortly after scientists combined satellite tracking data from 845 whales to create the world’s first whale migration map.

Sandra Bullock and Daniel Radcliffe, fascinated with Dominican Republic

Famed actors Sandra Bullock and Daniel Radcliffe spoke highly of the Dominican Republic and said they restored their faith in humanity with the treatment of Dominicans.

“Bullock and Radcliffe were delighted with our country and its people,” said Hector Anibal, with whom the “Harry Potter” star said he enjoyed working.

Radcliffe said in an interview for Despierta America that “it’s incredible to be in that country.”

Sandra and Daniel talked about how the cast and crew were holed up in a hotel in Samana and Casa de Campo along with the hotel staff.

“It wasn’t just our crew,” Sandra assured. “All the hotels had been shut down because of the pandemic, and we took everyone to work and said to those workers, ‘Please help us keep everyone safe because you’re in our bubble now.”

“It was a really beautiful community. My faith in humanity and kindness was restored because there was so much openness, love and support,” the actress added. “And they take care of us so we can take care of them,” reviews Hola magazine.

The Lost City had its world premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 12, 2022, and will be released in theaters in the United States on March 25, 2022.

The film tells the story of a writer (Bullock) who becomes involved in an attempted kidnapping on a promotional tour for one of her books.

Dominican Republic airline takes off with US$2.1B

Santo Domingo.- The new airline Arajet, of mixed capital: Dominican and foreign, plans to allocate around 2,100 million dollars in the purchase of 20 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, an amount that could be increased to 4,200 million dollars to acquire other 20 and complete an order for 40 new aircraft.

For the acquisition of the planes, the company relies on two investment firms: Griffin Capital Management and Bain Capital, foreign companies that would be investing up to 75% of the resources so that the new air transport company takes flight.

This was announced by Arajet’s communications vice president, Manuel Luna, who explained that Bain Capital is one of the world’s largest asset managers and Griffin is an investment fund specializing in aeronautics.

“There are five new aircraft coming in between now and June. And then, starting in February 2023, 15 more will be delivered. After those 15 (aircraft) it is optional for the company to deliver 20 more to reach up to 40 aircraft.”

US Embassy readies for visa rush in Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The decision of the United States Embassy in the Dominican Republic to resume appointments for B1/B2 tourist visas in a limited way has generated an increase in appointment requests in the General Directorate of Passports in recent days.

The institution has observed that the request for appointments to obtain this document has increased almost twice as much as scheduled between January and February, so they took the measure of reducing the number of people to receive.

According to the information provided by Passports, this week they have received about 400 appointments per day at the headquarters. Previously they only programmed 200.

People who have come to this institution not only do so for a passport application for the first time, they also attend for renewal or simply to get advice on any situation of doubt they may have

English to be taught as a second language in public schools

Santo Domingo, DR
President Luis Abinader led the presentation of the program for learning English as a second language in public sector educational centers, which will be implemented as of Thursday. The program “Inglés para una Vida Mejor” (English for a Better Life) will begin to be taught in a “pilot” manner in ten educational centers located in the five regional axes of the Ministry of Education.

“The greatest strength we can give them is to put them on a par with other young people who have had access to a bilingual education, because learning to speak English is no longer an option, it is a necessity that makes us more competitive in an increasingly demanding society,” said the President when he delivered the keynote address at the ceremony held in the Las Cariátides hall of the National Palace.

The program was divided into two stages that will seek to implement English from the basic levels. In contrast, the other seeks to immediately impact students in the fifth and sixth grades of secondary school.

This stage is projected to impact some 74,000 students throughout the country by the end of the 2022-2023 school year in Extended School Day centers, taught eight hours a week in the afternoon. Abinader, accompanied by the Minister of Education, Roberto Fulcar, was enthusiastic when he pointed out that education is the most significant investment a country can make.

