Brazilian president demands European decision on trade agreement and defends regional pact against organized crime and feminicide at meeting in Foz do Iguaçu
President Luiz Inácio da Silva, held in Foz do Iguaçu (PR). In his speech, which marked the end of the bloc’s temporary presidency, Lula criticized the lack of decision on the trade agreement, condemned possible military interventions in South America and proposed greater integration of security forces to combat transnational organized crime.
Check out the full speech below:
It is a joy to welcome the MERCOSUR Heads of State to Foz do Iguaçu.
Our bloc welcomes President Rodrigo Paz, of Bolivia, in the person of Chancellor Fernando Aramayo.
It also welcomes once again President José Raúl Mulino, from Panama, our newest associated state.
This city is special.
It was here that, 40 years ago, presidents José Sarney and Raúl Alfonsín inaugurated two bridges.
The first was the Fraternidade Bridge, which connects Foz do Iguaçu to Puerto Iguazu.
The second was the Declaration of Iguaçu, which laid the foundations for the creation of MERCOSUR.
In a world where building walls seems easier than building bridges, this example deserves to be remembered.
Yesterday I inaugurated the Integration Bridge, which connects Foz do Iguaçu to Presidente Franco, in Paraguay.
I hope this new bridge becomes another symbol of our determination to walk together.
My friends and my friends,
Building a prosperous and peaceful South America is the only doctrine that suits us.
There are those who argue that advancing integration is giving up sovereignty.
But the real threats to our sovereignty are of a different nature.
They present themselves today in the form of war, anti-democratic forces and organized crime.
More than four decades after the Falklands War, the South American continent is once again haunted by the military presence of an extra-regional power.
The limits of international law are being tested.
An armed intervention in Venezuela would be a humanitarian catastrophe for the hemisphere and a dangerous precedent for the world.
The strength of democratic regimes has also been put to the test.
Brazilian democracy survived the harshest attack it has suffered since the end of the dictatorship.
Those responsible for the attempted coup on January 8, 2023 were investigated, tried and convicted according to due legal process.
For the first time in its history, Brazil came to terms with the past.
Weakening institutions means opening space for organized crime.
Public security is a citizen’s right and a duty of the State, regardless of ideology.
MERCOSUR has demonstrated its willingness to confront criminal networks jointly.
More than a decade ago, we created a body of authorities specializing in drug policy.
This semester, we signed an agreement against human trafficking.
We created a commission to implement a common strategy against transnational organized crime.
We established a specialized working group on asset recovery, in order to stifle sources of financing for illicit activities.
We agree that the internet is not a lawless territory and we have adopted measures to protect children and adolescents and personal data in digital environments.
Freedom is the first victim of a world without rules.
But this is a fight that goes beyond MERCOSUR.
There is currently no South American-wide body dedicated to this problem in operation.
Therefore, in consultation with Uruguay, Brazil intends to propose the convening of a meeting of ministers of Justice and Public Security of the Brasília Consensus to discuss how to strengthen South American cooperation in combating organized crime.
Latin America also holds the sad record of being the deadliest region in the world for women.
According to CEPAL, 11 Latin American women are murdered every day.
Yesterday, I sent an agreement to the National Congress for ratification that will allow women benefiting from protective measures in one country in the bloc to have the same protection in other countries.
I would like to propose to Paraguay, which today assumes the presidency of the bloc, that we work to create a major MERCOSUR pact to end feminicide and violence against women.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since our last Summit, the foundations of international trade have been seriously shaken.
Despite the difficulties, the bloc’s trade flow with external partners grew.
When doors close elsewhere, the world looks to MERCOSUR.
In the first ten months of 2025 alone, the bloc’s external trade flow exceeded 630 billion dollars.
Diversifying partnerships is key to the resilience of our economies.
After 26 years of negotiations, we hoped to finally sign the association agreement with the European Union.
Since 2023, we have worked to ensure that the agreement contributes to the economic development of MERCOSUR, without affecting industrial policies and incentives for innovation and without harming sensitive sectors.
