Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will not attend the signing of the historic EU-Mercosur trade agreement, scheduled for Saturday, January 17, in Asunción, Paraguay. Despite Lula being the main promoter of the deal, his absence stems from scheduling conflicts due to late invitations. Other leaders, including Santiago Peña, Yamandú Orsi, and possibly Javier Milei, will participate.
The signing of the trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur will take place on Saturday, January 17, in Asunción, Paraguay, but without Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. An official source told AFP that Lula's decision is due to the event initially being organized at the ministerial level, with Paraguay sending invitations to presidents at the last minute, causing scheduling issues.
Lula was the main promoter of this deal, which aims to create one of the world's largest free trade areas by eliminating tariffs on over 90% of bilateral trade. This will benefit European exports of machinery, cars, wines, and beverages, while facilitating South American sugar, meat, honey, rice, and soy entry into Europe. Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin emphasized in an interview: “It was he who did all the work. His leadership and perseverance were fundamental for an agreement that has been worked on for 25 years but never came out.”
The ceremony will include Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, Uruguayan Yamandú Orsi, and Argentine Javier Milei is expected to attend. Ahead of the event, Lula will meet on Friday in Rio de Janeiro with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.
The agreement has sparked controversy: European farmers protest the potential flooding of markets with cheaper South American products, with demonstrations in Ireland, France, Poland, and Belgium. Together, the EU and Mercosur account for 30% of global GDP and over 700 million consumers.
Experts like Luciana Ghiotto, PhD in Social Sciences from UBA, explain that for Brazil it is “essential to show there is a third way without tying to the United States or China,” in a geopolitical context of the world's longest negotiations and urgency due to Donald Trump's potential tariffs. Alejandro Frenkel, political scientist from UNSAM, adds that for the EU it reinforces autonomy and for Mercosur it demonstrates progress amid internal crises.