U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is heading to Argentina after talks with Paraguayan leaders, with U.S. investment, regional security and a proposed infrastructure corridor on his Buenos Aires agenda.
Landau plans to meet senior Argentine officials and business leaders during an Oct. 19-26 trip that also includes Paraguay, the State Department said. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Juan Pablo Segura is accompanying him. The department has not announced a date for the Buenos Aires meetings.
The talks will include the Andes-Atlantic Corridor, an initiative Landau and Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno launched on Sept. 23. It aims to link key Argentine economic sectors with Atlantic ports and Western markets. Argentina’s foreign ministry identified railways, waterways, ports, pipelines, power facilities and digital infrastructure as potential areas for investment.
Also on Sept. 23, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) signed a framework with Argentina aimed at mobilizing up to $7 billion through 2027. Energy, critical minerals and digital connectivity are among the bank’s priority sectors. The amount represents potential financing under the framework, not funds already disbursed.
EXIM said the arrangement is intended to support U.S. exports and jobs while helping Argentina develop infrastructure. Argentina’s foreign ministry said the corridor could attract capital for projects tied to Vaca Muerta’s energy resources and give U.S. companies opportunities to compete for work.
In Paraguay, Landau met President Santiago Peña, Vice President Pedro Alliana and Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, the Paraguayan foreign ministry said. They discussed investment and security cooperation. The State Department said representatives of U.S. companies are traveling with Landau to explore opportunities there, while his government talks cover trade, regional security and transnational crime.
The trip follows an Oct. 16 call between Argentine President Javier Milei and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about trade and investment, according to the State Department’s readout. Landau’s announced Buenos Aires meetings are scheduled within the Oct. 19-26 trip.
