US Ambassador to Argentina Noah Mamet expressed optimism yesterday that US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Buenos Aires from March 22 to March 24 will help usher in an era of stronger bilateral relationships.

Although no specific announcements in the field of trade are expected during the visit, the ambassador said that the US president would likely be making a broad statement on the matter. As such, announcements regarding discussions about a a free trade agreement between Buenos Aires and Washington have been ruled out even if there is an interest in increasing trade between the two nations. Beef exports and investments in renewable energy sources were mentioned as possible areas of greater cooperation. Addressing the media at the US residence at an event organized by the Consejo Argentino para las Relaciones Internacionales (CARI) ‘s Group for Political Communication, Ambassador Mamet noted that the US Embassy is working hard to finalize the details so that not only the president’s visit goes well but also that the entire First Family enjoys their time. “In fact, it has been four or five years since Obama took a trip with his family. That shows how important this trip is, because it is the first time in history that a US president travels exclusively to visit Argentina and not another country in the region,” the Ambassador said. As such Mamet confirmed that First Lady Michelle Obama will have an agenda of her own including a speech to girls and young women about education, with a particular emphasis on science and technology. Obama is also scheduled to participate in a Town Hall-style event on March 23 at La Usina del Arte in La Boca, where he will take questions from students and young entrepreneurs. A head-to-head meeting with leaders of the opposition has not been scheduled but there will be an opportunity for President Obama to meet them during a gala dinner to be held at the Centro Cultural Kirchner. While a visit to Buenos Aires City’s Memorial Park to victims of the dictatorship on March 24 has been confirmed, Mamet ruled out a visit to the AMIA Jewish community centre. The AMIA was the target of a bombing in 1994 that killed 85 people. Although there were few details, Venezuela is also expected to be on the agenda. President Mauricio Macri has consistently called for the release of opposition leaders such as Leopoldo López who have been incarcerated by the Venezuelan courts on charges of stoking violence, and the relationship between Caracas and Washington has been hostile for years. Former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was an ally of both Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez. Visa waiver on the agenda Also yesterday, Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra said that “work had begun” on finding a way for the United States to waive tourist visa requirements for Argentines. “We have started to work to eventually go back to the situation where we were a while back, and that Argentines not need a visa to visit the United States,” Malcorra said in conversation with Radio Nacional. Noting that border controls in the United States were heightened after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, Malcorra conceded that much work was needed before the visa requirement be lifted. Mamet, for his part, confirmed that talks are in progress. Fuente Herald staff