MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

French President says he discussed crisis in Venezuela and Nicaragua with Alberto Fernández

The Argentine President joked and hugged with Bolsonaro

French President Emmanuel Macron Saturday admitted on Twitter that he had spoken with his Argentine colleague Alberto Fernández about the crisis in Venezuela and Nicaragua on the sides of the G20 Summit in Rome. The issue had not been mentioned by the Argentine government.

Macron posted a message on Twitter in Spanish that “With @alferdez [Alberto Fernández] in the G20, we talk about the crises in Latin America, particularly in Venezuela and Nicaragua.“

“Another crisis was at the center of our concerns: the weather. We have to lead the way, to end fossil fuel subsidies,” Macron explained

Meanwhile, President Fernández only said about his talk with Macron that they had both reaffirmed ”the shared visions regarding climate action, the preservation of biodiversity, the defense of human rights and gender equality.”

“We share the interest in expanding the commercial and investment agenda and the links between Argentine and French companies in the renewable energy, infrastructure and automotive sectors and promoting scientific-technological cooperation,” Fernández had posted on his social media account.

“A good meeting with a good friend,” he concluded.

Fernández has long boasted he has developed a good personal rapport with Macron. But he had never met face to face with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro... Until Saturday.

They are known to belong to opposite ends of the political spectrum. On top of that, Fernández has visited former President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva while in jail. Lula is Bolsonaro's main political rival and the favorite to win next year's elections, according to most surveys.

As they ran into each other Saturday, Fernández joked Bolsonaro had not congratulated him on Argentina's beating Brazil 1-0 at the Copa America final at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracaná stadium earlier this year.

One of Bolsonaro's mottos has been that rivalry with Argentine was limited to football but beyond that both peoples were brothers. Nevertheless, he had forecast Brazil would win the final 5-0. And although the Brazilian leader had been most critical of Fernández's economic policies or comments, Saturday's encounter seemed friendlier than expected. The two presidents even laughed and hugged.

On Tuesday, Nov. 16, Argentina will host Brazil for a World Cup qualifiers in the Argentine city of San Juan.