Brazilian President Arrives in Bolivia to Meet With Luis Arce

Brazilian President Lula da Silva (C) in Bolivia, July 8, 2024. Photo: X/ @LulaOficial

July 9, 2024 Hour: 9:14 am

Previously, he participated in the Summit of Heads of State of the Southern Common Market in Paraguay.

On Monday, Brazilian President Lula da Silva arrived in Bolivia for a two-day visit to hold a meeting with President Luis Arce and business leaders of the Andean country.

The Brazilian president’s arrival in Bolivia came hours after participating in the Summit of Heads of State of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) in Asuncion, Paraguay.

Lula da Silva arrived at the presidential hangar of the Viru Viru airport in the eastern city of Santa Cruz, where he was received by Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa and other Bolivian authorities.

On Monday morning, President Arce celebrated in Asuncion the “historic milestone” of Bolivia’s incorporation as a full member of Mercosur, after enacting the law of the adhesion protocol.

He also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to act as a “hinge of integration” between Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations, regional blocs to which the Andean country belongs.

Lula hizo un llamado para fortalecer la democracia en la región luego del intento de golpe en Bolivia Enfatizó q no tiene sentido recurrir a un nacionalismo arcaico aislacionista tampoco revivir experiencias ultraliberales que solo empeoraron desigualdadeshttps://t.co/W3qQq7yxXd
— Tete Cano Radil (@CanoTete) July 9, 2024

The text reads, “Lula called to strengthen democracy in the region after the coup attempt in Bolivia. He emphasized that it makes no sense to resort to an archaic isolationist nationalism but neither does it make sense to revive ultraliberal experiences that only worsened inequalities.”

Lula da Silva’s agenda includes a meeting with the Bolivian president on Tuesday at 10:00 AM, after which they are expected to sign bilateral agreements on economic, commercial, social, and energy issues.

After that meeting, there is a scheduled gathering of the first ladies of both countries, Rosangela da Silva of Brazil and Lourdes Duran of Bolivia. Subsequently, there will be meetings between state ministers and representatives of Bolivian business leaders.

The visit of the Brazilian president will conclude on Tuesday afternoon with a joint declaration with the Bolivian president, after which both presidents will address the media.

Lula da Silva arrived in Bolivia after 15 years. The last time was in 2009 when then-President Evo Morales (2006-2019) received him in the town of Villa Tunari, in the coca-growing region of the Tropic of Cochabamba. On that occasion, Lula and Morales signed several agreements on energy and mining cooperation, as well as a loan for the construction of a road that was to pass through a nature reserve.

In his first term as president (2003-2011), Lula also visited Bolivia to sign agreements with the administrations of then-presidents Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (2002-2003) and Carlos Mesa (2003-2005).

Upon his arrival in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where he will meet with his counterpart Luis Arce, the president of #Brazil @LulaOficial classified as unforgivable the attempted coup d'état perpetrated in #Bolivia two weeks ago pic.twitter.com/158Rhndqcz
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 9, 2024