Argentina and US sign trade protocol as Venezuela restores Rome flight route

Argentina and the United States have signed an additional protocol to the Reciprocal Trade and Investment Agreement (ARTI), a move intended to facilitate the agreement's submission to the Argentine Congress for ratification. Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer signed the document in Washington to provide greater legal certainty and predictability for Argentine exports. The protocol includes a reaffirmation of most-favored-nation tariff treatment for Argentine products. Recent trade data shows Argentine exports to the US reached $6.57 billion between January and August, a 35% increase compared to the previous year, with beef export quotas rising from 20,000 to 100,000 tons.

Separately, Venezuela and ITA Airways have signed a memorandum of understanding to restore direct flights between Caracas and Rome. Scheduled to begin on March 30, 2027, the route will initially offer three weekly frequencies, providing over 90,000 seats annually. This reconnection aims to boost tourism, commerce, and cultural exchange, serving the large Italian-Venezuelan community and ending a period of suspended direct connectivity that lasted over a decade.