Uruguay formally submitted this Thursday (1st) a request to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement that includes 11 countries from Asia, America and Oceania.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francisco Bustillo, has just formalized the request to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership in New Zealand. More opportunities for our country and our people. A Uruguay open to the world. We trust the Uruguayans and their full potential,” wrote President Luis Lacalle Pou on Twitter.
The Uruguayan head of state has displeased the other Mercosur members due to the search for partnerships outside the bloc, such as a free trade agreement being negotiated with China.
On Wednesday (30), the national coordinators of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay before the Common Market Group of Mercosur threatened to take legal action against the Uruguayans if Montevideo presented the request for adhesion to the Transpacific Partnership.
In a joint statement, the three countries informed that “they reserve the right to adopt any measures they deem necessary to defend their interests in the legal and commercial areas”.
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