U.S. intends to “expand” trade relations with Uruguay, says Undersecretary of State

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The United States intends to “expand trade relations” with Uruguay, said Tuesday the Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman, in Montevideo, after praising the “democratic commitment” of the South American country and its “leadership” in the clean energy sector.

The number two of the U.S. State Department said she held “a very positive and productive meeting” with Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou. They discussed “how to work together” to strengthen the economies of both countries after the covid-19 pandemic.

Read also: Check out our coverage on Uruguay

At a press conference, Sherman recalled that U.S. President Joe Biden “is determined to provide support for recovery after the pandemic.”

“Uruguay is a strong economy, but we are talking about ways to deepen and broaden our trade relations,” she said before illustrating that “the United States is the buyer of 70% of Uruguay’s IT services.

The diplomat assured that the U.S. trade representatives “chose Uruguay as the first country, and had the first face-to-face meeting” in the Biden administration to initiate talks on the TIFA, acronym for Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, which both nations signed in 2007.

“I am sure that there will be opportunities to expand trade between both countries”, she insisted. However, she did not mention the possibility of a free trade agreement (FTA), a long-standing aspiration of Uruguay.

Asked how she views the South American country’s negotiations for a free trade agreement with China and the Asian giant’s advance in Latin America, Sherman said that “all countries should explore all options presented to them, as long as they do so based on clean and transparent trade”.

“Leader” in clean energy –

Climate change was another priority topic at the meeting between Sherman and Lacalle Pou.

“Both Uruguay and the United States recognize climate change as an urgent global crisis and an opportunity to create good-paying jobs for our people in areas such as clean energy, clean transportation, resilient infrastructure, and ecosystem restoration,” he said. He highlighted that the South American country generates almost 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. “They are world leaders in this regard.”

“With Lacalle, we discussed how Uruguay can serve as a model for other countries that want to increase their production of clean energy and thus combat the climate crisis.”

The undersecretary also emphasized Uruguay’s democratic commitment, “with a great role in defense of human rights,” and highlighted those values “at a time when democracy is being challenged.”

“We have just seen something that I cannot even call an election in Nicaragua (…) We continue to hope that the people of Venezuela will have a better future,” he expressed.

Sherman traveled Tuesday to Lima, where she was received at the airport in the evening by U.S. Ambassador Lisa Kenna.

The embassy said that the undersecretary “will begin an agenda of activities and meetings” with Peruvian authorities. Among the topics to be discussed are trade, democratic governance, migration, the covid-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis.

Sherman is the most prominent visitor arriving to meet with new President Pedro Castillo, whose government on Monday expressed its “rejection” of Nicaragua’s disputed elections – in tune with Washington – unlike other Latin American leftist governments that hailed Daniel Ortega’s re-election.