Brazilian President asserts EU cannot coerce Mercosur into trade agreement

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, stated that the European Union (EU) should not pressure the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) into signing a trade agreement.

He voiced this opinion ahead of his discussions with Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, on this topic.

President Lula is scheduled to participate in a public event in Paris, addressing environmental concerns alongside various political leaders and artists.

This meeting follows the French parliament’s decision in mid-June to withhold ratification of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement over environmental issues.

The EU and Mercosur reached a trade agreement in 2019 following two decades of negotiations.

However, several countries hesitated to ratify the agreement until the administration of then-President Jair Bolsonaro committed to implementing several environmental safeguards, particularly those concerning deforestation.

President Lula announced his plans to discuss the Ukraine crisis with Pope Francis in other developments.

The Brazilian President used Twitter to express his desire to discuss global warfare and inequality during his visit to the Vatican.

“I sought an audience with the Pope to discuss issues of war and global inequality,” he tweeted.

He recalled prior conversations with the Pope about combating world hunger, asserting the need for a global consciousness that vehemently opposes it.

In the interview, he lauded Pope Francis as the pontiff most dedicated to the world’s impoverished people.

For the full picture, see our Mercosur EU Trade Deal: Complete Guide.

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