Trump policies to distance Argentina from U.S.: observer

Isolationist and protectionist trade policies touted by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threaten to undo recent advances in bilateral ties with Argentina, according to a political observer.

Given Trump's campaign pledges, it's very feasible that his predecessor's flexible trade and foreign policies will be "left by the wayside," Carolina Sampo, a visiting professor from Spain's Complutense University of Madrid, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Sampo expects Trump to pursue "a much more protectionist economic policy and much more restrictive foreign policy," both of which would drastically alter what exists at present.

Sampo, an expert in political scientist who also serves as a research assistant at Argentina's National Council for Scientific and Technical Research, noted that Argentine-U.S. bilateral relations have improved considerably in the past year, epitomized in a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to the South American country in March 2016.

Obama "strengthened ties with our current government and appeared very willing to cooperate in a wide range of areas to bring the relationship closer after years of short-circuited ties," said Sampo.

Ties between Buenos Aires and Washington were cold and sometimes even hostile during the administration of former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez (2007-2015), who pursued greater integration with regional allies, including Venezuela, much to the consternation of the White House.

Her successor, Mauricio Macri, made patching up relations with Washington a central theme of his campaign.

This change in the relationship with the United States has led to better trade ties, especially after the U.S. side opened up to beef and lemon imports from Argentina, said Sampo.

Political ties also improved, among others, "as reflected mainly in the declassification of documents dating back to the era of Argentina's military dictatorship (1976-1983), and also in a more friendly visa policy than there was previously," she said.

However, all that may change, said Sampo, because U.S. policies seem less influenced by questions of continental convergence than by who occupies the White House.

Simply "being near the United States, geographically speaking ...does not appear to lead to either substantial benefits or problems," said Sampo. Endi