President Obama and his family arrived in Buenos Aires from Havana early Wednesday morning, for a two-day state visit aimed at establishing better relations with Argentina. Obama has been openly effusive about the recent change of leadership in Argentina, with President Mauricio Macri taking over in December from his more leftist, America-wary predecessor Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. "President Macri recognizes that we're in a new era, and we have to look forward," Obama said before landing in Buenos Aires.
Obama's trip is scheduled to include a meeting with young Argentinians, a state dinner, and a family visit to the southern town of Bariloche. It also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the 1976 coup that ushered in over a decade of military dictatorship, often at least tacitly backed by the United States. President George W. Bush visited Argentina for a summit in 2005, but the last state visit to Argentina by a U.S. president was in 1997. Argentina's governments have spent much of the two decades since then railing against the debt racked up during the 1990s and the IMF's U.S-backed proposals to fix Argentina's economic problems with austerity measures.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Critics’ choice: Restaurants worthy of their buzzfeature A fun bistro, a reservation worth the wait, and a modern twist on Mexican dishes
-
Film reviews: Snow White, Death of a Unicorn, and The Alto KnightsFeature A makeover for Disney’s first animated feature, greedy humans earn nature’s wrath, and a feud between crime bosses rattles the mob
-
Bombs or talks: What’s next in the US-Iran showdown?Talking Points US gives Tehran a two-month deadline to deal
-
Sen. Booker's 25-hour speech beats ThurmondSpeed Read He spoke for the longest time in recorded Senate history, protesting the Trump administration's policies
-
Bondi seeks death penalty for Luigi MangioneSpeed Read Mangione was charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year
-
Democrats win costly Wisconsin court seatSpeed Read Democrats prevailed in an election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court despite Elon Musk's robust financial support of the Republican candidate
-
WHCA rejects White House press seating grabSpeed Read The White House Correspondents' Association objected to the Trump administration's bid to control where journalists sit during press briefings
-
Trump sends more migrants to El Salvador jailSpeed Read Another 17 Venezuelan alleged gang members have been deported to a notorious prison
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd termSpeed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictionsSpeed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
