Buenos Aires.- Argentina and Chile will work together on economic, energy and cultural issues, said on Monday the leaders of the world’s southernmost nations, who met in Buenos Aires during the symbolic first trip of the president Gabriel Boric abroad.
The center-left Chilean leader, who took office last month, traveled to Argentina on Sunday along with a delegation of businessmen and a cultural delegation, in an attempt to strengthen ties with one of his main trading partners.
“Have challenges that are deeply shared“, said Boric in a relaxed press conference in conjunction with Alberto Fernandezthe center-left Argentine president with whom he showed a broad affinity.
Chile is Argentina’s fifth trading partner and one of its main investors.
In January 2022, Argentina added exports to Chile for 351 million dollars -including liquefied gas-, while imports from its neighbor were 53 million dollars, according to official data.
The leaders also discussed politically sensitive issues such as the Mapuche conflict in the south and the situation of former Chilean guerrilla Sergio Apablaza, who lives in Argentina and awaits a judicial resolution to find out if he will be extradited to Chile for the crime of a senator in 1991.
The Chilean leader maintained the usual meetings and official acts, but also took time to escape protocol and walk through Buenos Aires and visit bookstores.
The Argentine Minister of Economy, Martín Guzmán, and his Chilean counterpart for Energy, Claudio Huepe Minoletti, signed a joint declaration after addressing issues of integration and bilateral energy cooperation.
“Guzmán and Huepe discussed the commercialization of natural gas, the Argentine export of LNG (liquefied natural gas) and oil, the rehabilitation of the Neuquén – Biobío pipeline and the exchange of experiences,” said a statement.
He argued that they also discussed “best practices in renewable energy, energy efficiency and hydrogen.”
After an official dinner and meeting with legislative and judicial authorities of Argentina, among other events, Boric will return to Santiago de Chile on Tuesday.