Argentina sealed a $20 billion, 48-month Extended Fund Facility deal with the International Monetary Fund on Friday and, in a major policy move ahead of the deal, dismantled key parts of its years-long currency controls and loosened its grip on the peso.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine President Javier Milei’s economy minister announced on Friday that the libertarian government would lift the country’s strict capital and currency controls in a few days, a high-stakes gamble made possible by a new loan from the International Monetary Fund.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a 48-month, $20 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Argentina, with an immediate disbursement of $12 billion. The decision, announced Friday, is aimed at helping