WASHINGTON.- In the days following the resounding announcement of the framework agreement Trade and Investment between Argentina and the United States – which was concluded on November 13th after several months of negotiations – there was an expectation that it would be signed Javier Milei And Donald Trump on the trip the president had planned for last Friday to Washington, where he would take part in the draw for the 2026 World Cup.
That possibility was completely ruled out on November 27 when the government announced it would not travel to the FIFA event in the North American capital amid a dispute with the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Claudio Tapia. And today, when It has been 25 days since the announcement of the framework agreement between the White House and Casa Rosadathere are no details yet about when it might be signed.
Sources familiar with the negotiations and consulted by LA NACION stated this The process runs through “normal channels” and they are optimistic that this could happen soon “Positive news” In this regard, however, no one can give dates for the white smoke.
“It’s a matter of process and time, but Don’t take risks, everything is on the way“The government stated that it maintained a high level of secrecy regarding negotiations with the United States during this period.
Milei had already canceled his visit to Washington Argentine negotiators considered it “very difficult” for the agreement to be signed on December 5thdue to the limited deadlines for completion of the Legal reviews and validation of translations from both administrations.
“It was a date we had tentatively considered because of Milei’s trip” for the World Cup drawsaid a source familiar with the negotiations with Washington.
The days of North American government shutdown due to Thanksgiving Day (thanksgiving) last week also affected the delay in the verification process.
The sources consulted by THE NATION They also pointed out that once all technical work in Washington and Buenos Aires is completed and ready for signing, The final step will be adding a date for the Libertarian leader’s trip to Washington to Trump and Milei’s agenda.
Nobody dares to rule out that Milei could soon return to this capital. “I would have no problem traveling at any time. I don’t see any problem with this at all for him.“He has traveled to the United States many times,” one of the sources said.
“There are no specific dates, but nothing is ruled out” regarding a possible trip from Milei to Washingtonexpanded another of the sources consulted. “There are no concerns about signing the agreement,” he added.
If the agreement were ready to be signed in the coming days, the most difficult thing would be to find a place in the agreement Trump’s busy scheduleat a busier time of year due to the end of year holidays. From the Argentine side, they recognize that regarding the date and time of the North American President “Nobody controls it”.
He Milei canceled the trip to Washington It would have been his fifteenth visit to the country since taking office in December 2023. In addition, he has already planned another trip to New York next March to take part in “Argentina Week”.
Regarding the decision of the president, who, if he had been in Washington on Friday, would have taken a new photo with the Republican leader, said the executive director of the Taskforce from the White House for the 2026 World Cup, Andrew Giulianitold LA NACION that they were not surprised by the cancellation of Mileiattributed it to the domestic political agenda and emphasized this “He has an excellent relationship with Trump”.
This is what one of the Argentine negotiators said At some point it was “thought” that the final signing of the agreement could take place at the level of secretaries and ministersbut from Washington they pointed out that all the agreements reached by the United States at the global level had been signed by Trump and that, therefore, on this basis In the case of Argentina, this would also have to take place in a meeting between the Republican leader and Mileione of its most important allies in Latin America.
The content of the framework agreement -the fine print everyone expects- It remains confidential until signed by the presidents and will then be made public. Several sectors in Argentina – such as laboratories – have already expressed their concern to know the details and scope of the agreement.
“It’s the safest thing”said a source with knowledge of the agreement. The sales representative was on the North American side Jamieson Greerplayed a central role in the negotiations – especially in the final phase. The Minister of Commerce, Howard Lutnickhad carried greater weight at the start of the talks last April.
On the Argentine side, among other things Minister for International Economic Relations, Luis Kreckler, chief negotiator of the agreement; the Secretary for Production Coordination, Pablo Lavigne; the chancellor Pablo Quirno; the Minister for Deregulation, Alejandro Cacace; the Argentine ambassador to the United States, Alec Oxenfordand the team at its diplomatic mission in Washington.
Once it’s signed, The agreement would already have a provisional scope“So that some things can be put into action,” said a source familiar with the negotiations. The entry into force of certain articles or paragraphs could require the approval of the parliament of both countriesbut officials avoided elaborating on what they were. Other aspects could require an executive order from Trump, for example.
There are issues that could require legislative reform, others that require the ratification of international treaties that should go through Congress, and others of an administrative nature that could be handled by the executive branch.
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