Argentine President (left) and US Secretary of Homeland Security pose for a commemorative photo on the 28th (local time). Yonhap News

Javier Milei, the President of Argentina, who flaunts his "bromance" (a portmanteau term meaning a close male friendship) with U.S. President Donald Trump, is highlighting diplomatic achievements such as the application of the lowest reciprocal tariff rates by the United States and the resumption of visa-free travel.

Milei attended President Trump's inauguration in January.On the 28th (local time), the Argentine Presidential Office issued a statement saying, "Our government will proceed with an agreement related to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which grants visa-free benefits to our citizens visiting the United States for tourism and business purposes," and added, "(We) have agreed on preliminary procedures for this."

The application of this program, which will allow visits to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), similar to South Korea and Chile, "will be an opportunity to enhance our international standing," the Argentine Presidential Office added.

Argentina was previously a participant in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program during the administration of former President Carlos Menem (1930-2021) in 1996. However, it was excluded from the visa-free program around 2002, after experiencing a national default due to foreign debt issues.

Illegal travel to the United States by young Argentines in the early 21st century was one of the social issues.

The Argentine Presidential Office emphasized that the ability to take the first step towards signing the visa-free entry agreement was thanks to "a remarkable relationship based on the strong trust between the leaders of the two countries."

The announcement to initiate procedures for the relevant agreement coincided with the visit of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to Argentina.

Upon meeting President Milei, Secretary Mayorkas stated, "The Argentine government under President Milei is positioning itself as a strong friend of the United States," emphasizing that "Argentina currently has the lowest visa overstay rate in Latin America, and the growth rate of U.S. visitors in the first four months of this year (25%) is the highest among the top 20 countries."

The Argentine government is self-evaluating this measure as an achievement "gained amidst a volatile international order," reported the Argentine daily Clarín.

It was explained as a fruit of "pro-Trump diplomacy" at a time when the U.S. administration is expanding restrictions on foreign entry and significantly strengthening its immigration policies.

President Milei, a hard-right politician nicknamed "the Trump of Argentina," maintains a striking similarity to President Trump's governing philosophy, from his aversion to "woke" culture (referring to progressive agendas) to his withdrawal from international organizations, demonstrating a close affinity.

AP reported wryly that when Milei visited Mar-a-Lago (President Trump's residence) as the first world leader after Trump's re-election, he "ran around like an excited student."

The Argentine government is also boasting about receiving notification of the relatively lowest tariff rate (10%) in the U.S. tariff war against major countries worldwide.

In a recent press conference broadcast live on YouTube, Argentine Presidential Office spokesperson Manuel Adorni responded to related questions from local reporters, stating, "We believe that U.S. policy is not a fundamental attack on free trade, but rather the opposite," and evaluated the 10% tariff rate as a "preferential measure."

Argentina is also increasing its contact points to establish separate negotiation tables for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, reported the Argentine daily La Nación.

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