US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Argentine President Javier Milei to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries, the dollarization of Argentina and the US commitment to “cooperation” in the extraction of minerals such as lithium. In addition, the representative of Joe Biden's administration praised Milei for his efforts to stabilize the Argentine economy or raise his voice in favor of Israel.
First change: 02/24/2024 – 02:40
4 mins
Javier Milei received a visit from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who praised the Argentine president's efforts Stabilize your country's economy and expressed American intention to participate in the extraction of minerals in Argentina.
“The work to stabilize the economy is absolutely necessary,” praised Blinken. called his meeting with Milei “incredibly positive”.
According to the program supported by the US State Department, the purpose of the trip was to “discuss bilateral and global issues, including sustainable economic growth, shared commitment to human rights and democratic governance, critical minerals and improving trade and investment that benefits both countries.”
And in fact it was a meeting that lasted an hour and a half, in full view of those present at the table They touched multiple areas. Present were Argentine Chief of Staff Nicolás Posse; the Foreign Minister Leopoldo Shaores; the Secretary for International Economic Relations, Marcelo Cima; Ambassador-designate to Washington Gerardo Werthein; the Minister of Economy Luis Caputo; the Minister of the Interior Guillermo Francos and the Minister of National Strategy Jorge Antelo.
refer to American delegationAmbassador Marc Stanley was in attendance; Under Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols; Deputy Chief of Staff Tom Sullivan; the Deputy Speaker, Vedant Patel, and the Buenos Aires Embassy Political Advisor, Robert Allison.
One of the hot topics was the Dollarization of the Argentine economysomething that, when discussed, remained behind closed doors and the blinking wanted to settle with a short “It is a decision that Argentina must make” without issuing an opinion.
But he continued his speech: “What is so obvious is that Argentina has what the world needs, and We want to be partners with Argentina as long as it helps feed and energize the world in the future.“, he said, referring to possible lithium mining agreements.
Mineral extraction
In addition to praise for the Argentine leader's efforts to boost the despised economy, the truth about Blinken's landing at Casa Rosada also emerged.
The United States is currently exploring investment opportunities, particularly in critical minerals lithiumthrough its International Development Finance Corporation and a new Mineral Security Partnership, Blinken himself said, adding that Washington wants American companies to remain Argentina's preferred partner.
And according to Blinken, who wanted to emphasize the point, Argentina is poised to play a crucial role in creating mineral supply chains that will fuel the 21st century economy, especially lithium.”
It's nothing new. The Secretary of State himself recalled that American companies are already investing in mineral extraction and processing projects. Regarding possible projects, he assured: “Cwill create more quality jobs“They will strengthen our competitiveness and contribute to the transition to a more resilient climate future,” he said.
Currently, China is the leader in the global supply chain for critical minerals, representing approximately 60% of global production of “rare earth” materials.
In a good mood”
Javier Milei has taken a strongly pro-American stance, although ideologically he is more aligned with former Republican President Donald Trump.
In addition, he was one of the leaders who gave unconditional support for Israel when Hamas carried out the attacks on October 7, 2023. The Argentine leader's visit to Jerusalem shortly after the occupation of the Casa Rosada represented a statement of intent that was well received by the White House. In fact, Blinken said he appreciated Milei's strong condemnation of the attacks “and his support for Israel's right to ensure that such an attack never happens again.”
Blinken also met with his Argentine counterpart, Diana Mondino. In his statements, Blinken highlighted Argentina as an “important member of the global coalition” supporting Ukraine and said he would continue to do so at the upcoming Ukraine-Latin America summit.
For Argentina, the “good harmony” with the United States does not go unnoticed, as the northern neighbor is its largest foreign investor, accounting for $12.6 trillion in investments in 2022, according to the US Department of Commerce.
With EFE, Portal and local media