Brazil’s plans to strengthen and expand Mercosur trade bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, are facing growing divisions among its members amid an economic crisis in Argentina.
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, took over the presidency of Mercosur and promised to limit dissent in the bloc.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he would work to bring Bolivia into the bloc and conclude a long-awaited free trade agreement with the European Union.
Earlier, Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Poe complained about Mercosur’s inability to strike trade deals with other markets, especially the European Union, while blocking his country’s plan to sign a bilateral agreement with China.
Among the main complaints expressed by Uruguay is access to the Argentine consumer market.
Uruguay’s main source of revenue comes from exports of soybeans, beef, dairy products, and other agricultural products.
