The final declaration of Mercosur Leaders Summitheld this Saturday (20) in Foz do Iguaçu (PR)brings a portrait of what the meeting between South American presidents was like: unanimity on the disappointment with the European Union e disagreements over the situation in Venezuela.
The expectation was that this Summit would mark the end of 26 years of negotiations with the EU and the beginning of the largest free trade agreement ever concluded by Mercosur. THE European farmers’ lobby and consequent reservations from the leaders of the old continent to the treaty, however, they delayed signing and frustrated the South Americans.
Agreement left the scene and disagreement entered. Without the signature of Mercosur-EU, the Summit’s protagonism was left to opposition between Brazilian president Lula and Argentine Javier Milei with regards to American military movements near Venezuela.
While Lula, in the Summit’s inaugural speech, stated that an intervention would mean a “humanitarian catastrophe” and “dangerous precedent”, Milei praised Donald Trump’s “pressure” on the Caribbean and said that Nicolás Maduro casts a “dark shadow” in South America.
The first of the opposition’s results was a joint statement by leaders that did not mention Venezuela; the second, a parallel declaration, signed by the leaders of Argentina, Paraguay (Santiago Peña) and Panama (José Raúl Mulino) that calls for the “return of democracy” to the country governed by Maduro.
Mercosur-EU Agreement
In the leaders’ final statement, the presidents present expressed “disappointment with the non-signing of the agreement” — and that was what was seen throughout the Summit days in Foz do Iguaçu.
President Lula demanded “courage” from the European Union heads of state to sign the agreement; Javier Milei said that South American countries do not have “ten more years to waste on negotiations”. Paraguay, which now presides over Mercosur, stated that “there is no infinite time” for negotiations.
The relief came from a letter that President Lula received on Friday (19) from EU chiefs. The President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, Ursula Von der Leyen and António Costa, committed to signature in January 2026 on the document.
“We would like to reaffirm our firm commitment to proceed with the signing of the agreement in early January, at a time to be defined by the respective parties. We are confident that bringing this process to a rapid conclusion will highlight our shared determination”, says an excerpt from the letter.
The day’s schedule
Early in the morning, Lula received presidents and representatives of leaders who did not attend. Despite the frustration over Mercosur-EU, they were present. Also participated Mill, do Panamathe bloc’s newest Associated State.
Afterwards, leaders and representatives gathered on the banks of the Iguaçu Falls for the traditional “family photo” (see below). After that, those present went to discussions within the bloc and