New airline users will have 30% and 60% lower rates

Las Americas Airport, DR

The new Arajet airline users will have greater connectivity with other destinations and access lower airfares of 30 and 60 percent of market prices, President Luis Abinader said yesterday after leading the ceremonial act of opening of operations of that airline.

The head of state stressed that today a dream has come true. The country has a national flag airline with a mixed investment that expands the possibilities for passengers of connectivity with other important destinations.

“There is no doubt that the community of Dominican men and women living abroad, whom this government always has in mind, will greatly benefit from air fares at very low prices,” Abinader said. This was confirmed by the president of the Board of Directors of the new airline, Víctor Méndez Pacheco.

Also participating were the Minister of Tourism, David Collado; the president of the Civil Aviation Board, José Marte Piantini; the directors of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo; of Customs, Eduardo Sanz Lovaton; Specialized Corps of Airport Security and Civil Aviation, Major General Carlos Febrillet Rodríguez, and Major General Leonel Muñoz Noboa, of the Air Force, among others.

The United States lowers its travel alert for the Dominican Republic to level three

Santo Domingo, DR
The U.S. government reported that it lowered the alert level for travel to the Dominican Republic from level 4 to level 3, citing that the country has “a high level” of coronavirus.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a level 3 Travel Health Advisory for the Dominican Republic due to COVID-19, indicating a high level of COVID-19 in the country,” read part of the statement.

The document also urged U.S. citizens to reconsider the idea of moving to Dominican territory.

However, should they decide to proceed with their travel plans, they recommend consulting the U.S. embassy website, following CDC guidance; being aware of their surroundings; not physically resisting any attempt of robbery, and not showing signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.

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At the end of last January, the U.S. State Department issued a level 4 travel alert to the Dominican Republic due to the “incidence of coronavirus and citizen insecurity.”

Regarding the latter, they highlighted that crimes committed in the country are violent, such as armed robbery, homicides, and sexual assaults.

They also highlighted “the wide availability of weapons, the use, and trade of illicit drugs and a weak criminal justice system contribute to the high level of crime on a broader scale.”

Arajet will take off in May with Costa Rica, Colombia and Jamaica as the first destinations

It expects to transport about 7 million passengers a year

Arajet will begin operations in May from the Las Américas International Airport ( AILA ), with flights to Costa Rica, Colombia, Jamaica, and other Caribbean islands, with the plane named Pico Duarte. Starting in June, more aircraft will be incorporated and opening new destinations on the continent, and it is expected that flights to the United States will begin in the second half of the year.

Its directors indicated this at the launch of the new Dominican airline in an act at the AILA led by the president, Luis Abinader, where the president waved the Dominican flag from the plane and symbolically received the airline’s first air ticket.

The president affirmed that Arajet would be able to count on the support of the Dominican government since, through the new national airline, it will be possible to encourage new markets and multiply the arrival of tourists to the country, as well as the importance of Dominicans residing abroad they can come to see their relatives with low prices.

In this sense, Víctor Pacheco Méndez, president of the board of directors of Arajet, thanked the president for his support and that of the other authorities. “Without such support, it would be impossible to materialize the dream of having a national airline in the Dominican Republic that manages to connect the Dominican diaspora with the country with flights at low prices.”

Over the next five years, the airline will generate more than 4,000 jobs directly and about 40,000 indirectly and expects to transport about 7 million passengers a year, with a total of 43 air routes, of which 24 new ones are projected. routes that are not currently served in the market.

To meet that goal, Arajet and the Boeing Companyannounced that the new airline had ordered 20 737 MAX aircraft, specifically the high-capacity 737-8-200 model, to expand affordable travel options in the Americas. The airline also has options to purchase an additional 15 737 MAX jets that, along with existing lease agreements, could bring the airline’s new fuel-efficient fleet to 40 aircraft.

“Being allies of Boeing and hand in hand with investors such as Griffin and Bain Capital, gives us the guarantee of operational success that we need to be able to provide Dominicans with flights at affordable prices that connect the country with the main destinations of the American continent,” said Pacheco Méndez.

