New Brazilian president envisions more economically unified Latin region

HAROLD OLMOS, <a href=www.sfgate.com>Associated Press Writer Monday, April 28, 2003
(04-28) 16:10 PDT BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) --

Brazil's leftist president pushed his idea of regional economic integration in talks with his Bolivian counterpart Monday -- the latest in a string of summit meetings reflecting Brazil's growing influence.

"Latin American integration will no longer be a sentimental" notion, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said after he and Bolivian leader Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada agreed to a plan to improve roads and bridges to boost trade between the neighboring nations.

The leaders of Colombia, Peru and Venezuela have visited in the past month, and the presidents of Uruguay and Ecuador will come to the Brazilian capital later this month.

Experts say the flurry of activity represents a message to the United States: A united South America will negotiate hard over terms of a proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas trade zone.

The United States and Brazil, the largest nation in South America, will spearhead the negotiations to create the 34-nation bloc stretching from Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina.

Silva, a former union leader known for his negotiating skills with multinational firms, wants to set up a merger by December of two current Latin trading blocs -- Mercosur and the Andean Community.

Mercosur is made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as members. Bolivia and Chile are associate members. The Andean grouping is made up of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo took away from his meeting with Silva the prospect of Peru becoming an associate member of Mercosur.

When Colombian President Alvaro Uribe came to Brazil, he also talked about greater economic South American integration.

"If he (Silva) assembles the Andean nations and Mercosur into one trading bloc, Brazil and its neighbors certainly will have better bargaining power," said David Fleischer, a political science professor at the University of Brasilia.

The presidential meetings also appear designed to give Brazil a higher profile on the international front. Silva said over the weekend that the United Nations should be reformed.

He said the Security Council should be expanded beyond the current five permanent members -- United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said during his visit that "all 23 million Venezuelans will feel happy being represented by Brazil at the Security Council as a permanent member."

The visits to Brazil also show that Silva, the country's first elected leftist president, has a more aggressive approach on international relations than his predecessors.

Traditionally Brazil has been timid in conducting foreign affairs, but Silva has given a great emphasis to Latin America" since taking office, said Fleischer, the political science professor.

The discussions between the presidents symbolize a "new beginning of a new era for Brazil and Bolivia," said Marucio Balcazar, the Bolivian presidential spokesman.