The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will tour Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico with the aim of strengthening alliances before the summit between the European Union (EU) and Latin American and Caribbean countries to be held in July. Von der Leyen is seeking to improve relations with key allies on this visit, according to a European Commission spokeswoman.
The tour will begin on Monday in Brasilia, where the president will meet with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and give a speech to the National Confederation of Industry. The following day, she will be in Buenos Aires to meet with President Alberto Fernandez and participate in the EU-Argentina Business Forum.
On Wednesday, Von der Leyen will visit Santiago de Chile, where she will meet with President Gabriel Boric and then visit a Chilean plastic recycling company. Finally, on Thursday, she will be in Mexico to meet with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
This tour was originally scheduled for April, but due to President Lula’s illness, it had to be postponed. The visit comes a week after the European Commission approved a new agenda to recalibrate and renew relations between the EU and the countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
During the tour, Von der Leyen will make a series of announcements on projects under the Global Gateway strategy, a large-scale investment program that seeks to mobilize up to 300 billion euros. The EU considers Latin America a natural ally and hopes to strengthen relations with the region, especially with Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico.
This tour is an important step to revitalize the dialogue between the EU and Latin America, which has been affected in recent years by various internal and external problems. The EU recognizes the importance of Latin America as a strategic partner with abundant natural resources and food and seeks to give greater relevance to these relations in line with their magnitude.