Argentina to expand bilateral relations with Guyana

The Argentine embassy in Guyana celebrated the 203rd anniversary of Argentina’s 1810 May Revolution with a reception at the Pegasus Hotel Wednesday evening. The revolution was the last in a series of political events that installed the first government in Argentina.

There was no hostility involved, but it is called a revolution because it resulted in a dramatic change in Argentina’s political, social, and economical landscapes. According to Argentina’s Ambassador to Guyana Luis A Martino, his country is on a path to expand bi-lateral relationships with Guyana and most importantly Caricom through trade and still maintains a relationship with the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

“Regional integration stands in the forefront of my country’s foreign policy and to reach this goal we strive for full respect of the democratic institutions, as well as ensuring the rule of law as special conditions of integration,” said the ambassador. He contended that the process of integration must include social prosperity for all the people and nations of South America. The ambassador said Argentina intends to expand its relationship with the Caribbean region and Guyana plays a fundamental role as a bridge between South America and the Caribbean.

“I am happy to announce that we have already made the first step to open other embassies in the region – Suriname, Barbados and St Lucia,” he said, adding that “this position is the process to strengthen our political relations with Caricom and the Community of Latin American States (CELAC). During my tenure in Guyana, I will seek to strengthen our bi-lateral relationship as a whole.”

Meanwhile, President Ramotar said Guyana is elated to have an Argentinian diplomat posting on local shores, pointing to the ties of the two countries’ governments.
“Argentina, as a country with rich history and highly advanced industrial sectors with a wealth of natural resources, has made great strides in nation-building, being a member of the G20 and significant trading partner, and Guyana congratulates Argentina’s people and wish them happiness and prosperity,” said President Ramotar.
He noted that although Guyana celebrated 47 years as an independent nation, it is still a young age in the life of developing countries.

“We are seeking to modernise our sectors to make them competitive in the global market and infrastructure is critical in this regard, and we look forward to enhancing our bilateral programme by focusing on areas of common interest,” said President Ramotar.

Argentina’s population is around 41 million, with 86 per cent of European origin, mostly Spanish and Italian. More than 90 per cent of its people are Roman Catholics.