Jorge Argello reveals how to follow Argentina’s relationship with the United States and China

The Argentine ambassador revealed his betrayal of his relationship with Mark Stanley. “We talk three times a week,” he said before the American smiled. Thus, he sought to emphasize closeness and familiarity between both officials. The panel of ambassadors at the Alviar Hotel had a friendly atmosphere, although there was a slight ambivalence about the polarization in Argentina, which Argello addressed in this interview.

The Argentine confirmed the details of the trips that Sergio Massa and Alberto Fernandez will take to Washington. For his part, Stanley stressed that “the United States wants to have a relationship with Argentina in order to be a leader in Latin America.”

How do you assess the relationship between Argentina and the United States, after the passing administration of Silvina Batakis and Sergio Massa’s assumption of the position of Minister of Economy?

The relationship, as I say, is very good and getting better. And much better. Evidence of this is the multiplicity of agendas for the month of September. At the beginning of September, Minister Massa will visit Washington, hold meetings with the International Monetary Fund, the Treasury, the White House and multilateral banks.

And when will Alberto Ferendez finally have a one-on-one with Joe Biden?

In September, Fernandez, as president, could travel twice, once for the bilateral meeting with President Biden and the second, to participate in the opening of the United Nations General Assembly.

Massa and Alberto Fernandez will also visit Houston?

We believe President Fernandez will travel to Houston, where he will give a huge presentation on the potential of the Vaca Muerta Deposit to US investors who are already in Argentina or who want to. And at the end of the month we will have ten governors to visit Washington, from Norte Grande, who will come to showcase their exports.

What Can Norte Grande Rulers Export to the United States?

We will be taking a big tour of business at the Embassy: from sweet citrus fruits from Entre Ríos to salted lithium, gujillo and catamarque, we will explore all the possibilities of trade and investment.

Ambassador Mark Stanley recommended the formation of a grand coalition in Argentina, without having to wait for a possible change of government in 2023, to develop the potential of oil, gas, minerals and food. How do you see that?

We totally agree. I agree with consensus, with consensus building necessary to define lasting policies. Permanent policies are the policies of the state, which are the policies which are necessary for the development of the country and which must be agreed upon by the various political and economic actors, because this is what will give the policy its robustness. Meaning: policies that withstand government changes. If we achieve this, we will have solved an important part of our problem.

In the same way, Stanley reminded that a climate of polarization prevails in many countries.

Yes, it is not a problem that only we Argentines face. I live in the United States, where the rift is as deep or deeper than what we have.

Parallel to the agenda of Argentina and the United States, Massa met a few days ago with Chinese Ambassador Zhou Xiaoli. Argentine Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaga condemned the visit of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. How would you describe the pendulum diplomacy between the United States and China?

It must be understood that the most important bilateral relationship in the world today is the relationship between Washington and Beijing. This relationship commands the rest of the planetary councils. I think it makes no sense to sever our relationship with the United States to distinguish China, nor to sever our relationship with China to distinguish the United States. On the contrary, I think we have to develop a smart strategy that allows us to live with both, with the United States and China. And basically to make the two powers compete to see who is investing more in our country in terms of infrastructure.

Should we encourage both the US and China to find out who flirts with Argentina more?

that it. exactly.