Bloomberg: Brazil hopes that Alberto F will maintain the Mercosur-EU agreement

The trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur It's an international seal of approval that may be useful to the next Argentine president, according to three Brazilian government officials who are waiting for the Peronist candidate Alberto Fernandez to be pragmatic in power if imposed in the presidential elections of October.

The President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, does not hide his disdain for Fernandez and warned Wednesday against the return to power of "bandits left" in Buenos Aires, but two officials of the Ministry of Finance and a minister believe that the recent trade agreement would survive a change of government , because of its potential advantages for the Argentine economy. Fernandez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In Brazil, they fear the "protectionism" that would come with Alberto Fernández

While the candidate has publicly questioned the value of the deal and warned of the damage it could cause, Brazilian officials believe that his comments are largely campaign speeches and that the moderation will prevail when he takes office. One of the officials, unauthorized to speak publicly about the issue, said that the opposition of European lawmakers was a much greater concern.

Speaking at an event that took place on Thursday in Sao Paulo, Finance Minister Paulo Guedes said he was calm about the outcome of the elections in the country. south neighbor. "If Macri wins, it makes things a lot easier. but it depends on the Argentines, not Brazil "he stressed. "I have no worries about Argentina."

Fernández beat President Mauricio Macri by 15 points in the primaries on Sunday, which led him to become the next President of Argentina and worried those who fear the return to populist politics of his predecessor, Cristina Kirchner. .

"If we have to review the agreements that Mauricio Macri is signing for the world, we will do it," Fernandez said in a speech at the end of June. "I am not afraid to sign an agreement with the European Union, I fear an agreement that punishes us more than what they have already punished us," he said.

BC / MC