Macri takes aim at Venezuela in UNGA address
President reiterates Argentina’s sovereignty claim over Malvinas during speech before world leaders in New York.
While domestic eyes were focused on the general strike in Argentina and the negotiations witht he Interna ti onalMon et ar y Fund, President Mauricio Macri travelled to New York this week to attend the United Nations General Assembly and take in a number of bilateral meetings.
Addressing world leaders at the assembly at UN headquarters, Macri confirmed that his countrywould pres en tac laim against Venezuela at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague for human rights violations (a move which came to pass on Wednesday), while reaffirming Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the disputed Malvinas (Falkland) Islands.
“Argentina will bring to the International Criminal Court the crimes against humanity of the Venezuelan dictatorship,” Macri said during his speech in New York, asking Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to accept the humanitarian help offered by the rest of the region.
“We are part of a regional response that seeks to mitigate the difficulties of millions of Venezuelan citizens,” he added, adding Argentina has already received 130,000 Venezuelan migrants.
Macri also mentioned the international fight against the drug trade in his speech, as well as organised crime and terrorism, again calling on Iran to cooper atewith Argent in eco urts in bringing to justice those responsible for two major terror attacks in Buenos Aires that killed over 100 people and injured hundreds more, in 1992 and 1994.
“We call on friendly countries to accompany us and deny shelter to those indicted in the AMIA case and who have red warrant orders from Interpol. We will not cease in our efforts until all those involved are taken to court,” he claimed.
The president then reaffirmed his country’s sovereignty claim over the Malvinas, asking for the “legitimate and eternal rights of Argentina.”
At the same time, he highlighted his administration’s commitment to a “new phase” of the relationship with the United Kingdom, based on “mutual trust and a positive and wide dialogue.”
‘LARGE EFFORT’
Macri also made a reference to the country’s economic crisis and thanked the citizens for the “large effort they are making”, claiming he had anticipated that “the road ahead was not going to be easy.” He praised his administration and the policies taken, saying: “Argentina is betting on a smart relationship with the rest of the world.”
He continued: “We are a peace zone, with a young population full of talent and vitality. We have plenty of natural resources. We are providing an opti- misticpointofviewthatexceeds the challenges of globalisation.”
Speaking on the same day that US President Donald Trump indicated he was in favour of unilateralism and putting the United States first in his own speech, the Argentine leader in contrast described multilateralism as “fundamental” and highlighted his commitment to the Paris climate change agreement and the UN 2030 agenda toward sustaina- ble development.
“We are working to be more integrated, both ourselves and with the rest of the world. We want to have a positive impact on the world order during the 21st century,” he added.
BUSY AGENDA
This was the second time Macri had addressed the UN, after Vice-President Gabriela Michetti had replaced him last year. His speech came right after he had met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagar de forn ego ti at ion sov eran ewag re ementwith Argentina.
No mention was made on his speech to the general strike that happened in Argentina on the same day he was in New York, the fourth one carried out under his administration. The speech also came on the same day as the resignation of the now former Central Bank head Luis Caputo, who has been replaced by Guido Sandleris.
Macri spoke after his Paraguayan counterpart Mario Abdo Benítez and his Swiss counterpart Alain Berset.
The president hada fu l la gendath ro ughoutthed ay, meeting withseveralpot her lea ders su ch as Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, Italy’s Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi and Cuba’s head of the State Council Miguel Díaz Canel on the sidelines of the flagship UN event.