Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, appearing alongside his Argentine counterpart Alberto Fernández, proposed on Monday (18.04.2022) to create in Latin America "a large free trade zone" to be able to negotiate with other regions of the world in a "more powerful" way.
Both presidents spoke to the press after holding a bilateral meeting at the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires, where, among other issues, they discussed the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which Argentina will chair in 2022.
"We have agreed on the CELAC, which is a multilateral organization that can serve as a platform to rebuild the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean on which we fully agree," said Lasso.
A unity that, he added, is "not necessarily" based on "unanimity of concepts or unanimity of ideas," but rather where differences are managed "in an atmosphere of dialogue" that aims at the prosperity of the people.
"In November of last year I had the opportunity to present to CELAC a somewhat practical vision in the sense that if we wanted to emulate the EU, the first step we have to take is a large free trade zone in order to have greater strength and be able to negotiate with other regions of the world in a more powerful way, all united in Latin America and the Caribbean," he stressed.
Expand Mercosur
For his part, Fernández, when asked by a journalist whether the Southern Common Market, made up of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, could consider adding other nations, was blunt: "Mercosur is a market that works. Its expansion, or including other members in the market is a definition that goes beyond me and in any case we will have to discuss it with the member countries of Mercosur."
In his speech, the Argentine president advocated for Latin American unity and assured that he shares with Lasso a common vision of what the region needs.
"I proposed that together, two presidents who do not think exactly alike, we could propose to all of Latin America and the Caribbean to begin today a program of fraternity that would allow us all to regain the full ties that, due to the dictates of the times that preceded us, were broken and ruptured and that we need to recover today," said Fernandez.
Accompanied by several of his ministers, Lasso arrived in Buenos Aires on Sunday to launch today, on his first official visit to Argentina, an intense agenda that began with the traditional floral offering at the Monument to the Liberator General José de San Martín.
Following his meeting with Fernández, Lasso will visit the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat and lead a meeting with businessmen within the framework of the “Ecuador Open for Business” program.
The presidential trip will continue with the official visit of the head of state to Uruguay on Tuesday, where he will hold a meeting with Lacalle Pou, which will aim to promote the exchange of experiences in risk management, natural disasters, the fight against child malnutrition, the promotion of MSMEs, transparency and the fight against corruption.
Trade and bilateral cooperation issues will also be reviewed.
With information from Efe
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