In a virtual meeting, Mercosur foreign ministers urged the United States to give more attention to the bloc

The four foreign ministers of Mercosur member countries, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, participated this Friday in a virtual conference organized by the think tank American Atlantic Council, from Washington, some coincidences of which have emerged on the functioning of the regional trade bloc but also some of the differences which generate tensions within it. Too the United States was urged to “pay more attention” to Mercosur, given China’s growing commercial presence in South America.

Argentine Foreign Minister Felipe Solá insisted on the need to make progress “with all” those who make up the common market, while his peers, the Brazilian Ernesto Araújo, the Uruguayan Francisco Bustillo and the Paraguayan Euclídes Acevedo, demonstrated more open-mindedness. position in other markets around the world.

The meeting has been called “International trade and Mercosur on the occasion of its 30th anniversary”, a few days before, on March 26, the three decades of its creation were completed.

It was an unbeatable opportunity for the Mercosur countries to exhibit his claims to the government of Democrat Joe Biden, who is serving his first days in power as President of the United States. The Atlantic Council is very close to the Democrats and it provides an ideal platform for informal diplomacy, like the one that took place on Friday.

Solá underlined “the will to integrate” of the member countries of the Union and the need to “ensure that the voice of the region is heard on the issues that interest us and in which we are relevant”. And added that “South America cannot continue to receive recipes and priorities formulated outside the region. She is long overdue to have her own creations. This is not an ideological confrontation or a messianic reaffirmation of independence. It is about playing a positive and proactive role and ensuring that the voice of the region is heard on the issues that interest us and in which we are relevant ”.

The Argentine Foreign Minister, who spoke from the hotel where he was staying in Bolivia where he was on an official visit, also argued that “no food security program should be without the opinion of the biggest suppliers of food products to the world “and that” Mercosur should be the basis for this voice to be heard in various forums such as the G20, the WTO or the FAO. “He was accompanied by the secretary for international economic relations , Jorge Neme and the Chief of Staff of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guillermo Justo Chaves.

Referring to the present and future challenges, the Minister underlined that “The relationship with China presents the risk for the region of returning to a system of exchange of primary products against industrialized products: we know this situation and we believe that it should not be the future of Mercosur ”.

“Despite pressure from the anti-integration lobby, Mercosur has never given up on joint negotiations. We can move forward and resume internal discussions on asymmetries and profit distribution, prioritize countries in America and the South and make our voices heard in the emerging debates of the new trade agenda ”, he maintained.

On the other hand, he pointed out that “Negotiations with the European Union this gives us a basis on which to continue moving forward on the external trade agenda ”. In addition, he manifested himself in favor of an increase in the number of partners of the bloc, and said that for Argentina, which currently holds the bloc’s pro tempore presidency for six months, “it would be handy whenever other South American countries wanted to be there.” Our country promotes Bolivia, which is an associated state, as a full member of the bloc.

The Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Araújo, devoted a long part of his participation to take a stand on Venezuela, that she was suspended from the bloc for not respecting the democratic premise. “We see the importance of democracy in our integration project. Something that cannot be ignored. There is a fifth member who is absent today, four years after being suspended for breach of contract and who has not yet returned to the group, ”he said.

“Venezuela is an important sister nation. As soon as the Venezuelan brothers save their country, they can return to Mercosur. Brazil hopes that Mercosur can be a part of incorporating free Venezuela into the world “Araújo insisted. “The suspension of Venezuela for breach of contract shows that Mercosur takes democracy very seriously. The question of Venezuela is of different ideological approaches, but that is not the case here. Democracy is not an ideology, the fight for human dignity in the face of organized crime is not something ideological ”, completed. He also criticized former Brazilian President Lula Da Silva.

In turn, the Uruguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Bustillo underlined the role of the “founding fathers” of Mercosur and praised Carlos Menem, Fernández Color de Mello, Andrés Rodríguez and Luis Lacalle Herrera. “We must not forget that the European Union started in the post-war period from the perspective of the vision of its founders. Mercosur is no exception. At that time, there was a deep convergence between these four heads of state and their desire for integration ”.

The Uruguayan made a strong appeal to the United States: “The economic effects it has generated are far greater than the pandemic itself. When you wonder what the United States can do for Mercosur, he listens to us because it seems that the only one listening to us now is China. We are a region very rich in food, in agriculture. It is time for the United States to start listening to us. “

“It is time for the United States to warn that there is a bloc committed to the West and that we share the same values, the same politics and the same culture. May the United States realize this, be concerned and come closer to our region ”, warned the Uruguayan diplomat.

Acevedo, the Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed his dismay at the cost to his country to obtain vaccines to fight the coronavirus pandemic. And he also expressed his concern over the situation in the Triple Frontier, which is a critical point for all members of the bloc. “It’s kind of a holding company for organized crime”, he stated. And he added that “we must eradicate organized crime for good” from this place and that “this requires a strategic security link between the countries of Mercosur and Europol, the DEA” and contributions from the United States. and the whole world “because it is not only drug trafficking but also terrorism at rest”.

Solá called the pandemic “an unprecedented global health crisis in human history, in which Mercosur has tried to help itself, although the central issue has become the vaccine.” And he stressed that “a huge need has arisen to cooperate; It helped, but it was not enough. It may be an opportunity. We cannot wait for the optimal conditions to do what needs to be done. The worst position is the one that waits ”.

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