[9] Ginés González García, Minister of Health, was sacked in February 2021 and replaced by vice-minister Carla Vizzotti following a scandal regarding preferential treatment in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Amid the worst recession in nearly two decades, it provides a 180-day freeze on utility rates, bonuses for the nation's retirees and Universal Allocation per Child beneficiaries, and food cards to two million of Argentina's poorest families.

Despite these conflicts, Fernández announced the three-point increase in withholding tax on soybeans on the day of the opening of the regular sessions, on 1 March and generated major problems in the relationship between the government and the agricultural sector.

[27] Following Macri's defeat in the 2019 election, Fernández's economy minister, Martín Guzmán, announced the incoming administration would not request the final installment of the IMF's loan, accounting for $11 billion.

[29] On 4 August, Fernández reached an accord with the biggest creditors on terms for a restructuring of $65bn in foreign bonds, after a breakthrough in talks that had at times looked close to collapse since the country's ninth debt default in May.

Máximo Kirchner, president of the Frente de Todos parliamentary bloc in the Chamber of Deputies and leader of La Cámpora, one of the coalition's largest partners, resigned from his position on 1 February 2022 over disagreements with the IMF deal.

[38] The announcement of the lockdown was generally well received, although there were concerns with its economic impact in the already delicate state of Argentina's economy, with analysts predicting at least 3% GDP decrease in 2020.

[39][41][42] After announced a mandatory quarantine to every person that returned to Argentina from highly affected countries,[43][44] the government closed its borders, ports, and suspended flights.

[66] Ginés González García was forced to resign as Health Minister on 19 February 2021[10][67] after it was revealed he provided preferential treatment for the COVID-19 vaccine to his close friends, including journalist Horacio Verbitsky and other political figures.

[76] In addition, the programme implemented price caps for essential food items ("Precios Cuidados") and value-added tax returns for low-income households.

[77] At the onset of the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown measures, the Fernández administration launched two complimentary social assistance schemes: the Ingreso Familiar de Emergencia ("Emergency Family Income", IFE) and the Asistencia de Emergencia al Trabajo y la Producción ("Emergency Labour and Production Assistance", ATP).

[82] In November 2020, Fernández's legal secretary, Vilma Ibarra, confirmed that the government would be sending a new bill for the legalisation of abortion to the National Congress that month.

In addition, the resolution annulled the programme overseeing offenders in the railway system and the 1149 Protocol, which "allowed security forces to harm the rights of LGBT citizens".

[97][98][99] As one of his initial measures in the presidency, Fernández intervened the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI), redirecting its budget to finance the government's plan against hunger.

[104] In February 2022, a batch of laced cocaine distributed in Puerta 8, a villa miseria in Tres de Febrero, Buenos Aires Province caused up to 23 deaths and dozens of hospitalizations.

[106] The Buenos Aires Province government initially warned potential consumers to throw away any cocaine they may have acquired in the 24 hours prior to the first hospitalizations, hoping to reduce casualties.

There, he paid respects to the victims of the Holocaust and maintained a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who thanked him for keeping Hezbollah branded as a terrorist organisation, a measure taken by former President Mauricio Macri.

[108][109] In January 2022, Fernández was elected president pro tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), succeeding Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

On the issue of energy, both presidents took steps to conclude negotiations surrounding a Bolivian natural gas supply contract and agreed on the potential to advance electrical integration and interconnection between Yaguacuá, Tarija and Tartagal, Salta.

[116] In February 2022, during a state visit to China, Fernández formally signed Argentina's entry into the Belt and Road Initiative, finalizing an accession process that had begun during the presidency of Mauricio Macri.

[119] During the same international tour, Fernández met Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Barbadian prime minister Mia Mottley in Barbados.

[124] On 1 March 2020, during the first opening of regular sessions of Congress, Fernández once again stated the government's position on the Falklands matter, and announced three bills to deal with it: the creation of the National Council of Malvinas Affairs, the delimitation of the outer rim of the Argentine continental platform, and the modification of the federal fishing regime to harshen sanctions against illegal fishing in Argentina's claimed maritime zone.

[130] Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro refused to attend Fernández's inauguration, accusing him of wanting to create a "great Bolivarian homeland" on the border and of preparing to provoke a flight of capital and companies into Brazil.

[143] Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship rejected the use of force and called on Russia to respect the charter of the United Nations and international law.

[144] Before the UN, Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero condemned "the invasion of Ukraine as illegitimate and military operations on Ukrainian soil," and said that the world "does not tolerate more deaths or wars".

[150] However, Fernández also refused to recognise Maduro's envoy Stella Lugo's credentials and Foreign Minister Felipe Solá asked her to return to Caracas.

[201][202] In June 2020, he told journalist Cristina Pérez to "go read the Constitution", after being questioned about his attempts to install a government-designated administration in the Vicentín agricultural conglomerate.

[203] On 9 June 2021, during a working meeting with business leaders alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the Casa Rosada, Fernández sought to play up the Argentinian ties with Europe by saying that "The Mexicans came from the Indians, the Brazilians came from the jungle, but we Argentines came from the ships.

Fernández erroneously attributed the quote to the Mexican poet, essayist and diplomat Octavio Paz, although it had originated from lyrics by local musician and personal friend Litto Nebbia.

[205] In August 2021, it was revealed that there had been numerous visits to the presidential palace during the lockdown that he had imposed in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; visitors included an actress, a dog trainer, and a hairdresser, as well as hosting a birthday party for the First Lady.