SANTIAGO – The first international tour of the second term of President of Chile Sebastián Piñera includes visits to Argentina and Brazil and will be marked by a strong presence of the trans-Andean businessman world. However, Uruguay is not included in the tour, since the signing of a trade agreement pending the approval of the Uruguayan parliament is pending.
Piñera included in his official tour 14 entrepreneurs, grouped or linked to the Society of Industrial Development (Sofofa). The group will be present with a delegation, being represented by the Business Council of Chile-Argentina led by the president of Cencosud, Horst Paulmann.
Javier Ardanaz, CEO in Argentina of Falabella; Salvador Said, director of Parque Arauco; Pablo Echeverría, president and partner of Moneda Asset Management and Raúl Ciudad, president and partner of Coasin, according to “Diario Finaciero”. In addition, the legal manager of Quiñenco, Rodrigo Hinzpeter; the general manager of SQM, Patricio de Solminihac, Thomas Keller, general manager of Colbún SA, among others.
They are joined by the director of the international Sofofa area, Manuel José Prieto, and the president of the Confederation of Production and Commerce (CPC), Alfonso Swett.
The tour started on Wednesday and the first destination was Buenos Aires, Argentina. The next day the Chilean political-business delegation met with local businessmen during the morning and, at lunchtime, with President Macri.
On April 26, the Chilean delegation arrived in Brazil, where the agenda included an interview between Piñera and his counterpart, Michel Temer.
The tour avoids Uruguay because the FTA with Chile is blocked in the legislature, since the ruling party bloc is divided.
Although President Vázquez and Economy Minister Danilo Astori support him, the grouping of former President Jose Mujica, MPP, and the Communist Party are decidedly against him for calling him “neoliberal” and defending “imperial” interests.
In Chile, the TLS vote with Uruguay had 75 votes in favor, 2 against and 3 abstentions, although neither Frente Amplio and the Communist Party did not enter the room.
