US Congress revives special caucus for Argentina links

The US Congress has revived a special bipartisan caucus focused on relations with Argentina, part of a bid to strengthen political and economic ties with Buenos Aires.

The House of Representatives has reactivated the Congressional Argentina Caucus, a body tasked with overseeing bilateral relations. The move was initiated jointly by a Republican and a Democratic lawmaker, a source in Congress confirmed.

"The administrative committee has officially approved our registration," said Gabe Gary, an advisor to Michael Rulli (Republican-Ohio), in comments reported by the AFP news agency.

The news was later confirmed by Argentina’s Ambassador to the United States, Alejandro ‘Alec’ Oxenford, in a social media post.

The Congressional Argentina Caucus is a bipartisan grouping. Congressional caucuses are formal associations of lawmakers brought together by a shared interest, regardless of party affiliation.

An aide to Rulli said via email that the Republican lawmaker and fellow representative Darren Soto (Democrat-Florida) are the promoters of this "bipartisan platform dedicated to boosting relations between the United States and Argentina via information sessions, events and debates."

The duo will serve as co-chairs.

The Argentina caucus previously operated from 2017, during Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, and remained active until 2023.

Its relaunch comes amid the development of closer diplomatic and economic ties between Trump and Argentina’s President Javier Milei.

The United States provided crucial financial support to Argentina last October, granting a US$20-billion currency swap aimed at stabilising the peso, which was under heavy market pressure ahead of key midterm elections.

That assistance, alongside additional political backing from Trump and visiting members of his Cabinet, helped Milei’s government secure an electoral victory, from which the La Libertad Avanza leader emerged politically strengthened.

Argentina and the United States are now engaged in trade talks to expand commercial ties. Washington has indicated an interest in negotiating beef imports to help curb prices in its domestic market, a move that has prompted protests from US ranchers.

In November, Washington announced that a series of free-trade agreements with Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala were under discussion.

Milei, who has met Trump on several occasions, has sought to deepen relations with the United States across the board, including on geopolitical issues.

Buenos Aires last week fully backed the sudden removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power in Caracas.

Maduro is now being held in the United States, where he is awaiting trial in New York on drug-trafficking and weapons charges.

– TIMES/AFP