The president-elect of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, said this Friday (28th) in an interview with CNN that Mercosur is the answer and not the problem regarding the agreement with the European Union (EU) and actions against climate change.
The EU and Mercosur concluded negotiations in 2019, but the deal is on hold due to concerns over Amazon deforestation and Brazil’s commitment to action on climate change.
“We have to be very realistic that we have to defend a development model for the Mercosur countries. Because today the whole world talks about the fight against climate change. We also talk about and want to fight. However, today we are the answer, we are not the problem”, said Peña.
“The problem is not in Mercosur, the problem is in the more developed and industrialized countries. So, I think Brazil’s position is the same as Paraguay’s: not to reopen negotiations. We have to move forward. If we do not win the agreement in the coming months, we have to move to other agreements”, he continued.
For Peña, the temporary presidency of Brazil in Mercosur could be a great opportunity for South American countries to advance in an agenda of more integration.
“But I don’t believe we have an option outside Mercosur. We do not have. Mercosur is our platform. And the reality today around the world is that agreements are always block by block. Paraguay is a small country, Paraguay depends on the foreign market, and our relationship within Mercosur is essential for this greater development. The same goes for negotiating with the European Union, which is over 20 years old,” he explained.
The Paraguayan leader explains that his country tried to move forward in negotiations with the European Union in 2016, but it was not possible to proceed. In his opinion, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), “has the political capacity and an ambition of global leadership to move forward in this process”.
After the Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and the European Union that took place last week, the Brazilian Chief Executive declared that he will send a counter-proposal for the agreement in the next two or three weeks.
According to Lula, Brazil prepared a response that is now being discussed by the South American bloc.
“In two or three weeks, we will deliver the definitive proposal to the European Union,” Lula said on July 19, adding that he believes the EU will “easily” agree to the new text.
See also: President of Paraguay calls for “coherence” on Venezuela
Source: CNN Brasil
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