MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“The Magellan Strait belongs to Chile“, underlines US Ambassador

Guard of Honor receives Ambassador Meehan at Punta Arenas Third Naval Zone

“The United States has been very clear that the Magellan Strait belongs to Chile, and I can assure you there is no intention of holding naval exercises with Argentina along the Magellan Strait,” US ambassador in Chile Bernadette Meehan said point blank during a visit to Punta Arenas, Magallanes Region, following on rumors published in the neighboring country media.

“It’s all nonsense, the US position on the Magellan Strait is very clear”, the ambassador underlined, adding that she personally has a very strong and close link with the Magallanes Region since as a student she spent time in Patagonia and visited Punta Arenas.

Ambassador Meehan besides Punta Arenas, and later Puerto Williams also visited the historic estancia of Peckett Harbor pointing out in the X social media that it is a fascinating place “which tells us the history of Patagonia, from coal mining and the production of green hydrogen to sheep and cattle farming, where you can appreciate the blend of ancestral practices with modern genetics from the US; a work of generations that has boosted development in this unique Region”.

The US diplomat also visited the works of Haru Oni, to watch advances in the elaboration of eFuels at an HIF Global plant, underlining the shared goals of the US and Chile on clean energy.

In a meeting with the officer in chief from Chile’s naval Third Zone, with HQ in Punta Arenas, R Admiral Jorge Castillo, Ambassador Meehan said they talked about the future of Antarctica, illegal, unregulated fishing, the growing traffic along the Magellan Strait, and Chile’s new icebreaker, Almirante Viel entirely built in Chilean shipyards.