President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reinforced this Tuesday his intention to open space for Colombia’s entry into Mercosur, and stated that the bloc also intends to extend adhesion to other countries.
Lula made the statement during a ceremony at Palácio do Planalto to sign the decree promulgating the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.
Currently, the bloc created by Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay has Bolivia as a member in the integration process, while Venezuela, which joined in 2012, was suspended for not complying with the accession protocol and, subsequently, for non-compliance with the democracy clause.
According to vice-president Geraldo Alckmin, however, the change of government in Venezuela, with the departure of Nicolás Maduro, could lead to a review of the country’s situation within Mercosur.
