Argentine Foreign Minister Warns, Imposing Sanctions on Russia or Other Countries Does Not Bring Peace

April 24, 2022 (EIRNS)—In an exclusive interview with Argentina’s state-run news agency Telam, Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero made strongly worded remarks about the futility of imposing unilateral sanctions against Russia or any other country, referring to those in Ibero-America as well. He stated that his government doesn’t consider that imposing sanctions on Russia will help lead to peace or reconciliation in Ukraine. While Argentina has voted for anti-Russia resolutions at the UN, including one expelling Russia from the Human Rights Council, it has rejected imposing sanctions on that country. “Argentina has no regulatory framework to impose unilateral sanctions,” Cafiero explained. “In fact, [we have] a law that prohibits this.”

What Argentina seeks and proposes regarding Ukraine, Cafiero elaborated, “is dialogue, to pacify the situation, and honestly we don’t believe that imposing sanctions or blockades will be productive in achieving peace, dialogue and diplomatic negotiations. This is the challenge we face today, with a call to peace.” Pointedly, he declared that it’s true that everyone’s attention is focused on the war in Europe, but what about Haiti? Its terrible humanitarian crisis hasn’t become any less important and hasn’t disappeared “just because the media lights aren’t flashing on it.”

The Foreign Minister had some equally strong points to make about the role of the United States in Ibero-America and what will be discussed at the June 6-10 Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California. There is one issue the U.S. can’t ignore, he stressed. “To single out countries and impose sanctions and blockades isn’t Argentina’s responsibility; it never has been, and it seems that these types of actions in the region”—imposed on Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba, for example—“have only created greater inequality and greater setbacks from a social point of view. We need to see a positive agenda for the region, and for that, we need for the United States to play a major role.” He also called on regional leaders to also be much more aware of what is happening in Peru “with a greater commitment to defend democracy and stability,” referring to the economic and political upheaval occurring in that country.

While in Italy this week, before traveling on to India next week, Cafiero met with several government officials as well as with the Executive Director of the World Food Programme David Beasley and Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization. In meetings with the last two, he said that Argentina is prepared to play a central role in addressing the challenge of food insecurity in the context of the grave international financial crisis that had led to food shortages and famine. He reported, too, that the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), of which Argentina is President Pro Tempore, is also discussing an agreement with the WFP to address the situation in Ibero-America and the Caribbean.