A U.S. federal judge, Loretta Preska, has ordered Argentina to transfer its 51% controlling stake in the state-run oil and gas company YPF to judgment creditors as partial payment of a $16.1 billion court judgment. The ruling stems from a long-running expropriation case dating back to 2012, when Argentina nationalized YPF, previously controlled by Spanish company Repsol. Argentina was initially given 14 days to comply with the order but sought extensions and filed an appeal against the decision. The judge rejected Argentina's requests to suspend the delivery of shares, accusing the country of delaying tactics. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York temporarily suspended the enforcement of the order pending appeal. The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, has officially supported Argentina's appeal by filing an amicus curiae brief, arguing that Argentina could be irreparably harmed if the stay is not granted. The judgment benefits two investment firms, Burford Capital and Eton Capital, which are the plaintiffs in the case. In addition to the share transfer order, Judge Preska also demanded that Argentina provide WhatsApp chats and emails from high-ranking officials Luis Caputo and Sergio Massa as part of the ongoing litigation. Argentina's President Javier Milei has confirmed the country will continue to appeal the ruling. The case has caused tensions in Argentina's financial markets, with Argentine assets experiencing losses amid the legal uncertainty.