We respect Uruguay, but Mercosur must be preserved, says Amorim

The former chancellor and current special advisor to the Presidency, Celso Amorim, said this Tuesday (24.jan.2023) that Brazil will maintain the defense that Mercosur (Southern Common Market) needs to be preserved. Uruguay has expanded negotiations with China, a move seen by the other countries in the bloc as a destabilizing factor.

“Our position is the following: we value the relationship with Uruguay very much. We think the [país] it is an example of civility in many aspects within Latin America, that in many things they are very advanced. But we think that Mercosur needs to be preserved”said Amorim.

For the advisor, the discussion involves maintaining the common external tariff, a rate applied to products imported from outside the bloc. “This is not a requirement from Brazil or Argentina. It is Article 1 of the Treaty of Asunción.”, said. He also stated that it is possible to encourage greater industrial participation by Uruguayans within the context of the bloc.

The special adviser stated that the meeting that the president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) will have with his Uruguayan counterpart, Luis Lacalle Pou, on Wednesday (25.jan.2023) will be a 1st conversation between the two on the subject. Lacelle Pou is center-right and differs from positions defended by Lula in the region.

“They may have questions that they can raise because they think they are not benefiting from Mercosur, but I am not going into detail. This is a 1st conversation, a manifestation of desire”said.

Amorim accompanies Lula on his 1st international trip after taking office in his 3rd presidential term. Lula is in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he participated in a bilateral meeting with President Alberto Fernández and the 7th Summit of CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States).

Earlier, Lacalle Pou said at Celac that his government will maintain negotiations with China, despite objections from other Mercosur member countries.

“Uruguay made the decision many years ago to move forward with China. Our government met with Mercosur heads of state and explained our position”said.

AGREEMENT IS SUBJECT TO CONTROVERSY

The intention to establish a FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with China was announced by Uruguay in September 2021.

At the time, Argentine President Alberto Fernández was emphatic in his opposition to the Sino-Uruguayan agreement. He stated that this type of negotiation would depend on the approval of all Mercosur members and that whoever wanted to “abandon ship” and signing individual agreements should do so outside the bloc.

Created in 1991, Mercosur comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Venezuelans, however, are suspended from all rights and obligations inherent to the status of member state of the bloc since 2017.

BILATERAL MEETINGS

Lula held 4 bilateral meetings this Tuesday afternoon. He met with the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, the director general of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Qu Dongyu, and the first Minister of Barbados, Mia Motley.

According to Amorim, the meetings were “substantial and productive”. The meeting with the Cuban president is aimed at resuming the normalization of relations with the country and once again condemning the blockade imposed on the island by the United States for more than 60 years.

Lula and Díaz-Canel also talked about cooperation in immunizations and in the medical field, but, according to Amorim, the presidents did not even discuss the return of the Mais Médicos program.

Lula also talked about his proposals to fight hunger not only in Brazil, but in the world, with the FAO director. “A lot has been said about family farming to face the problem”said.

With the Prime Minister of Barbados, Lula discussed the development of tourism in both countries and the exploration of oil and gas in the Caribbean country by Petrobras. Amorim also said that Motley supported the candidacy of Belém do Pará to host the COP30, in 2025, but suggested that a “pre-cop”.