PT signed agreements on energy, tourism and combating transnational organized crime with President Rodrigo Paz in Planalto
The president (PT) received this Monday (16th March 2026) the president of Bolivia, (Christian Democratic Party, right), for an official visit to the Planalto Palace. Alongside the leader of the opposite political camp, Lula defended regional integration as a “historical necessity” and signed 3 bilateral agreements in the areas of energy, security and tourism.
Lula also stated that regional integration must be devoid of ideological bias. “Brazil and Bolivia are united in public security,” he said. “It’s not an ideological project, it’s a historical necessity.”
The PT member and Paz have already had a bilateral meeting previously, in Panama. Despite good relations with Brasília, the Bolivian maintains an active presence on right-wing agendas in Latin America.
The Bolivian president attended José Antonio Kast’s inauguration in Chile, alongside the senator (PL), pre-candidate for the Presidency of Brazil. Lula gave up going to the ceremony.
Furthermore, Paz participated in the launch of Donald Trump’s (Republican Party) campaign called “Shield of the Americas”. According to the republican, the initiative was created to “defend” the continent from external “interference” and cartels.
Threats to the electoral process have worried Planalto since the escalation of tensions between the United States and Venezuela. Now, Lula is strengthening relations with relatively new leaders in the region.
During a speech this Monday (16th March), the Brazilian president recalled that both Brazil and Bolivia faced attempts at democratic rupture — in 2023 in Brazil and in 2019 and 2024 in Bolivia. According to Lula, both countries emerged stronger.
“Only an integrated South America can represent the place it deserves in the global economy and politics,” he said. “The future of our region depends on our ability to cooperate.”
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva receives the Bolivian president, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, for an official visit to Brazil, at the Palácio do Planalto. According to the Brazilian government, the meeting focused on energy, integration and trade
Brazil and Bolivia signed 3 agreements during the visit:
- Security: cooperation for the prevention, investigation and repression of transnational organized crime, with a focus on human trafficking, money laundering, illegal mining, arms trafficking and cybercrime. The text establishes harsher penalties for these crimes in both countries;
- Energy: electrical interconnection with construction of a transmission line between the Department of Santa Cruz, in Bolivia, and the municipality of Corumbá, in Mato Grosso do Sul;
- Turismo: memorandum of understanding on promotion of the sector and professional qualification in the area.
During his speech, Lula highlighted the potential to expand cooperation in fuels. Bolivia is the largest supplier of natural gas to Brazil, but bilateral exchange fell from US$5.5 billion in 2013 to US$2.6 billion last year. “We need to act a lot to reverse this situation”said the president.
The Brazilian government also signaled support for Bolivian production of biofuels and the possible installation of a fertilizer factory.
Lula’s ministers are still following Paz this Tuesday (17th March) in São Paulo, where they are participating in a business forum.
The following took part in the ceremony this Monday (16th March):
- Andrei Rodrigues (director general of the Federal Police);
- Alexandre Silveira (Minister of Mines and Energy);
- Carlos Fávaro (Minister of Agriculture);
- Geraldo Alckmin (vice-president);
- Gisela Padovan (Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs);
- Gustavo Feliciano (Minister of Tourism);
- Jader Filho (minister of Cities);
- Magda Chambriard (president of Petrobras);
- Mauro Vieira (Minister of Foreign Affairs);
- Simone Tebet (Minister of Planning);
- and Wellington César Lima (Minister of Justice).
