During the buildup to the G20 Summit between world leaders on 30 November 2018, Argentina hosted over 45 meetings at various government levels and areas in 11 different cities throughout the country.

[4] List of leaders who took part in the 2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit: As the host nation, Argentina invited additional guest countries and international organizations at its discretion to participate in 2018 G20 meetings.

On Friday 30 November, ahead of the formal start of the summit, outgoing Mexican President Peña Nieto, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), a proposed replacement to the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

[8] The Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) had organized a counter-summit, called the First World Forum of Critical Thinking, which took place in the week leading up to the G20 event.

At the event, former Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner criticised the economic policies of Mauricio Macri and the IMF loans that he has received.

[12] The Argentine government, working alongside the others, is attempting to prevent the entry of troublemakers into the country, such as people with criminal charges or who have advocated for violent actions.

An area of 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) around the Costa Salguero Convention Centre [es] will be cordoned off, the public transportation network – including the metro – will be shut down, and traffic along the River Plate will be halted.