During his presentation, Marcel was emphatic in stressing Chile’s strategic role in the global scenario thanks to its natural resources, particularly copper, for which demand continues to be high in international markets. “We have a more resilient position, because the world needs copper,” said the minister, highlighting the comparative advantage that the country has over other players in the market. The Secretary of State also referred to recent trade tensions, particularly with the United States: “These are times of enormous uncertainty regarding international trade policies, with announcements and counter-announcements that are being followed. However, Chile is a country with an exporting vocation, we do not consume much copper or much saltpeter, but we produce it for the world, and naturally the world trade news affects us”, he said. In this sense, Marcel emphasized that the Executive is actively working to reestablish a fluid dialogue with the US administration: “The government is actively and responsibly seeking to normalize trade relations with the US, all within the framework of the institutional framework of the FTA with the US, which is already 21 years old”. Regarding the economic outlook, the minister said that long-term expectations regarding the price of copper “have remained reasonably stable”, which provides a framework of predictability to encourage new investments. In this regard, he pointed out that the most recent project cadastre of the Capital Goods Corporation (CBC) for the first quarter of 2025 shows an increase of 23.5% in investment projections for the period 2025-2028. Mining and energy led this growth, the former being responsible for more than US$5,246 million in new investments, while all sectors -except Ports and Forestry- showed significant increases. Finally, Marcel referred to the role of the State in Chilean mining, addressing the debate on environmental permits and their impact on the sector’s competitiveness: “Mining wants to reduce permitting times to be more competitive, but the State’s objective is not to bring permits to zero, it must also prevent the costly litigation that occurs after the large investment”, he concluded. Minister Marcel’s intervention took place during the second day of the XVIII International Congress of Expomin 2025, consolidating itself as one of the most relevant moments of the day. In a global context marked by uncertainty, the authorities reiterated their willingness to work collaboratively with the private sector and international actors, ensuring that Chile continues to play a leading role in the world market for strategic resources such as copper.