On June 30, the 68th Summit of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) opened in Luque, Paraguay, amidst a backdrop of member countries simultaneously promoting economic integration and facing challenges related to natural disasters and regional security.
According to the VNA correspondent in South America, at the opening of the conference, the heads of state of Mercosur member countries observed a minute of silence to commemorate the victims who died in the double earthquake that struck Venezuela last week, and pledged to coordinate the deployment of humanitarian aid activities for the country.
In his opening remarks, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, whose country is about to hand over the rotating Mercosur presidency to Uruguay, emphasized the need to ensure fairness among members when implementing the Mercosur-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed in January and still awaiting full ratification by EU countries.
Mr. Peña argued that the allocation of preferential export quotas to the EU market is creating inequalities, putting Paraguay at a significant disadvantage. According to him, if Mercosur wants to build credibility internationally, it must first ensure fairness within the bloc.
Besides trade, the leaders also reaffirmed their support for the Bolivian government in the face of the country's ongoing political and economic instability.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz thanked the member states for their solidarity and said the country is still facing many pressures on its institutional order.
In his speech, Chilean President José Antonio Kast, a guest at the conference, called on South American countries to strengthen cooperation against transnational crime, while warning that the region is facing a “silent earthquake” in the form of organized crime, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, and illegal mining.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa also stated that the fight against drug cartels cannot be solved by any single country alone, requiring close cooperation among countries in the region.
Established in 1991, Mercosur currently comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. This conference is also expected to approve the launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Japan, further expanding the bloc's network of economic partners.
Argentine President Javier Milei canceled his attendance at the last minute due to the domestic political situation after the Chief of Staff resigned amid allegations of illicit enrichment.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/mercosur-thuc-day-hoi-nhap-nam-my-post1121479.vnp
