Chile says relationship with U.S. is being recomposed after strain

Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, reporting that bilateral relations, though previously strained, are now being repaired.

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It is a relationship that had been strained for a time, but we are recomposing it for the best interest of Chile and we have advanced a lot in these meetings.

Pérez Mackenna described the relationship as one that "had been strained for a time, but we are recomposing it for the best interest of Chile." He stressed that the United States is Chile's most important strategic partner. The goal of the meeting was to "build an alliance for the best development of our peoples," with Chile signaling its openness to receiving foreign investment from the U.S. across various sectors.

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The United States is Chile's main strategic partner.

The visit occurs as Chilean President José Antonio Kast, a strong ally of Donald Trump, has aligned Chile with the "Americas Shield" initiative. This U.S.-led program aims to combat international crime and counter Chinese influence in the Western Hemisphere. Chile, alongside Peru and Costa Rica, maintains free trade agreements with both China and the United States. While China is Chile's largest trading partner, the U.S. is its biggest foreign investor, making the balance between these global powers a key diplomatic and economic challenge for Kast's administration.

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Chile is ready to receive foreign investment, particularly from the United States, in the different sectors.