"There is no solo way out in South America," says Lula in Bolivia
"There is no solo way out for any country in South America. Either we get together, form a bloc, make joint decisions, and implement them, or we'll remain developing countries for another century," said President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Tuesday (Jul. 9), after meeting with Bolivian President Luis Arce in Santa Cruz de La Sierra, Bolivia's main economic and financial center.
Lula described the meeting as the start of a “new era” in Brazil-Bolivia relations and emphasized the vital need for regional integration among South American countries.
"We have signed several projects to enhance the capacity of public agents to combat human and drug trafficking and improve migration management. Additionally, we have initiated negotiations to allow Brazilians to access public healthcare in Bolivia and for Bolivians to use Brazil's public healthcare system," he added.
Lula also highlighted projects such as the establishment of a fertilizer factory along the dry border between the two countries, linking Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul state, and Porto Quijarro, as well as the construction of a binational bridge over the Mamoré River, connecting Guajará-Mirim in the Brazilian state of Rondônia with Guayaramerín in Bolivia.
Integration
Regarding integration, Luís Arce pointed out the need to advance road and rail connections between the countries to reduce distances between access points to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
"One of the keys to addressing all the challenges in our region is through the physical integration of necessary infrastructures. While we have made strides in many areas, physical integration remains underemphasized. Bolivia sits at the geographical heart of South America, bridging the Atlantic and Pacific. We play a crucial role in regional integration and aim to be part of this process," said Arce. He emphasized that the most direct access for both countries passes through Bolivian territory.
Brics and G20
Also, during his speech, Lula mentioned that he had extended an invitation to Bolivia to participate in the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November, where leaders from the world's largest economies will gather. "I made a point of inviting Bolivia to join the G20 Summit in November and to join the Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty, which will be launched under the Brazilian G20 presidency," he stated.
The Bolivian president also expressed interest in joining Brics, a bloc initially comprising Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa, which expanded this year to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Iran. Argentina, which had also joined the bloc, ended up withdrawing following a decision by the country's new president, Javier Milei.
