Visiting Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica said Monday that Brazil should take the lead in Latin America’s ascent onto the world political arena.
The energy-rich Brazil should speak for Latin America when the world is being reorganized into big blocs, Mujica said before meeting with Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.
But Mujica cautioned that such a position comes with political and economic burdens.
“The problem is that those make the invitation must pay the lunch,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of the Brazil-Uruguay relations, he said that Brazil has always helped Uruguay when it is in trouble.
On trade cooperation, Mujica said “Brazil is our main trade partner. We must secure the flow of dairy products, meat and grains between the two countries. That is very important to Uruguay.”
The two leaders are expected to discuss the role of their countries in the Union of South American Nations, joint energy projects and the construction of a bridge on the Brazil-Uruguay border.