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Brazil’s Lula hails historic EU-Mercosur deal ahead of no-show at its signing
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, second from left, poses for photos with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, second from right, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, right, and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic on the sidelines of giving joint statements after a meeting about the EU-Mercosur trade agreement in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. - photo by AP Photo/Bruna Prado
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday celebrated the expected signing of the free trade agreement between the EU and four South American countries the following day at a ceremony that Lula will not attend. This is the first major trade agreement for Mercosur, which includes the region’s two biggest economies, Brazil and Argentina, along with Paraguay and Uruguay. The two blocs are expected to formally sign their quarter-century-in-the-making trade pact this Saturday at a ceremony in Paraguay.