Latin America Center Hosts Argentine Political Leader Sergio Massa

During his international debut in Washington, DC, Argentine opposition leader Sergio Massa joined top policymakers and business leaders for a private discussion at the Atlantic Council on March 27, co-hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce.

Sergio Massa is a prominent politician and rising star in Argentine politics. He currently serves as a representative of the Argentine Congress and was formerly the mayor of Tigre. Political analysts and polling indicate that he is a serious contender for the upcoming presidential election in 2015. While once having close ties with both Presidents Néstor and Cristina Kirchner, Sergio Massa created his own political movement in June 2013 and elevated his domestic and international status after the success of his Frente Renovador political coalition.

At a moment when Argentina is reeling from a growing list of economic challenges, including a currency devaluation in January, as well as increasing crime rates, Massa shared his vision on how to create a new future for Argentina. He shared insights into how his country should approach the increasing polarization both in domestic and regional politics, such as the stratification of the two trading blocs of the Pacific Alliance and Mercosur.

Former US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutiérrez was among the attendees, who also included former US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela and Spanish Ambassador Ramón Gil-Casares. Business leaders from a number of influential companies also joined, including IBM, Dell, Fedex, AES, GE, ExxonMobil and Dow Chemical Group.