“Our relationships with Argentina are at a superb second,” added the Chilean President.
The President of Chile, Gabriel Boricchaired a regional cupboard assembly in Aysén, south of Santiago, on Wednesday, throughout which he reiterated that relations with Argentina have been going by “a superb second” whereas supporting the overseas minister, Antonia Urrejolain view of the controversy over the leaked audios of the Ministry of International Affairs criticizing the Argentine ambassador Raphael Bielsa.
“What’s most vital to me, and I might count on it to be a very powerful factor for all political actors, our relationships with Argentina are at a superb second. That is what we mentioned with President (Alberto) Fernández and Minister of International Affairs (Santiago) Cafiero,” Boric stated at a press convention.
“You possibly can see President Fernández’s statements the place he fully lowers his profile and says that There isn’t any downside with relations between statesthat is what I’ve to guard,” added the President.
Referring to the controversy over the leaked audios of Urrejola talking from Argentina’s Ambassador to Santiago, Rafael Bielsa, Boric backed the minister, stating that “incidents like this shouldn’t be recorded or filtered” and that It is a difficulty that “the State Division wants to unravel”.
“Minister Urrejola, who has huge expertise in worldwide affairs, you might have all my belief. Right here we don’t must push modifications, I’m continuously evaluating my ministers, however the inner affairs of the Ministry of International Affairs have to be resolved within the Ministry of International Affairs,” stated the Chilean President.
On Tuesday, Lorena Díaz, communications director on the International Ministry, tendered her resignation over leaked audio of Urrejola talking about Ambassador Bielsa.
Within the audio, International Ministry officers might be heard at a non-public assembly the place they talk about the response they might give to criticism leveled towards the federal government by Argentina’s ambassador final Friday for failing to speak the Committee of Ministers’ rejection has the Dominga Mine Challenge.
“This firm was one of many options that Agua Negra would have as a port. It will be nice if we have been notified, not more than that. Because it has implications for bilateral relations, we needed you to learn,” Bielsa stated within the Senate International Relations Committee.
This led to Urrejola; his chief of employees, Carolina Muñoz, and his political workforce met to debate how to answer the statements that have been later leaked.
The occasions occurred when Boric was in Buenos Aires attending the VII Summit of the Neighborhood of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).
What’s the mining undertaking that sparked the controversy between Argentina and Chile?
The fundamental concern of the dispute between the Chilean overseas minister and the Argentine ambassador in Santiago is Chile’s rejection of the mining firm Dominga mine.
Is about an iron and copper undertaking managed by the Andes Iron Firm in Chilean capitals, which additionally features a port, situated 16 kilometers from the municipality of La Higuera, within the northern area of Coquimbo and about 500 kilometers from Santiago.
The undertaking has been controversial for a number of years, together with since Sebastián Piñera was president, over the alleged sale of stakes within the mine to one in all his finest associates in an operation that will have occurred within the British Virgin Islands. Piñera denied the allegations, arguing that no irregularities had been discovered within the deal.
However moreover political points, Gabriel’s authorities Boric rejected the initiative on environmental points. The undertaking is near the Humboldt Archipelago, which protects one of many world’s most vital ecosystems and is dwelling to 80% of 1 penguin species, together with 560 different animal species.
Due to this, the present Chilean authorities has scrapped the multimillion-dollar undertaking that Bielsa says may benefit Argentina. It’s estimated that in 22 years this mine would produce 12 million tons of iron and 150,000 tons of copper per yr and create about 1,500 jobs.
Concerning the matter, the Argentine Ambassador regretted not having been knowledgeable of the choice, since it’s a undertaking that’s vital for Argentina – as he stated – as a result of it might strengthen the passage of Agua Negra by San Juan .
“This firm was one of many options that Agua Negra (a mountain crossing) would have as a port. It will be nice for us if they might notify us, not more than that. Because it has implications for bilateral relations, we needed you to learn,” he stated.
The Andes Iron firm is owned by the Chilean Délano Mendez household, made up of 9 brothers who personal 75% of Minera Dominga. This undertaking required an funding of $2,500 million. The group additionally has monetary, actual property and agricultural investments.
The household purchased the undertaking from the LarrainVial group in 2010 for simply over $100 million and invited a lot of mining executives to take part within the firm, together with Iván Garrido, present CEO of Andes Iron, and the Garcés Silva household , which at the moment in accordance with the Chilean press is 14%.
The Chilean authorities needed to rule on 12 lawsuits towards this undertaking. The corporate introduced that it might enchantment the Chilean authorities’s determination.
With info from the Telam company
DB