The First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama celebrated on Wednesday (March 23) 'milestones' Argentina has set with women in power during a parallel event as she and U.S. President Barack Obama begin a two-day visit.
During the 'Let Girls Learn' event in Buenos Aires, the First Lady said that the South American country has reached milestone the U.S. has yet to reach.
"I want to remind you that here in Argentina where your parliament has one of the highest percentages of women in the world and where you've had a woman president and now have a woman vice president, milestones that my own country has yet to achieve. You have a long history of women whose lives are a powerful answer to those questions," she said, sparking applause from the audience of young women.
Earlier in the day, President Obama met with Argentina's new center-right leader President Mauricio Macri in a visit to reset diplomatic relations and strengthen trade ties after years of tension between the two countries.
Thousands of people cheered Obama's motorcade as it made its way along Buenos Aires' tree-lined boulevards, handing the U.S. leader a friendlier reception than his predecessor George W. Bush, whose presence at a Summit of the Americas in 2005 was met with protests and snubbed by the-then President Nestor Kirchner.
Obama and Macri shook hands warmly at the Casa Rosada presidential palace before heading into their talks.
Obama's two-day visit marks a rapprochement after more than a decade of sour relations and is a sign of support for Macri's investor-friendly reforms aimed at opening up Latin America's No. 3 economy.
