The 24th Meeting of the Pehuenche Integration Committee was held in the Maule Region on September 25 and 26, 2025. The meeting was chaired by the Director of Borders of the Chilean Foreign Ministry, Mr. Pedro Pablo Silva, and the Director of Limits and Borders of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, Mr. Santiago Villalba.

The inauguration took place in Talca, where the authorities were welcomed with a performance of folkloric dances at a traditional “esquinazo” (corner dance). The meeting was also attended by the Governors of the Maule Region, Mr. Pedro Pablo Álvarez-Salamanca, and of the Province of Mendoza, Mr. Alfredo Cornejo. Also in attendance were the Chilean Ambassador to Argentina, Mr. José Antonio Viera Gallo, and the Argentine Ambassador to Chile, Mr. Jorge Faurie, as well as the Consuls of Chile in Mendoza, Mr. David Quiroga, and of Argentina in Concepción, Mr. Ignacio Levy. Also, Senator Ms. Ximena Rincón, Senator Mr. Juan Antonio Coloma, Provincial Senator of Mendoza, Ms. Alejandra Barro, Deputies Mr. Jaime Naranjo and Mr. Felipe Donoso, the Presidential Delegate of Maule Humberto Aqueveque Díaz, as well as mayors from both sides, were also present at the meeting.

The delegations addressed border issues and agreed to work toward the next meeting on customs, phytosanitary and zoosanitary, migration, police cooperation, trade, and production, among others. In addition, the Governors signed a Letter of Intent between the Maule Region and the Province of Mendoza, declaring their willingness to cooperate on border facilitation and functional coordination at the Pehuenche Pass, among other topics, such as health, education, and environment.

On the first day, both delegations met in each of the thematic subcommittees, setting down in writing the points discussed and the agreed-upon commitments. The evening concluded with a dinner in honor of the attendees. For the second day, the Regional Government invited the delegations to a cultural tour that included a visit to the Paicaví Mine, where attendees discussed opportunities for cooperation in mining, as well as a visit to the Concha y Toro Winery Research and Innovation Center.

The closing ceremony took place in the coastal town of Iloca, where the “series of conferences on cooperation, integration, and good practices for regional border development” was organized by DIFROL, with the participation of the Border Crossings Unit of the Ministry of the Interior.

Finally, in the presence of the Governor of Maule, the final minutes were read and signed. He agreed that the work accomplished, after nine years of inactivity by the Committee, represents progress toward the benefit of the citizens of both countries.