Argentine President Alberto Fernandez congratulates Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and American voters
Argentine President Alberto Fernández joined numerous world leaders and dignitaries in congratulating Democratic nominees Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who were declared the projected winners of the U.S. presidential elections shortly after 11:00 a.m. EST.
"I congratulate the American people on the record turnout in the elections, a clear expression of popular will," Fernández declared on Twitter shortly after the announcement.
"Greetings to Joe Biden, next president of the United States, and Kamala Harris, who will be the first female vice president of that country," he concluded.
Positive relationship
Despite marked ideological differences, the center-left Fernández, 61, enjoyed a relatively positive relationship with outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump.
While President-elect Biden was backed by most of Argentina's wide political spectrum - particularly among Fernández's supporters - Fernández himself was careful not to endorse, or appear to endorse, either candidate.
Trump is widely believed in Argentina to have been helpful in negotiations with the IMF over the $45 billion borrowed by Fernández's predecessor Mauricio Macri in 2018-19, as well as with bondholders during the successful refinance in August of $66 billion in U.S. law Argentine bonds.
This support surprised many observers in Argentina, given that Trump had supported the right-wing Macri - with whom he's enjoyed a 35-year friendship.
Trump's top Latin America point man, Mauricio Claver-Carone, admitted on July 28 to have facilitated the record IMF bailout largely to prop up Macri's failed re-election bid.
Link to tweet
