Lula da Silva says Brazil will strengthen regional alliances

Brussels, November 17 (RHC)-- Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke before the European Parliament and said that Brazil will again enhance its foreign policy where it will strengthen MERCOSUR, the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, and expand alliances with the European Union.

"We believe in a multipolar world.  We will return to a haughty and active foreign policy," said the former Brazilian president, emphasizing regional integration mechanisms and structures.

"We will improve the terms of the MERCOSUR-European Union agreement.  We do not want a Latin America dedicated exclusively to agribusiness and mining.  We are fully capable of being industrialized and technologically advanced countries as well," said Lula da Silva.

The former head of state also said that "Brazil will once again be a positive force in the world.  Once again, we will be creators of public policies capable of improving our planet," in a context where the environmental management of the current Jair Bolsonaro has been criticized.

"Our food production does not need to deforest the Amazon to export soybeans or raise cattle," insisted Lula da Silva where deforestation alerts recorded in October by the Deter system in Brazil reached 877 km2, five percent more in relation to the month in 2020 and a record since records began 5 years ago.

"Between 2004 and 2012, in fact, we reduced deforestation in the Amazon by 80 percent, which helped minimize the advance of climate change," said Lula.  The Workers' Party (PT) leader's bet is for an increasingly plural world, united on the basis of values such as solidarity, cooperation, humanism and social justice.

"We believe in a new world governance, starting with the enlargement of the UN Security Council, and we will continue to fight for it," insisted Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Lula da Silva's speech, in which the former president expressed that Brazil will rebuild democracy, took place as part of the High Level Conference on Latin America in an event promoted by the European Parliament.