☀ Domingo Brief — Maduro Sworn In

Welcome back to the Domingo Brief! This week, we’re following Colombia’s coffee-growing success, Argentina’s state-owned fire sale, and more.

Trivia of the Week 🎯

Nearly three-quarters of you (73%) correctly guessed emerald as the precious gemstone for which Colombia is the world’s leading producer. It is estimated that Colombia accounts for 70% to 90% of the world’s emerald market, with most of the mining taking place in the eastern ranges of the Colombian Andes. The Colombian emerald trade dates as far back as the pre-Columbian era, but global demand for the gemstone took off in the early 20th century, due primarily for the scarce, dark green hue of Colombian emeralds.

Each week, tune back in for the answer to the previous week’s trivia question. No cheating!

🇦🇷 Argentina has sold its majority state-owned power plant builder, IMPSA, to American oil and natural gas processing firm ARC Energy. The Argentinian government bid away its 84.9% controlling stake for $27M and an agreement for ARC Energy to assume IMPSA’s $576M debt. The sale reflects the national government’s plans to privatize several state-owned companies and maintain a zero-deficit goal, in part allocating federal resources away from running companies.

🇨🇴 Colombia reached a record annual figure for coffee production in 2024, according to a report published by the National Federation of Coffee Growers. Colombian coffee growers produced just shy of 14M bags with a preliminary harvest value of $3.6B last year, exporting 12.3M bags to international markets. The industry’s impressive growth has been attributed to successful efforts in crop renewal, fertilization, and the implementation of resistant varieties, helping to guarantee productive and sustainable harvest conditions for coffee growers.

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