Meanwhile, Landon Loomis, vice president of Latin America and the Caribbean of The Boeing Company, said that “the 737 MAX is a perfect fit for Arajet, and it is an honor to welcome this new and exciting operator to the Boeing family.”

“Flying a dedicated fleet of 737 MAXs will allow Arajet to save on fuel, maintenance and operations costs, and pass those savings on to its customers,” he added.

On his side, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, highlighted the extraordinary impact that Arajet will have to benefit tourism in the country.

Dominican Republic authorities had scrambled to save cruise ship(Update)

Port Authority director Jean Luis Rodriguez said the ship was docked for inspection.

Puerto Plata.- The Norwegian Escape cruise ship that had remained stranded last night in the bay of Puerto Plata, with nearly 5,000 people between passengers and crew, set sail without incident around midnight.

Vice Admiral Ramón Gustavo Betances, commander of the Navy of the Dominican Republic, when announcing the preliminary report of the incident, indicated that the winds registered in the Atlantic coast pushed the ship out of the channel.

As a strategy, the authorities released ballast from the bow. He said they used several tugboats to tow the boat to deep waters.

Apordom: “Everything is under control”

The Dominican Port Authority appointed a commission in permanent session to deal with the case.

Punta Cana Airport leads passenger flow with 52% of travelers in February

A total of 1,176,842 tourists were transported.

The president of the Civil Aviation Board ( JAC ), José Marte Piantini, reported that the Dominican Republic has had the busiest February for the fourth time in the country’s history and that the air operations carried out that month triple the amount of the same month but from the year 2021.

“The official statistics of the JAC corresponding to the second month of the current year show that a total of one million one hundred and seventy-six thousand eight hundred and forty-two (1,176,842) passengers were transported, in nine thousand twenty-eight (9,028) air operations,” he added.

He explained that “the country has registered record numbers in the increase of transported passengers, consolidating itself as a tourist destination in the region and gradually resuming the country’s air transport.”

He added that the Punta Cana Airport is the busiest in the country for the fifth consecutive month, with 609,481 passengers transported in February 2022; this figure represents 52% of the country’s total. In addition, it is the first time since June 2019 that this airport transports more than half of the country’s passengers.

He also indicated that the Cibao and La RomanaAirports set passenger records in February, and the Las Américas Airport ( AILA ) recorded its second-best February of all time.

Cruise ships bring 11,700 tourists to Puerto Plata in two days

Puerto Plata, DR

Some seven tourist boats brought around 11,700 foreign tourists to the Amber Cove and Taíno Bay ports of Puerto Plata, according to information provided by the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur).

In addition to the number of crew members traveling onboard these ocean liners, the total number of cruise passengers in the seven touches amounted to 18,667 visitors, according to figures provided to Mitur by both tourist ports.

At the Amber Cove terminal, on Wednesday of this week, the ships Nieuw Statendam with 1,082 passengers and 843 crew members and Regal Princess with 2,632 tourists and 1,217 crew members touched in the morning hours.

That same day, Taíno Bay received the Celebrity Millennium on its shores with 950 visitors on board with 772 service members, and minutes later, the modern and welcoming Seven Seas Splendor arrived with 552 passengers 553 crew members.

The next day, three more ships arrived at both ports; the immense Carnival Magic brought 3,653 tourists and 1,232 crew members coming through Amber Cove. In contrast, the MSC Seashore brought down 1,763 foreigners, and the Norwegian Dawn brought 1,068 cruise passengers on routes from Florida and other US coastal destinations.

POP CulturalFest

For her part, the provincial director of the Ministry of Tourism in Puerto Plata, Stephanie Kfouri, said that the arrival of these tourists “has been a new hope for Puerto Plata.”

He also stated that taking advantage of the time of the Puerto Plata carnival, thousands of visitors who arrive on cruise ships have danced with joy and lived closely the culture and traditions exhibited in the first version of POP Cultural Fest.

