President Lula admitted, this Tuesday (4), that there was resistance from Argentine president Alberto Fernández to the advancement of the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. The partnership, which has been discussed for 23 years, would create the largest free trade area in the world, but faces resistance from countries from both blocs to finally be implemented.
Lula said that on the Mercosur side, the Argentine governments have reservations about some points of the agreement, but the most serious would be the election in Argentina, with the victory of ultra-right leader Javier Milei and the defeat of Sergio Massa, a candidate supported by the current president. and Lula’s friend, Alberto Fernández.
“I don’t know if he [Fernández] doesn’t want to sign because he lost the elections and wants the other [Milei] sign it. I think he won’t take it to the other one because it seems to me that they don’t ‘peck’ each other, so I’m going there [ao Rio de Janeiro para o encontro do Mercosul] in an attempt to convince us to make the agreement”, said Lula during a meeting with businesspeople in the German capital.
Even before Lula’s speech, a government source had told CNN that Javier Milei could be more favorable to the agreement than Fernández.
The president compared the Argentines to the French when he said that both are points of resistance to the agreement in their respective blocs. “It is important to remember that we never managed to make the agreement because here in Europe you also have an Argentina”, said Lula, drawing laughter from the audience of businesspeople.
Lula said he was unable to reach an agreement with several former French presidents, such as Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande. “And now I am unable to reach an agreement with our friend Macron, unless the chancellor [Olaf Scholz] use all your charm to try to make Macron open his heart and make the deal”, he stated.
There was great expectation about the progress of the agreement in Berlin, as Germany is one of the European countries most favorable to the partnership. But at COP28 in Dubai, French President Emmanuel Macron said he was against the agreement and considered it outdated minutes after a bilateral meeting with Lula. The speech was seen as the failure of the agreement.
At the time, the Brazilian president responded to Macron’s statement by saying that if there was no agreement, patience. But after giving the impression that he was giving in, Lula changed his tone in Berlin and said that “he is Brazilian and never gives up”, so he will not give up until he talks to all the presidents and hears no from everyone.
“I can only say that there will be no signature when the Mercosur meeting ends, whether I have it or not. As long as I can believe that it is possible to make this agreement, I will fight to do it, because after 23 years, if we don’t conclude the agreement, it is because we are being unreasonable”, he said during a press conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, this Monday afternoon (4).
The Mercosur meeting takes place this week, between the 5th and 7th of December. President Lula leaves Berlin this Tuesday (5) and heads straight to Rio de Janeiro to participate in the summit.
Source: CNN Brasil
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