Lula and Choquehuanca Analyze Bolivia's Entry Into MERCOSUR

On Friday, Brazilian President Lula da Silva held a meeting with Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca to analyze the Andean country's entry into MERCOSUR as a full partner.

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"We celebrate the progress of the legislative process for Bolivia's entry" to the integration bloc formed by Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, declared Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira, who accompanied Lula at that meeting.

The accession protocol for Bolivia as a MERCOSUR full member was signed in 2015 by the partners of this bloc and has already been approved by the parliaments of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

The procedure, however, was pending in Brazil, where the Lower House approved it in October and only the approval of the Senate is missing.

The text reads, "Minister Sonia Guajajara received the Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca today. They talked about the integration of Brazil into the Ibero-American Institute of Indigenous Languages and the importance of the union of Latin American countries to promote the defense of indigenous languages."

Lula seeks that the process in the Upper House be concluded before the MERCOSUR summit, which will be held on Dec. 6 and 7 in Rio de Janeiro. At this high-level meeting, Brazil will transfer the MERCOSUR's semiannual presidency to Paraguay.

The Brazilian Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that Choquehuanca was also scheduled to meet with Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, Health Minister Nisia Trindade, Indigenous Peoples Minister Sonia Guajajara, and Chief Advisor to the Presidency Celso Amorim.

Within the framework of these meetings, the Bolivian Vice President urged Brazilian authorities to strengthen integration spaces because "in these times of crisis that humanity faces, it is more necessary than ever for countries to face problems together."