International
President Lula proposes to advance the integration of South America
May 30 |
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, opened the summit of South American leaders on Tuesday with a speech in which he stressed the importance of regional integration for “strengthening unity”.
“I have the firm conviction that we need to reinforce our commitment to the region”, assured Lula, who considered that “the integration of South America depends on the feeling of remaining part of the same community”.
The Brazilian leader said that the elements that unite the region “are above ideologies”. “No country can face the current threats in isolation,” he warned.
The Brazilian president called for overcoming ideological differences that affect the will for integration, when inaugurating in this capital the summit of leaders of South American countries.
“In the region, we let ideologies divide us and interrupt the integration effort. We abandoned channels of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms and, with that, we all lost, Lula declared before 11 leaders gathered behind closed doors at the Itamaraty Palace, headquarters of the foreign ministry in Brasilia.
Lula mentioned the “deep marks” left by the coronavirus pandemic and the danger of hate speech on social networks.
“From Patagonia and Atacama to the Amazon, from the Cerrado and from the Andes to the Caribbean, we are a vast continent bathed by two oceans. We are a human, historical and cultural, economic and commercial entity, with common needs and hopes,” he said.
Lula highlighted his country’s willingness to resume regional integration instruments, such as the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).
“South America has before it, once again, the opportunity to walk the path of union. And I do not need to start from scratch,” he said.
The host president also suggested a series of proposals for the development of South America, such as investments in infrastructure and development projects, in the fight against climate change, in vaccination coverage, in the constitution of an energy market, in academic mobility programs, and in the area of defense.
Lula proposed the creation of a “high level group”, formed by representatives of the presidents, to prepare within 120 days a new “road map for the integration of South America”.
He highlighted some of the points to be discussed with the South American presidents: – 1) – To place economic reserves at the service of regional development. 2) – To deepen the regional economic identity in order to reduce dependence on foreign currencies. 3) – To expand cooperation in services, investments, electronic products. 4) – To update the plan of the South American Council of Infrastructure. 5).- To develop actions against climate change. 6) – Reactivate the South American Institute of Government in Health (ISAGS/Unasur).
International
Putin calls U.S.-Russia summit a “mistake” without guaranteed results
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Wednesday that holding a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump would be a “mistake” without certainty of concrete results, following the cancellation of the planned meeting in Budapest.
“Without a doubt, such a meeting must be well-prepared. For me and the U.S. president, it would be a mistake to treat it lightly and come out of that meeting without the expected outcome,” Putin told local media from the Kremlin.
The Russian leader said the initiative for the summit came from the U.S. side and that he had accepted the proposal. “In our last phone conversation, both the meeting and its location were proposed by the U.S. side. I agreed,” he said.
Putin added that Moscow continues to support dialogue, even in the current context. However, he admitted uncertainty about whether a meeting with Trump could take place later. “Now I see that, in his statement, the U.S. president has decided to cancel or postpone the meeting. Most likely, it is a postponement, since dialogue is always better than confrontation, disputes, or especially war,” he emphasized.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reaffirmed that Moscow does not consider a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine that does not meet its original demands. “We see no alternative other than achieving the objectives of the special military operation,” Zakharova stated.
Among the conditions Russia has set for resuming dialogue with Washington and other international actors are: ensuring Ukraine’s neutral and non-aligned status, its demilitarization, the removal of elements considered “Nazis,” full respect for the rights of Russian-speaking populations, and unrestricted operation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
International
Colombia ready to replace suspended U.S. support, President Petro asserts
Colombian President Gustavo Petro downplayed on Thursday the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend all economic aid to the country, asserting that the measure “changes nothing” structurally, although he acknowledged potential effects on military resources.
“What happens if they take away our aid? In my opinion, nothing (…) I have never seen a single dollar of aid in Colombia’s budget,” Petro said during a press conference at the Casa de Nariño, a day after Trump publicly announced the suspension of all payments and subsidies to Colombia.
The Colombian leader explained that U.S. funds are not allocated directly to the government but rather to organizations linked to the now-defunct USAID. “U.S. aid is not for the government; it is for the NGOs managed by USAID, that is, for themselves,” he argued.
Petro also questioned the effectiveness of this cooperation, stating that Washington’s decades-long anti-drug strategy has failed by focusing on forced eradication of illicit crops, which, according to him, has perpetuated violence in Colombia. “They have condemned us to violence,” he asserted.
Although he acknowledged that the suspension could create difficulties in the military sector—such as the withdrawal of combat helicopters and limitations in arms supply—he assured that his government is prepared to replace that support with the national budget. “Colombia buys its own weapons,” he emphasized.
International
Cristina Fernández calls Argentina’s legislative elections “decisive” to stop Milei
Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández (2007–2015) described this Thursday as “decisive” the legislative elections taking place this Sunday in Argentina, urging voters to support Peronism as a way to put a “brake” on Javier Milei’s government.
“The brake on Milei starts this Sunday, but the work continues the next day to think about how to get Argentina out of the disaster this government will leave. This October 26 is Milei and permanent austerity, or Argentina, our common home,” Fernández said in a recorded message from her Buenos Aires residence, where she is serving a six-year prison sentence for irregularities in the awarding of road construction contracts during her presidency.
Fernández emphasized that the elections are not only about choosing deputies and senators but also represent “a great democratic opportunity” to “set limits on Milei’s mismanagement.”
“The libertarian experiment has failed, and everyone knows it. People cannot make ends meet, they have to go into debt to pay for electricity, buy food, or medicine,” she added.
The former president also criticized the government for changing the voting system “without proper training, putting transparency at risk,” referring to the introduction of the Single Paper Ballot, which lists all candidates, offices, and political parties on a single sheet.
Putin calls U.S.-Russia summit a “mistake” without guaranteed results
Colombia ready to replace suspended U.S. support, President Petro asserts
Cristina Fernández calls Argentina’s legislative elections “decisive” to stop Milei
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