Chilean President Kast Plans First Foreign Visit to Argentina Amid Rightwing Alliance
Key Takeaways
- Kast will undertake his first official foreign trip to Argentina next week.
- He will meet Argentine President Javier Milei for a bilateral discussion.
- Tradition dictates the first overseas trip be to Argentina.
Historic First Trip
Kast is preparing his first official trip abroad to Argentina, continuing tradition.
“President José Antonio Kast will undertake a brief trip to Argentina next week, where he will hold a bilateral meeting with his trans-Andean counterpart, Javier Milei, thus preserving the tradition that the first overseas trip by a president is to the neighboring country”
The visit includes a bilateral meeting with politically aligned President Milei.
The invitation was extended by Argentine Foreign Minister Quirno to Chilean Foreign Minister Pérez.
The trip is scheduled for Monday, April 6, though not confirmed by the Presidency.
Economic and Security Cooperation
The two presidents aim to materialize a joint roadmap in security, mining, and energy.
Chile and Argentina share a border of about 3,300 miles.
Buenos Aires is Santiago's second-largest trading partner in Latin America.
Trade is estimated at nearly eight billion dollars by 2025.
The visit follows a previous meeting when Kast was president-elect.
Regional Context
The visit comes days after a failed attempt to arrest Chilean guerilla Galvarino Apablaza in Argentina.
“SANTIAGO: Chile's far-right President Jose Antonio Kast is scheduled to meet with his Argentine counterpart in Buenos Aires on Monday, marking his first trip abroad since taking office in March”
Apablaza had political refugee status from 2010 until revoked in February.
He is accused of participating in the 1991 assassination of Chilean senator Jaime Guzman.
Kast and Milei are close allies of US President Donald Trump.
The growing cooperation reflects an effort to align ideologically compatible governments.
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