In Meeting with Kirchner Lula Demands Prompt Restoration of Zelaya in Honduras

[Judi Lynn]

In Meeting with Kirchner Lula Demands Prompt Restoration of Zelaya in Honduras
Written by Newsroom
Thursday, 19 November 2009

The governments and businessmen from Brazil and Argentina have to learn that both countries depend on each other and both should be interested in seeing the other side growing because the two sides will profit from this. This was the message from Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva talking alongside his Argentinean counterpart in Brasília.

President Cristina Kirchner went to Brazil for a meeting with Lula, especially to discuss bilateral trade conflicts. For Lula the way to improve relations between the two countries is not by reducing Brazilian exports to Argentina, but by increasing Argentinean exports to Brazil.

The Brazilian leader revealed that the Economy ministers of both nations from now on will be meeting every 45 days to solve the trade difficulties between the two neighbors. Protectionism is no solution, said Lula: "It only creates distortions that are hard to revert."

~snip~
In a position opposed to that of the Obama administration, Lula once again reiterated the need for the ousted president of Honduras to be returned to his post. "We demand the prompt restoration of Manuel Zelaya. Otherwise, the November 29 elections will be jeopardized and an extremely dangerous precedent would be set. This is the consensus of all Latin America and the Caribbean."

More:
http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/11442/

[EFerrari]

1. Damn. Lula delivers.

:applause:

[Judi Lynn]

2. He sure does. Hope he's going to stay close to politics after his term. n/t

[Braulio]

3. He'll deliver if Argentina stops interefering with trade

The problem is Argentina's lack of adherence to Mercosur trade agreements. Brazilian industry is much more competitive, and the Kirchner-Fernandez regime has been blocking trade. They have implemented many distortionist policies which actually hurt the Argentinian economy, and this has the Brazilians worried. This was the thrust of the meeting. I thought it was funny you mentioned the homily about Zelaya at the end. Zelaya is a political corpse, Lula is just paying him his due respects.