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Overview
- Lula will hold talks in Rio on Friday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa focused on the Mercosur–EU pact.
- The agreement’s formal signing is scheduled for Saturday in Asunción, and Brazil will attend at ministerial level with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.
- A day earlier, Lula and Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro welcomed European approval of the deal and highlighted its political and strategic value for multilateralism and free trade.
- Both leaders agreed to coordinate for rapid implementation so citizens in the participating countries see concrete results after more than two decades of negotiations.
- They also exchanged views on Venezuela and said preventing instability in South America is essential, following Lula’s recent outreach to regional and international leaders after reports of a U.S. operation in Caracas on January 3.