Argentina and Chile cement ultra-conservative alliance

Argentina’s President Javier Milei received his Chilean counterpart Jose Antonio Kast at the Casa Rosada on Monday in a move signaling a realignment of South American geopolitics.

The meeting marked Kast’s first official international trip since his inauguration on March 11, formalizing a powerful ideological partnership between the two neighboring leaders.

While the meeting’s agenda included strategic agreements in mining, energy and bilateral trade -- which totaled nearly $8 billion in 2025 -- both leaders prioritized the extradition of Galvarino Apablaza, a former Chilean guerrilla accused of masterminding the 1991 assassination of Senator Jaime Guzman, a pivotal figure in Chile’s right-wing history.

Apablaza, who lived as a political refugee in Argentina for decades, had his asylum status revoked in 2017. However, the situation turned into a diplomatic "commotion" last week when Argentine police launched an operation to arrest him, only to find he had fled his residence.

“I am certain that sooner or later, the fugitive Apablaza will have to answer to the courts,” President Kast said during a press conference in Buenos Aires. “All these legal actions and appeals he is filing only confirm that he is someone seeking to evade justice.”

"We will continue all diplomatic and judicial efforts to ensure he faces trial," he added.

Apablaza's defense team has countered by appealing to the United Nations and other international bodies, arguing that any arrest would be illegal and that the extradition process is politically motivated.

In a show of support for the Kast administration, the Argentine Ministry of Security has offered a reward of approximately $14,000 for information leading to Apablaza's capture.

Chile and Argentina share a border of more than 5,300 kilometers (3,293 miles) and maintain a significant economic relationship. In 2025, Argentina solidified its position as Chile's second-largest trading partner in Latin America.