More and more South American Croatians gaining citizenship

Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman in Peru (Photo credit: MVEP)

An increasing number of individuals in South America with Croatian heritage are embracing their roots by obtaining Croatian citizenship. 

Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman has embarked on a visit to South America and during his tour, proudly presented the newest Croatian citizens, highlighting the deepening ties between Croatia and its diaspora in South America, the ministry said in a statement. 

Peru

Radman met with the Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea Franco in Lima. 

The focus was on strengthening the bilateral ties between Croatia and Peru and cooperation through the EU, considering that the EU is Peru’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest investment partner. “Croatia is a strong advocate for closer ties between the EU and Latin America. Given our experience of a challenging transition into a democratic and prosperous EU member state, we believe we have a better understanding of many countries worldwide, especially in Latin America, with which we also have special ties through our diaspora,” Minister Grlić Radman emphasised.

Peru is the first South American country where Croatians settled as early as the 16th century, making Croatian emigrants and their descendants a solid bridge between the two nations.

(Photo credit: MVEP)

As both countries are candidates for OECD membership, the ministers agreed that there is room for strengthening cooperation and exchanging experiences. They emphasised the importance of collaboration between chambers of commerce and the exchange of business delegations as the best and most effective way to present the economies of both countries and identify concrete business opportunities. 

They agreed that despite the considerable distance, there are opportunities to enhance cooperation in machinery and electrical engineering, the IT sector, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, defence industry, maritime transport, and tourism.

Minister Grlić Radman met with members of the Croatian community at the Croatian House “Dubrovnik,” where he presented citizenship acceptance certificates. 

Certain figures indicate that there are around 200,000 people of Croatian descent in Peru.

(Photo credit: MVEP)

The Croatian House “Dubrovnik” was founded in 1906 as the Slavic Benevolent Society of Callao and represents a key institution of the Croatian community in Peru, bringing together over 200 families of Croatian origin and making a significant contribution to preserving cultural heritage in Latin America. 

“Croatia, as a state that has sacrificed greatly for its long-desired and hard-won statehood, is obliged, through citizenship acquisition regulations, to ensure that those who know, accept, and respect its values, history, culture, tradition, language, and customs, and who will contribute to its progress through their work, obtain citizenship rights. Croatians in Peru, with their rich culture, hard work, and Croatian heart, have demonstrated their unbreakable connection with the Homeland throughout the turbulent times of Croatian history, nurturing all the aforementioned values,” the minister said.

(Photo credit: MVEP)

During the visit, the minister also met with the Apostolic Nuncio in Peru, Monsignor Paolo Rocco Gualtieri.

Argentina

Minister Grlić Radman met with representatives of the Argentine-Croatian Chamber of Commerce (CACIC) and stressed how “the experience and knowledge possessed by this chamber can be very significant for our future definition of situations related to strengthening the demographic landscape in the Republic of Croatia.”

“I primarily refer to the great potential of various professions among Croatian emigrants and their descendants who show a desire to settle in the homeland of their ancestors, and precisely there, the chamber can assist us with its database on the number of Croatian emigrants,” added Minister Grlić Radman.

He highlighted that 250-300 thousand people of Croatian descent live in Argentina, many of whom have professions that “are primarily of interest to the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the Croatian Employers’ Association, and the Hospitality Association.”

(Photo credit: MVEP)

He also handed over 100 decisions on the acquisition of Croatian citizenship to Croats in Argentina.

Although they belong to the second and third generations of Croatian emigrants, they still “feel their Croatian heritage and Croatia as their homeland,” said Minister Grlić Radman.

Chile 

At an event at the Croatian club “Estadio Croata,” in Chile, the minister stated that 2.4 percent, or more than 400,000 inhabitants of Chile, are of Croatian origin, including the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, whose roots trace back to the island of Ugljan.

(Photo credit: MVEP)

He handed over decisions on the acquisition of Croatian citizenship to Croatians in Santiago on Monday and emphasised the significant contribution of Croats and their descendants to this South American country.