Despite statements by the ultra-liberal Javier Milei that he intends to take Argentina out of Mercosur if he is elected, this initial position was being calibrated during the presidential campaign and there is no “immediate risk” to the existence of the bloc, said the Brazilian ambassador in Buenos Aires , Julio Bitelli, at CNN .
“These statements evolved. At some point, candidate Javier Milei talked about leaving Mercosur. But, in more recent statements, both he and his closest circle have talked about modernizing Mercosur and changing the way it operates, but from within the bloc. If this is the spirit, Brazil shares it and I believe that all partners will agree in looking for ways to update Mercosur”, said Bitelli, in an interview this Sunday (19).
“There is no immediate risk to the existence of Mercosur. There may even be an opportunity to put some alternatives on the table that allow it to operate closer to those objectives imagined when the bloc was created.”
According to him, whoever wins the elections wins, four points have already been emphasized by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) for the future:
- respect for democracy and the choice of the Argentine people is total;
- Argentina’s centrality in Brazilian foreign policy will remain, regardless of the winner;
- personal affinities and similar worldviews matter less than relationships between states;
- Any occupant of Casa Rosada will continue to have, in Brazil, a government willing to talk and work in partnership.
See also: CNN shows polling place in Argentina
Source: CNN Brasil
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