“This cultural and artistic project is organized by the Ministry of Tourism in alliance with the Tourism Cluster of the province, with the support of the Mayor’s Office, the Governor’s Office and the Directorate of Culture, carried out in the Plaza Independencia (Central Park) of the municipality San Felipe,” read part of the statement of the entity mentioned above.

Cultural Fest POP, which continues until March 20, serves as a stage for artists, painters, cultural groups, and carnival characters from Puerto Plata to show their creations, carried out with the aim of boosting tourism and active community integration.

350 Ukrainians who were stranded in the country leave for Poland

Santo Domingo, DR

Some 350 tourists from Ukraine stranded in the country after Russia invaded that nation, traveled last night on a humanitarian flight that left the José Francisco Peña Gómez International Airport of the Americas, bound for Warsaw-Poland.

The departure of foreigners occurs as part of the concrete actions announced last Friday by the Tourism Cabinet in support of the citizens of Ukraine.

These Ukrainian tourists had been stranded in the Dominican Republic for several weeks after Russia’s intervention in their country. The group left on a humanitarian flight of the airline TUI FLY.

The plane with the foreigners took off at 11:30 at night from the International Airport of the Americas, bound for Warsaw, Poland, with at least 350 residents, including women and children. The group’s departure was coordinated by the Tourism Office with tour operators and the airline by TUI FLY, with all costs covered by this company.

Last Thursday, March 3, 1,744 Ukrainian residents were still in the country, but during the period from March 4 to 6, 788 left, part of the first humanitarian flight carried out by the Air France company, last Friday, March 4. With this new TUI humanitarian flight, the final balance would be about 650 Ukrainian residents still in the country.

While 184 people have been transferred to Puerto Plata from Punta Cana and are located in 80 rooms at the Casa Marina Beach & Reef Hotel.

Uncertainty afflicts hoteliers more than the decline in Russian tourism

Punta Cana occupancy remains at 70%, according to Asoleste

Canada and South America generate great expectations

The effects of the war between Russia and Ukraineare already being felt strongly in the big economies and specifically in the tourism industry. But, for hoteliers in the Dominican Republic, the biggest concern beyond the drop in tourist arrivals from Russia and Ukraine is “what might happen.”

This is how the Association of Hotels and Tourist Projects of the East ( Asoleste ), Ernesto Veloz, understands it. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia was not expected to reach the magnitude of what has happened, causing a constant concern.

«The casualties of the European market will be felt because they are not having fun, but rather concerned about the situation of the war, like us (Dominican Republic), we are providing the greatest possible help to the Ukrainians and Russians in the country, but we continue to promote destiny,” he told Bloomberg Line.

He explained that they are working on promoting North American and South American markets since they pick up and start reservations.

«In this month that is beginning, we will see an increase in the reserves of Canada and South America. As long as the conflict doesn’t worsen and affect the rest of the world,” he added.

Veloz affirmed that despite the total cancellation of flights to the Dominican Republic from Russia and Ukraine in Punta Cana, the airport had had a minimum drop in flight arrivals the week before the conflict.

“Hotel occupancy in the Punta Cana area remains at 70%. So currently, we have nothing to resent; what we have is the fear of what may happen,» he stressed.

It is recalled that in 2021 the two countries together contributed 269,612 tourists to the country. In January 2022, 49,215 arrived from Russia and 13,749 from Ukraine, for 332,576 travelers from the two destinations in 13 months.

The number of visitors’ arrivals mentioned above will decrease as the violent events unfold, so the DR tourist authorities foresee compensation from other destinations such as Canada, Colombia, and Argentina. Although not in the same measure, these markets will supply the arrival of tourists to the Caribbean destination.

Air Century and Sky High: 17 weekly flights between Cuba and the Dominican Republic in March

The flight market between Cuba and the Dominican Republic is currently one of the most offered. Up to 17 weekly flights are available between Santo Domingo and various Cuban cities.

