Argentina And Mercosur’s majority partner is Brazil, this is integrated Uruguay and Paraguayreturned this Tuesday to raise the discrepancies European Union (EU) It puts the ratification of the agreement signed by both blocs four years ago on hold. The meeting in Puerto Iguazú, 1,270 kilometers north of the city of Buenos Aires, only strengthened the current positions. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Alberto Fernandez transmitted to the President of the European Commission three weeks ago, Ursula von der Leyen.
“Additional Tool presented by the European Union in March of this year unacceptable“He said about Lula: Environmental Requirements to start working free trade zone. “You can’t think that a trading partner has stipulated to you, ‘If you don’t do this, I will punish you, if you don’t comply with the Paris agreement, I will.’ I will punish you.’ It turned out that the rich countries did not comply with any of the agreements,” he said. Kyoto, Paris and Rio de Janeiro protocols. “We are not interested in agreements that doom us to this. The eternal role of exporters of raw materials, minerals and oil. Let’s sit down and get over our differences and see what’s good for Europeans, Latin Americans, Mercosur and Brazil.”
EU and Mercosur start negotiations 1999. Twenty years later, presidents Mauricio Macri and Jair BolsonaroA final agreement has been reached, which must be reaffirmed by both parties. The presence of the far right in Brazil marked a new moment in relations. Discussions resumed amid the pandemic, with new demands from both negotiating parties. In this context, the EU called for the export of raw materials with environmental problems to be recognized as a sanctioned violation. “There is no way it could be an additional letter threatening a strategic partner.Lula said this when she visited Paris at the end of March.
The Brazilian president announced that he will speak by phone this Wednesday. Pedro Sanchezcurrently holds the rotating presidency of EI. “I will talk to him because he believes it is important to continue the conversation and help Spain reach this agreement,” said Lula. said.
Opponent’s offer
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira declared that within a few days Mercosur had “a opponent’s offer In order to unblock bi-zonal negotiations”. The words of the presidents of the two most important countries of the sub-regional bloc were heard as a preview of what would be discussed. next 17 July in Brussels Within the framework of the meeting between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). Europe hopes to reinvigorate its regional role at a time when China is constantly advancing.
European Union proposes raising relations with Latin America to a more political level
“Then we have a critical vision of what is agreed. a very unequal effort between the parties. That’s why Mercosur was the block that gave up the most, as the block with the lowest relative development level in the deal,” he said. “After nearly four years of virtually stalling the negotiation process due to internal political differences in Europe, new demands on environmental issues are presented, offers us a partial vision of sustainable development“.
The content of Fernández and Lula’s interventions had been predicted at the meeting held at the level of foreign ministers the previous day. “The agreement reflects an uneven effort between asymmetrical blocs and does not respond to the current international scenario. Europe is asking us for changes, but does not tell us how to implement them,” Argentina’s Santiago Cafiero said on Monday. “EU’s GDP is about 6 times bigger than Mercosur’s“. Cafiero, however, defended the need for agreement. “The deepening of the link between Mercosur and the EU is a necessary political signal in the international context of growing conflict and uncertainty.” to support the arrival of investments in “strategic sectors” such as energy, knowledge-based services, health and food.
Uruguayan opposition
Lula and Fernández’s speeches are not well received in society. Uruguay. Its president, Luis Lacalle Pou, generally argues that Mercosur has reached a stalemate and has not signed alliances with the world’s major economic and commercial powers. Lacalle specifically asked Lula to “be optimistic about the deal”. And he gave a warning to his partners. “When we see that we are not moving forward together, We will do it unilaterally”.
The Puerto Iguazú summit brought to light the political differences that existed between Argentina and Brazil on the one hand, and the two partners on the other. Venezuelan, a country removed from Mercosur. Paraguayan Mario Abdo and Lacalle Pou from Uruguay demanded that Lula and Fernández denounce the bloc’s attempt to disqualify María Corina Machado’s presidential candidacy. “A clear signal should be given to the Venezuelan people to move towards a full democracy that they do not have today,” said the Uruguayan president.