President Alberto Fernandez participated this Sunday the acts of inauguration of the new president of Colombia Gustavo Petrothe first left-wing leader to occupy the first magistracy in the history of the South American country, with whom he held his first bilateral meeting hours before in Bogotá, and he called for strengthening “Latin American integration” with “brother” countries.
“We are in Colombia accompanying President Gustavo Petro in his inauguration”Fernandez wrote on his Twitter account.
Prior to the act of inauguration, Alberto Fernández expressed through that social network: “The opportunities of meeting between sister countries and democratically elected governments allow us to discuss issues of interest and common objectives to strengthen Latin American integration“.
The world is going through a complex time. All the sister peoples of Latin America must remain united and supportive. My best wishes for @petrogustavo, @FranciaMarquezM and Columbia. pic.twitter.com/F3kO5imdIv
– Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) August 7, 2022
The Argentine president pointed out that “the world is going through a complex time,” and he called on “all the sister nations of Latin America” to remain “united and in solidarity.”
In addition, he sent his best wishes to the new Colombian president, Gustavo Petroand the vice president France Marquez; and he lamented the absence of the President of the Republic of Peru, Pedro Castillo.
Fernández traveled to Colombia accompanied by the Foreign Minister santiago cafiero and the Minister of Women, Gender and Diversity, Elizabeth Gomez Alcortawho also celebrated the assumption of Petro and Márquez on his Twitter account, noting: “A new time is inaugurated for the Colombian people. We are closer to the just and sovereign Great Homeland that we dream of“.
During the bilateral meeting they held earlier in Bogotá, hours before the inauguration of the new president, Fernández invited his counterpart Gustavo Petro to make an official visit to Argentina in the coming months and reaffirmed his commitment to continue supporting peace in his country.
Fernández was the first president, of all the countries attending the inauguration ceremony, whom Petro personally received at the Private House of the San Carlos Palace, the residence where the liberator Simón Bolívar lived.
“We have carefully followed the proposals and guidelines to achieve total peace, both during the electoral campaign and after the victory. AndWe are determined to continue and reinforce the Argentine commitment and support for peace in Colombia“, expressed Fernandez, who by way of a hopeful message emphasized: “We need an active Colombia on the path of latin american integration“.
The Presidency reported in a statement that the head of state appreciated Petro’s decision to “resume dialogue with the National Liberation Army (ELN)”.
He also highlighted the important potential to expand and diversify the bilateral economic relationship “in sectors such as food, automotive, agricultural machinery and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as in regard to cultural industries and services.”
We are in Colombia accompanying the president @petrogustavo in his takeover ?????
– Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) August 7, 2022
Fernández, who also chairs the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), informed Petro of the interest of “dialogue and identify common interests to achieve projects that integrate the next Cooperation Program”, which will be “a roadmap that reflects the interests of joint work”.
In addition, this Saturday President Fernández met in the capital of the Andean nation with his counterpart from the National State of Bolivia, louis arcewith whom he advanced “a bilateral political, economic and commercial agenda, centralized in energy and mining issues, related to the joint development of lithium and the supply of gas,” official sources confirmed.
The Argentine head of state thanked the technical teams of both countries for their efforts to achieve a “mutually beneficial agreement for the supply of Bolivian natural gas to Argentina” and highlighted the signing of the 6th addendum to the purchase-sale contract that “guarantees the provision of the volumes required by our country, with a framework of legal certainty in a context of growing complexity”.
We are in Colombia accompanying the president @petrogustavo in his takeover ?????
– Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) August 7, 2022
Regarding cooperation on lithium, Fernández praised “the development of projects that involve the entire mineral value chain, that provide added value to the exports of both countries and promote the training of technicians and scientists,” and both parties committed to deepen the work together with Chile in the so-called “Lithium Triangle”
The Argentine president also maintained a bilateral with the president of Honduras, Xiomara Castrowith whom he agreed that the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) should be a “strategic priority” for strengthening regional integration “through political agreement, with a solidarity and cooperative approach that includes everyone.”
????? President Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) had a meeting with his peer from Honduras, @XiomaraCastroZwith whom he agreed that the #CELACmust be a “strategic priority” for the strengthening of regional integration.https://t.co/RUMMMdM4oB pic.twitter.com/8bIA1YeNVB
– Pink House (@CasaRosada) August 6, 2022
In that meeting between Fernández and Castro, the Argentine head of state, ratified his conviction that the bloc aims to articulately promote the interests of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
“For our country, Honduras is an important partner in the Central American region,” Fernandez said.
Likewise, the head of state stressed the importance of “working on global issues such as the protection of human rights and gender equality, among other issues.”
Fernandez thanked Honduras for supporting the Argentine claim in the Malvinas sovereignty dispute and the resumption of dialogue with Great Britain to resolve the dispute over the sovereignty of the South Atlantic islands, according to official sources.
The presidents of Argentina and Honduras also exchanged experiences regarding potential cooperation in genetics, agrochemicals, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, professional services, and post-harvest management and technology transfer.
On Saturday morning, the Argentine President also held a meeting with the Puebla Group, which was attended by the former presidents of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff; from Colombia, Ernesto Samper and from Paraguay, Fernando Lugo.
Fernández, who left last Friday at 6:30 p.m. from the Jorge Newbery Metropolitan Airport military base, arrived in Bogotá this Saturday morning accompanied by Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero and the Minister of Women, Gender and Diversity, Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta.
