Lula criticizes EU demands for Mercosur agreement as menace
President Lula voiced his concerns about the European Union's demands to finalize an agreement with Mercosur, calling them a threat during his speech at the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris. Lula emphasized the need for fairer trade agreements.
"It is not possible that we have a strategic partnership and there is an additional letter threatening a strategic partner. How are we going to solve this?" questioned Lula, sitting next to the event's host, French President Emmanuel Macron.
The letter in question, sent to Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) interested in the free trade agreement with the EU, refers to imposing penalties on countries that fail to comply with the Paris Agreement—an international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015.
In his speech, Lula highlighted the construction of the EU as a democratic legacy of humanity. "After two world wars, you have the ability to build the European Union, build a Parliament, engage in democratic discussions even amidst divergences. That's something I want for South America."
"We aim to establish new blocs for negotiations with the EU. And pardon me, World Bank and IMF [International Monetary Fund], we need to reassess their functioning. There should be more resources, new directions, and increased participation in decision-making. It cannot be the same group of people," stated Lula.
Addressing President Macron as "Dear Comrade Macron," Lula expressed gratitude for the meeting and conveyed his determination to continue fighting for the next three years of his presidency in Brazil.
