Chile's FM says US relations improving after meeting with Rubio

Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Monday, stating that bilateral relations had "resentido" but are now "recomponiendo." The meeting is part of a tour through the U.S. and Mexico to promote the "Choose Chile" investment strategy.

Meeting and Relationship

Pérez Mackenna described the U.S. as Chile's "main strategic partner" and noted the relationship had "resentido durante un tiempo" but is being rebuilt. He emphasized progress in discussions and a shared goal of building alliances Source: emolcl. The meeting covered security and economic development topics Source: infobae/EFE.

Investment Promotion

The minister presented the "Choose Chile" initiative to Rubio, who reacted positively and agreed to promote Chile as a destination for foreign investment, especially from the U.S. Source: emolcl. Chile aims to attract investment across various sectors, leveraging its free trade agreements with both the U.S. and China Source: infobae/EFE.

Geopolitical Context

Chile, under President José Antonio Kast, has aligned with the U.S. through the "Escudo de las Américas" initiative. However, balancing ties between China (main trade partner) and the U.S. (top investor) remains a key challenge. Kast is a close ally of Donald Trump, and the meeting underscores efforts to mend ties that had cooled Source: infobae/EFE.