Chilean president makes first trip abroad to Argentina

By Bala Chambers

LONDON (AA) - Chilean President Gabriel Boric on Monday made his first visit abroad since assuming office last month to meet his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernandez in Argentina.

Boric was welcomed to the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina on Monday morning.

Both leftist leaders held a bilateral meeting aimed at deepening relations between the Latin American nations, during which they discussed political, economic and commercial relations and the role of the continent internationally.

Accompanied by a number of officials, both leaders signed a number of agreements concerning gender equality, LGBTIQ+ Human Rights and consular cooperation, according to an Argentine press release.

Fernandez and Boric exchanged several gifts prior to giving a joint press conference at around noon which focused on the need to build fairer societies and the cultural links between both nations.

Topics also ranged from Argentina's claim to sovereignty in the South Atlantic, The Mapuche indigenous community and human rights.

Boric took the opportunity to underscore unity and regional solidarity, noting Chile’s position in Latin America.

" Although for a long time we have been looking in other directions, towards the North and the Pacific, with relations that we want to maintain and deepen, our base is America, and, from there, we are going to build community, region, cooperation and internationalism," said Boric.

Boric went on to stress that Latin America "has to recover a united voice of cooperation, together, on the global stage. If we continue separately, we will sink divided, but we can save ourselves if we work together".

Boric also offered his support for Argentina's territorial claims and dispute with the UK over the Malvinas or Falkland Islands, describing them as "just, legitimate and worthy of the Argentine people and State."

Fernandez stressed the role of human rights in well-functioning democracies, saying "good democracies respect and preserve human rights in all their dimensions" and respect diversity.

Boric also spoke of a double standard by some sectors of the left while addressing human rights concerns in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, saying "human rights must be fully respected and the State must promote them fully in all parts of the world. Let's not use the suffering of people to deal with the benefits of internal policies."

Boric arrived in Argentina on Sunday, with his trip set to conclude on Tuesday.