We accept the adoption of quotas on agricultural products and the establishment of a safeguards mechanism, protecting our right to reciprocity.
We reached an understanding that was beneficial to both sides.
We had, in our hands, the opportunity to convey an important message to the world in defense of multilateralism and to strengthen our strategic position in an increasingly competitive global scenario.
But, unfortunately, Europe has not yet made up its mind.
European leaders called for more time to discuss additional agricultural protection measures.
Yesterday, I received a letter from the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council in which they both expressed their expectation of seeing the agreement approved in January.
Without political will and courage from leaders, it will not be possible to conclude a negotiation that has been going on for 26 years.
Meanwhile, MERCOSUR will continue working with other partners.
In September, we signed an agreement with the European Free Trade Association, EFTA, a group of countries that have a GDP of almost one and a half trillion dollars.
This semester, we started the discussion on expanding the agreement with India.
We resumed negotiations with Canada and advanced in negotiations with the United Arab Emirates.
We adopted frameworks to negotiate a strategic partnership with Japan and a tariff preference agreement with Vietnam.
In the region, we hope to make rapid progress in negotiating an agreement with Panama.
We also need to update agreements with other South American countries, such as Colombia and Ecuador.
Intraregional trade in South America is far below its potential.
It corresponds to just 15% of the trade flow, while in Asia and Europe it is around 60%.
The inclusion of the sugar and alcohol and automotive sectors in MERCOSUR rules can contribute to changing this situation.
South America can be at the forefront of the energy transition.
We have important reserves of critical minerals, vast water, solar and wind potential, in addition to consolidated experience in the area of biofuels.
The block brings together unique conditions for the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel: we have competitive agricultural capacity, evolving regulatory frameworks and a market adapted to ethanol and biodiesel.
It is essential to advance regulatory convergence through the creation of a Common MERCOSUR Nomenclature for the SAF.
This semester, we reactivated the Working Group on Mining and Geology, with the aim of taking advantage of the historic opportunity that strategic minerals represent for our region.
Promoting more sophisticated regional value chains is essential to prevent our countries from being reduced once again to the status of mere mineral exporters.
The interconnection of our gas and electricity networks is crucial for MERCOSUR’s energy security.
It will increase our resilience in the face of climate crises and external economic shocks.
Brazil is advancing at an accelerated pace in implementing its South American Integration Routes program.
We remain committed to working with all neighboring countries to connect our continent from North to South, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Infrastructure integration has no ideology.
There are dozens of works to improve highways, waterways, railways, ports and airports, as well as infoways and transmission lines, with the potential to double intra-regional trade in a few years.
We remain committed to a MERCOSUR that reduces asymmetries between our economies.
Therefore, we began discussions to renew the MERCOSUR Structural Convergence Fund, in the form of FOCEM II.
Brazil is aware of the need to increase contributions to FOCEM, especially after Bolivia’s entry, and remains committed to the initiative.
Regional integration will only become concrete if it has an impact on people’s lives.
We proposed the creation of a South American Guarantee Fund, with initial capital of 500 million dollars, to offer productive credit to small entrepreneurs, especially women.
This semester, we also held the MERCOSUR Social Summit in virtual format, recovering the tradition of social participation in the bloc.
We have the task of resuming in-person Summits pending.
Criticism and suggestions from civil society are essential inputs that move us forward.
Friends and friends,
The year 2025 brings a sad memory for the Southern Cone.
Fifty years ago the infamous “Operation Condor” was launched.
This terrible episode in our history taught us a valuable lesson.
If dictatorial regimes have worked together to persecute their citizens, it is up to democratically elected governments to work together to guarantee a better life for everyone, based on the promotion and protection of human rights.
Even though some may be nostalgic for former dictators, we must insist on moving forward, never backwards.
I want to thank all MERCOSUR partners for having collaborated with the Brazilian presidency to write another chapter in our common history.
Thank you very much.
