MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina's VP and Defense Minister meet with US General Richardson

Welcoming General Richardson allowed CFK to deepen her ties with the US Embassy in Buenos Aires

Argentina's Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK) Tuesday announced with pride that she had welcomed US General Laura Richardson at her Senate office.

“Today we received four-star General Laura Richardson, Commander of the United States Southern Command, the first woman to hold that position in history. We were joined by the US Ambassador to Argentina, Marc Stanley,” CFK posted on Twitter.

CFK and Stanley had already held a meeting March 28. The former Argentine President had reportedly asked Stanley for the US support in passing a law to levy a 20% tax on undeclared assets of Argentine citizens living abroad with which to meet the deadlines stemming from the recent agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Earlier Tuesday, General Richardson had met with Defense Minister Jorge Taiana at the Libertador Building (Argentine Army headquarters). According to press reports, Taiana and Richardson discussed bilateral cooperation in military training as well as the supply and development of equipment for the Armed Forces and the upcoming presence at the US port of Baltimore from July 8 to 12 of Argentina's tall ship ARA Libertad on her traditional training trip.

“It was a productive bilateral meeting with the Commander of the Southern Command Richardson to address issues of common interest in relation to defense cooperation,” Taiana said.

General Richardson was welcomed at the Libertador Building by a guard of honor headed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Juan Martín Paleo.