Macri at the top of Mercosur: Bolivarian joke for the VAR, Maduro's critics and impact of the agreement with the EU

President

Mauricio Macri

led this morning the 54th Mercosur Heads of State Summit held in the city of Santa Fe. In his speech he stressed the impact that the agreement with the

European Union,

criticized again the Venezuelan president

Nicolás Maduro

and he made a joke to the President of Brazil,

Jair Bolsonaro,

by the use of the VAR during the last

Copa America

"The agreement with the EU is the result of collective work, in which we demonstrate our vocation and our commitment at the highest level, and we must be proud to have pursued this goal. with tenacity, which will have a positive impact on the quality of people's lives. " considered at the opening of the meeting.

The president stressed that "this should be the starting point" and felt that the regional bloc should feel "proud" of having reached this agreement, which has led to a 20-year negotiation.

Macri took the opportunity to criticize the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and said: "Venezuela is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

Juan Guaidó

As the only legitimate authority in Venezuela, we demand that Maduro cease to obstruct the democratic transition and cease with the human rights violations in Venezuela. "

Finally, Macri congratulated Brazil for baduming the presidency of the bloc in the second half of the year. "They have the support of Argentina and everyone here," he said.

The Argentine President gave the floor to his Brazilian counterpart with a joke. "Now it's Jinder Bolsonaro's turn, dear friend, not to mention the VAR, because that's not what we're going to talk about," he said, referring to the controversy born during the last Copa America in Brazil.

The summit takes place at the Belgrano Station Convention Center, in the city of Santa Fe.

The meeting had three objectives: to extend trade agreements to other blocs, to urge congresses to approve as soon as possible the pact signed with the European Union and to put in place a reform of the regional bloc structure.

During the afternoon, Macri will sign with his Chilean counterpart, Sebastián Piñera, a joint declaration on energy integration, providing that operations are carried out on the condition that they do not compromise the company. 39, internal supply, do not affect the safety of the operation, nor the quality and reliability of operations. electricity transmission and distribution services in each country.

In the midst of the demonstrations

Political and social organizations organized a march to deny "the plan of adjustment and execution of the governments of Argentina and Brazil" and to express their opposition to the agreement with the European Union (EU).

Organizations such as the Partido Obrero, the Communist Party, the Socialist Workers' Movement (MST) and representatives of human rights organizations concentrated in Alberdi Park, in the center of the Santa Fe city, and marched along Avenida Rivadavia and then along Galvez Boulevard up to the adjacent Belgrano station, where the summit takes place.

Jorge Castro, of the Ecumenical Movement for Human Rights (MEDH), explained to Telam that it was "a political act of the Multisectoral for Human Rights to express our repudiation, not to Mercosur, but to governments adjustment and delivery. "