Lula and Petro Discuss Bilateral and Regional Issues in Bogota

April 17, 2024 Hour: 4:59 pm

On Wednesday, Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro met at the Nariño House in Bogota.

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During their meeting, they addressed issues related to the bilateral trade and investment agenda, the protection of the Amazon, human rights defense, and cooperation in social programs and family farming.

“The delegations of both countries will hold meetings to discuss specific issues of binational interest, such as the implementation of the 2023 Belem do Para Declaration, pharmaceutical regulation, bioceanic corridors, tourism, homologation of university degrees and electrical interconnection,” the Colombian Presidency previously stated.

Currently, Brazil is Colombia’s third largest trading partner, after the United States and China. For this reason, Lula and Petro have dedicated efforts to increasing bilateral flows of goods and services, especially through the articulation of value chains.

Presidente Lula é recebido na Casa de Nariño na Colômbia https://t.co/b7Td1d1ceD

— Lula (@LulaOficial)
April 17, 2024

The text reads, “Presidente Lula is received at the Nariño House in Colombia.”

To make concrete proposals for trade integration, they will also participate in the Brazil-Colombia Economic Forum, which will bring together 300 businessmen from both countries.

Later, both Latin American leaders will inaugurate the 36th Bogota International Book Fair, a cultural event that this year is dedicated to Brazil.

During the Bogota meeting, Lula and Petro also addressed issues related to regional geopolitics. Among those hot topics was the maintenance of U.S. unilateral sanctions against Venezuela, which was announced by Washington on Wednesday.

Regarding these measures, the Brazilian president expressed to Petro that he does not agree with the application of sanctions that affect Venezuela and its oil industry.

Sanctions do not work and isolate Venezuela, Lula said, noting that “the ideal” would be to promote dialogue between the parties by bringing the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro closer to other South American partners.

He also argued that unilateral sanctions are not in accordance with international standards, which seek to strengthen the United Nations as the institution in charge of setting measures through multilateral discussion.