According to the official flight schedule released by the Cuban Airport and Airport Services Company ( ECASA ), two DR airlines: Air Century and Sky High, will operate the routes between the two nations in March.

The point of arrival on Dominican land is the Las Américas International Airport ( AILA ) in the capital Santo Domingo, while the destinations in Cuba are: Havana, Varadero, Camagüey, Santa Clara, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba.

Flights between Cuba and DR by Air Century

• José Martí International Airport (Havana): Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday

• Juan Gualberto Gómez International Airport (Varadero): Every Monday

• Abel Santamaría International Airport (Santa Clara): Every Friday

• Ignacio Agramonte International Airport (Camagüey): Every Thursday

• Frank País International Airport (Holguín): Every Monday

• Antonio Maceo International Airport (Santiago de Cuba): Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday

Flights to Cuba from the DR operated by Sky High 

• José Martí International Airport (Havana): Monday and Friday

• Antonio Maceo International Airport (Santiago de Cuba): Tuesdays and Saturdays

• Frank País International Airport (Holguín): Thursdays and Sundays

Remember that Air Century and Sky High are low-cost airlines that minimize the price of their air tickets with luggage restrictions. The basic ticket includes a carry-on bag plus a personal item such as a handbag or a backpack. The customer must contact the service separately to add more bags in baggage in the plane’s hold.

The Sky High airline warns that “if the carry-on baggage exceeds the allowed dimensions, it will be sent to the hold of the plane as checked baggage. Applicable charges for excess luggage will be made.

It is recalled that the Dominican Republic requests a visa so that a passenger with a Cuban passport can enter its territory.

Dominican Republic could lose US$400 million due to drop in Russia and Ukraine tourism

Conflict also creates excellent uncertainty in world trade

The economic adviser to the Executive Branch, Pedro Silverio, stated that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is affecting the Dominican economy, which is affected by tourism and increases in fuel and grain prices.

He stated that last year 260,000 tourists arrived in the country from Russia and Ukraine, and everything was planned so that in 2022 the figure would double, but the outbreak of the war closed the markets, which may mean that the country stops receiving approximately US$400 million.

When interviewed by Pablo McKinney on his television program “McKinney” by Color Vision, he added that the conflict is creating great uncertainty in world trade since Russia participates in the sale of oil, gas, and finished products in Europe and the United States.

He considered that the sanctions imposed on Russia would be difficult to dismantle even after the military operation was over.

President Luis Abinader’s adviser also explained that in the face of the inflationary effects caused first by the pandemic and now by the war in Ukraine, the government is responding with a combination of monetary and fiscal policy.

“President Abinader’s commitment to macroeconomic stability is non-negotiable, and he is permanently working with his economic team. That is why the government makes decisions to protect the most vulnerable and take care of macroeconomic stability,” Silverio pointed out.

Covid numbers continue to tumble in Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Public Health reported this Thursday 81 new cases of Covid-19 and notified two deaths.

Through bulletin #721, Public Health reported 974 active cases, with hospital occupancy at five percent.

Meanwhile, the daily positivity in the last 24 hours is 3.59 percent, while that of the last four weeks stands at 2.98 percent, and the case record is 576,301 and 571,538 patients recovered from the disease with 2,580,460 discarded.

Similarly, it establishes that to date a total of 4,374 people have died from the disease since the pandemic began, with a fatality rate of 0.76 percent and mortality per million inhabitants at 418.62.

Abinader off to Argentina for pacts, inaugural

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader will sign three agreements today with his counterpart from Argentina, Alberto Fernández, one of them regarding fuels, during his visit to two South American countries.

Abinader left the Dominican Republic yesterday for Argentina, to end up in Chile, where he will attend the inauguration of the president-elect, Gabriel Boric Font.

Before boarding the private plane that took him from San Isidro Airbase, the president revealed that in Argentina he would sign three agreements with President Alberto Fernández: one on hydrocarbons, one on health, which has to do with transplants, and one on growing grapes for wine production.