Nicolas Maduro with Luis Inacio Lula da Silva Author: PL
BRAZIL, 29 May. — Ten South American presidents and Brazilian Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva meet here on Tuesday, convened by the host country president, as observers comment on the possible reactivation of the South American Union of Nations (Unasur) after the departure of several right-wing governments that have weakened it.
Expectations for a resurgence of the bloc, founded in 2008 and currently composed only of members from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela, were revealed after Lula and his Argentine counterpart Alberto Fernandez united their countries and expressed their desire to strengthen this integration arc.
Before Tuesday’s meeting, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira clarified that it would not be an Unasura summit, Telesur reported, while other diplomatic sources specified that one of the aims of the meeting was to restart high-level dialogue on the South. America as a space of peace and cooperation.
The summit aims to encourage frank dialogue to identify common approaches and discuss prospects for exchange in areas such as health, climate change and defense, as well as fighting organized crime, infrastructure and energy.
The meeting is expected to have two sessions, ending with an initial statement and consisting of an “informal” dialogue between the leaders.
In addition to Fernandez, before the heads of state of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela confirmed their presence the day before, noted the multinationals in the news and announced that the only absence among the presidents of South America will be the President of Peru, since Dina Boluarte will not be able to attend the meeting due to internal legal obstacles, so Alberto Otarola, President of the Council of Ministers, will take her place. French Guiana does not participate as it is a French overseas territory.
The meeting was preceded by a state visit by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro the day before, during which he held talks with Lula and expected to sign various agreements, after which the Bolivarian president will attend the summit this Tuesday.
Maduro’s visit to Brazil is the first visit since the virtual severance of relations between his country and Brazil during the rule of former President Jair Bolsonaro and represents a kind of “seal” of the full restoration of diplomatic relations, which will be tested in a wider relationship and firm.
At a press conference after the first meeting between them, Lula recalled the ties that existed between the two countries before Jair Bolsonaro came to power, as well as the collapse of economic and commercial relations that they had during the rule of the far-right politician. .
The Brazilian president also called for Venezuela to join the BRICS, a group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, to which 19 countries have said they will apply to join.
Lula also expressed his confidence that both countries will restore their trade relations, while strengthening their cultural, scientific and educational ties, as well as strengthening military security on the border.
Maduro spoke in the same sense when he said that a new era is now opening in relations between Venezuela and Brazil.
Maduro pointed out that the extremist model was applied to Venezuela according to right-wing ideology and continues to be applied. From the Brazilian side, all doors and windows were closed and an invasion was attempted, recognizing a non-existent government, he added.
The President of Venezuela also confirmed that his country is ready to accept investments and business from Brazilian businessmen.
As for the BRICS, Maduro noted that Venezuela’s intention to become part of this entity is consistent with the goal of participating in the construction of a new international economic policy.
“The new geopolitics is characterized by two elements: the unity of our America in diversity and the role of the BRICS, which is becoming a great magnet for countries that want cooperation,” he said.
Source: Juventud Rebelde
