MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Washington halts adding Argentina to visa waiver program

Further discussions are expected before moving on with the deal

The United States administration of President Donald Trump on Wednesday paused the treatment of a visa waiver agreement with Argentina. This decision was made just as an Argentine delegation was on its way to Washington to sign the pact.

The primary reason for the pause was a breakdown in internal communication within the US government, it was explained. National Security Secretary Kristi Noem had signed a letter of intent with Argentina in July but failed to inform Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles beforehand, which led to a memo circulated to all US officials, reinforcing the need for proper protocol and authorization for international agreements.

In addition, the State Department has unresolved concerns about a corruption scandal affecting President Javier Milei's government. Hence, further discussions on this issue are expected before moving forward with a binding agreement.

The Argentine delegation, led by national tax and customs chief Juan Pazo, was informed of the pause while on a layover in Miami. They were told the agreement was missing a signature and were only then informed of the U.S. government's concerns about the corruption scandal. The delegation waited for two days in Miami before returning to Argentina without signing the agreement.

A senior US official described the incident as “embarrassing.” The Argentine government has not commented on the specific details of the diplomatic talks.