Jair Bolsonaro has supported Argentina’s negotiations with the IMF and will meet with Fernández

Jair Bolsonaro confirmed tonight that will hold a bilateral meeting with President Alberto Fernández in Buenos Aires on March 26, when he arrives in the country to participate in the celebrations of 30 years of Mercosur.

The Brazilian spoke for the first time during his trip to the country – which he described as “dear Argentina” -, the first official visit since assuming the presidency of Brazil on January 1, 2019.

“This will be the first time that we are going to speak with the Argentine president … of course if he wants and I want … a reserved conversation, the two of us in a corner, and publicly we are going to discuss the economic problems of our countries, ”Bolsonaro said, during his regular Facebook post on Thursday.

In addition to confirming the “private” meeting with Fernández – the first in person – the right sent a signal of support to the country by assuring that it “has strength” so that the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund are crowned with success.

“We all know that Covid-19 has caused economic hardship around the world. We are pushing for Argentina to succeed in negotiations with the IMF, because Argentina’s financial situation is quite complicated, ”Bolsonaro said.

The Brazilian president considered that the Argentine economic situation is “interesting for all of South America, and Brazil, (is) one of the main players”.

The four leaders of Mercosur member countries – in addition to their foreign ministers – will be in Buenos Aires on March 26. Fernández and Bolsonaro will be added Luis Lacalle Pou (Uruguay) and Mario Abdo Benitez (Paraguay). Argentina – currently in charge of the pro tempore presidency of the regional bloc – is at the forefront of organizing events commemorating the 30th anniversary of Mercosur.

The anniversary of the creation of Mercosur was designated months ago as the occasion of the first personal meeting – they had a virtual meeting in December – between Bolsonaro and Fernández, a relationship marked by short circuits and crimes personal since the Frente de Todos electoral campaign in 2019.

“Notice”, got enthusiastic while talking to THE NATION a source close to the Argentine Ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Scioli, minutes after confirming the meeting until a long time ago. The Brasilia Embassy has been working for months to rebuild the link. The visit to the country of Admiral Flavio Viana Rocha, a man of extreme confidence of Bolsonaro, at the end of January had meant a turning point in the relationship by bringing the positions closer and paving the way for the meeting of the 26.

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