MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Blinken highlights Uruguay's role in international forums

Blinken and Bustillo also discussed the commitments to improve democratic governance during last December's Democracy Summit

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Uruguay had “a strong voice” at the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of American States (OAS), “a voice that we really value.”

The top diplomat from President Joseph Bidden's administration said those words after a meeting with his Uruguayan counterpart, Foreign Minister Franxcxisco Bustillo.

“Uruguay is a strong democratic partner of the United States,” Blinken added. “We already have a strong trade relationship,” he went on as he insisted both countries were calling for “an end to Russia's aggression against Ukraine.”

Blinken welcomed Bustillo in a meeting where they also discussed the upcoming Summit of the Americas, a moment defined as “crucial for the hemisphere”.

“Uruguay will have the presidency of the health group at the summit, which will be critical for the future and it is very well positioned to do so given its extraordinarily efficient response to the coronavirus,” Blinken said.

Bustillo said that mankind was going through “very particular moments in which once again we find ourselves united with the United States and Uruguay sharing the values and principles that are traditional to us and that we have always cultivated.”

Blinken and Bustillo also discussed the commitments to improve democratic governance during last December's Democracy Summit.

The Uruguayan Foreign Minister also met Monday with US Undersecretary of Agriculture Jewel Bronaugh to discuss bilateral trade regarding those specific items, with a focus on the corresponding necessary authorizations for beef, bone-in sheep meat, poultry meat, bovine semen, and cheese, among other products, were analyzed.

The meeting was also attended by the Uruguayan Foreign Ministry's Chief of Staff, Fernando López Fabregat, and by Uruguay's Ambassador to Washington Andrés Durán.

During his trip to the US capital, Bustillo also met with OAS Secretary-General and fellow Uruguayan Luis Almagro, with whom he exchanged views on the political reality of the region, the effects of various international events on OAS member countries, and the preparations for the next Summit of the Americas to be held in California in June.