Israeli President Shimon Peres begins Monday a “historic visit” to Brazil and Argentina, the first in decades to both countries for an Israeli head of state, and one of the main issues of the agenda will be the so-called “Iranian infiltration” in Latinamerica.
Brazilian diplomacy is working on a “non aggression” pact which it will propose to Colombia and other regional governments following on the military agreement signed by Bogotá with Washington and which has caused much concern in Brazil according to the Sao Paulo press.
Brazilian president Lula da Silva claims that his United States peer, Barack Obama has forgotten about Latinamerica after having promised a new relation with the continent. He also revealed he was working for a meeting between Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Colombia’s Alvaro Uribe “so they can address their differences”.
Renowned Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso gave his full support to Green party presidential hopeful Marina Silva that he expects will show more elegance and pragmatism than President Lula da Silva, whom he described as “illiterate” and a “coarse speaker”.
In related news the Brazilian Senate postponed for a week a full house vote on the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur which is pending since March 2007 when the administration of President Lula da Silva sent the request.
Brazil’s all powerful Sao Paulo Federation of Industries, FIESP, said it is willing to yield positions so a free trade agreement can be reached with the European Union but also suggested Brazil should leave Mercosur aside.
Argentina has accused Brazil of not keeping to agreed “self regulated” bilateral trade understandings originally destined as an umbrella for Argentine industry, and instead has resorted to customs barriers which are delaying or impeding exports.
Brazilian central bank President Henrique Meirelles admitted “exuberant” investors might create an asset bubble in Latinamerica’s biggest economy.
Brazil's foreign reserves totaled 232.9 billion US dollars at the end of October, up from 224.2 billion at the end of September. In the first ten months of 2009, reserves were up 26.1 billion. Reserves ended last year at 206.8 billion.
Brazil's government managed oil and gas group Petrobras announced Wednesday it had signed a contract permitting the first payment from a 10 billion US dollar loan from China to help it finance upcoming investments.