Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said on Tuesday, 8, that participation in Mercosur has been detrimental to Brazil. According to him, the association with the block prevented the expansion of markets across the country.
“We are gathered [no Mercosul] Brazil has been damaged in the last 30 years. Brazil is doing less business with our MERCOSUR partners today than it was 20 years ago. It was a trap. This prevented Brazil from engaging in more productive industrial integration into global chains”, he said during the Bradesco BBI virtual conference in London.
Geddes highlighted that Brazil intends to “unilaterally” reduce import tariffs. “And also talking to our MERCOSUR friends, because we want to have more flexibility and modernization in MERCOSUR,” he said.
The minister once again defended Brazil’s entry into the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and said that the government was taking all measures to adapt to the rules required for the bloc.
Created in 1961 and headquartered in Paris, the OECD is an international organization formed by 36 countries, including some of the world’s main developed economies, such as the United States, Japan, and the countries of the European Union. It is seen as a “club of the rich”, but its members also include emerging Latin American economies such as Mexico, Chile and Colombia.
environmental issues
During his speech at the conference, Paulo Guedes said that it is clear to the government that the future is digital and green, but he acknowledged that Brazil is facing problems in the environmental sector. He also said that the federal government is in close contact with the US government’s presidential climate envoy John Kerry. The US began to lead the debate on the environment in the international arena.
“It is true that we have a problem with deforestation, illegal occupation of land, and we are very vigilant about it. For the past three months, we have been in close contact with Mr. Kerry, the person appointed by the President. [dos EUA, Joe] Biden to address environmental issues with Brazil”.
with Brazil agency
