MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

German Chancellor Merkel pledges to support Argentina in video-talk with President Fernández

Angela Merkel with Alberto Fernández during his February 2020's European visit.

Argentine President Alberto Fernández and German Chancellor Angela Merkel Wednesday held a video conference during which both leaders discussed various issues concerning the future of diplomatic and economic relations between their countries.

“Together with Spain, Portugal, Italy and France, we will continue supporting Argentina to find a sustainable agreement” with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Merkel was quoted as saying.

Fernández and Merkel also discussed the current situation regarding the coronavirus pandemic and Argentina's negotiations with the Paris Club.

The Argentine Government seeks to postpone the debt maturities with the IMF this year in light of the covid-19 crisis and the State's duty to provide for the assistance of the most vulnerable sectors.

Fernández also told Merkel about the progress of the vaccination plan in Argentina and the status of different agreements with different laboratories to acquire vaccines against the coronavirus.

Both leaders also discussed environmental issues and climate change, after both shared last April 22's Summit on the issue hosted by US President Joseph Biden.

Later Wednesday, Fernández met with South American Football Confederation President Alejandro Domínguez at the Olivos presidential residence. The Argentine President gave the Paraguayan Domínguez a transcript of the protocols to be observed during the upcoming Copa America tournament, which Argentina was to co-host with Colombia and now aims at organizing in its entirety following the cancellation of the 15 matches originally scheduled at the northern country due to political unrest.

Unofficial sources at Olivos believed Conmebol would finally grant Argentina the right to host all of the Copa America, because in its original format for 2020 the tournament was to have featured guests Australia and Qatar.

Therefore, since Argentina had already proven itself worthy of hosting those additional games by 2020, the country is somehow ahead of any other applicant to show it can host all 15 games rescheduled from Colombia.

Fernández insisted all protocols must be approved by Argentine health authorities, but Health Minister Carla Vizzotti has already been reported to have admitted that bringing in some additional 1,200 people would not make much of a difference.