Temer calls for stronger participation of Mercosur in global economy
President Michel Temer said that Mercosur needs to make further strides towards an active role in the global economy. He expressed his support for the advancement of talks for a free-trade deal between Mercosur and the European Union (EU) during a speech directed at South American heads of state delivered today (Jun. 18) in Asuncíon, Paraguay.
“As for external negotiations, our choice is unequivocal—more and better opening. Instead of confining us to ourselves, we work together to bring our countries into the global economy. Our strategy is crucial to ensure the competitiveness of our products, employment generation, and income to our people,” he said.
Temer went on to stress the significant progress made in talks in recent times. Before the Brazilian president, Uruguay’s Tabaré Vázquez said he was discouraged by the tardiness in forging a deal.
Alliance
“We must not dismiss the idea of an alliance with Mercosur, because, in the premise I raised—according to which our work must lead more and more to a further opening to the world—shutting this door now would mean obstructing the path of negotiations, which has proved relatively successful,” Michel Temer said.
The president also expressed his support for closer ties between Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico). In Temer’s view, “more dialog, more free trade, and more investment” are among the keywords for Mercosur.
Mercosur is formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, in addition to Venezuela, suspended from the bloc since 2016. At today’s meeting, the bloc’s pro tempore presidency will be handed over to Uruguay.
Venezuela
Temer made remarks on the situation facing Venezuela, and said that Brazil is still on the watch for the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the neighboring country.
“We’ve spared no efforts to bring the physical and legal conditions that enable those escaping a humanitarian crisis to receive a friendly shelter.”
Security
The international dimensions of organized crime and the concern over public security were named by Temer as problems affecting the countries and the people in the region.
Mercosur, he said, can help “make the difference” in tackling this “ordeal.” Organized crime goes beyond national borders and disregards values in every nation, the president stated.
