Lula Says Integration Between Brazil and Bolivia Also Seeks a Trade Route to the Pacific

247 – This Tuesday (9), in a meeting with Bolivian President Luis Arce, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that Brazil and Bolivia are entering a new phase in their bilateral relations. He emphasized that South American integration is now a vital necessity, not just empty rhetoric. "The integration of South America is no longer an exercise in rhetoric, but a matter of survival," said Lula.

Lula highlighted that one of the main goals of this integration is to ensure that both Brazil and Bolivia have access to the Pacific Ocean, which is essential for opening new markets and connecting the continent to new trade flows influenced by China. Since the War of the Pacific with Chile in the late 19th century, Bolivia lost its direct access to the Pacific. "Access to the Pacific Ocean for Brazil and Bolivia is strategic for opening new markets and integrating the continent into new trade flows," said Lula.

He stressed that this integration will not only allow Brazil to reach the Pacific but will also open the Atlantic to Bolivia. "We need to give Brazil, Bolivia, and other South American countries a chance in the 21st century to stop being treated as developing or Third World countries," emphasized Lula. He mentioned that both countries possess essential resources for the modern world, such as renewable energy sources and significant food production capacity. "We have resources that the world needs today. We need to offer the world something they don't have," he added.

The Federal Government, under Lula's leadership, is implementing the South American Integration Routes project, which aims to connect all the continent's countries to both oceans. Strengthening Mercosur is crucial for the realization of this project, as discussed at the recent Mercosur Summit in Paraguay.

During his speech, Lula also highlighted the shared history between Brazil and Bolivia, marked by coups and attempted coups, but emphasized the democratic resilience of both countries. "We have the enormous responsibility of defending democracy against attempts at regression," he said. He reaffirmed the importance of protecting democracy against any attempt at regression, mentioning the challenges faced by Brazil and Bolivia in recent years. "We cannot tolerate authoritarian whims and coups. We have the enormous responsibility of defending democracy against attempts at regression," emphasized Lula.

Energy Integration

Lula also discussed the physical and energy integration of the region, emphasizing Bolivia's importance in supplying natural gas to Brazil and the possibility of expanding this partnership. He mentioned the construction of the binational bridge over the Mamoré River and improvements in navigability in the Tamengo Channel and the Paraguay River as important steps to facilitate the connection between the countries. "The physical and energy integration of the region necessarily involves our countries. Bolivia's engagement is key to the completion of the set of routes that Brazil has called Quadrante Rondon," said Lula.

Another important point discussed was cooperation in combating organized crime and drug trafficking, as well as health, migration, and border cooperation issues. Lula highlighted the need to ensure legal security for Brazilians in Bolivia and regularize the migratory situation of Bolivians in Brazil. "I told President Arce that we already have excellent cooperation within the framework of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization and that we can also work together to combat fires in the Pantanal," he said.