In this sense, it is no coincidence that the Bolsonaro government's agenda for Mercosur has been based on three axes: shrinking the institutional structure (above all, eliminating the instances linked to social, environmental and human rights issues), reducing or directly eliminate the Common External Tariff and prioritize external negotiations with extra-regional countries and blocs. Uruguay's position is neither a novelty nor something completely disruptive in its foreign policy. From an economic point of view, the Uruguayan political leadership has consolidated a consensus that Mercosur should serve primarily as a vehicle to facilitate access to new markets.
In any case, the differences lie in south africa phone number list whether the condition is to do it via Mercosur or if the solitary path is a viable and desirable option. "We are always going to have one leg outside of Mercosur," said former president José "Pepe" Mujica, a leader of the Uruguayan Broad Front and promoter of the Patria Grande since his days as a Tupamaro militant . Lula and the hope of a relaunch With the upcoming election in Brazil, all lights are on the possible return of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the Planalto Palace. For many, this fuels hopes of recovering the "active and haughty" foreign policy of the Workers' Party (PT) era and relaunching (once again) Mercosur.
Optimism, of course, has its foundations. In itself, it is to be expected that a government led by Lula da Silva seeks to reverse international isolation, significantly improve relations with Argentina and reactivate the "South American option", as Marco Aurelio García once said to define the axis of Brazilian policy towards the region. This could include reviving the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) or reconfiguring a new South American body, returning to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and stopping any initiative that implies further weakening Mercosur. In any case, let it bend but not break. Another point that generates expectations in the event that Lula da Silva returns to the Presidency is that of a change in the energy agenda. This is a key issue both regionally and globally.