Lula and Boric advocate South American integration against global instability

The meeting between presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Gabriel Boric, held on Tuesday (22) at the Planalto Palace, marked not only the 189 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Chile, but also the first bilateral in the year that celebrates friendship between the two countries. More than protocol, the meeting has become an emphatic statement about the role of South America in the world – a region that, according to Lula, needs to overcome historical divisions to assert itself as a pole of sovereignty, cooperation and development.

Remembering that the date coincides with Brazil’s “discovery” by the Portuguese, Lula stated that South American history needs a new start-one that goes through integration between the peoples of the continent.

“Brazil lived with its back to South America”

In a speech of strong geopolitical content, Lula traced a historical overview of relations between countries in the region. “For a long time, we were taught to look at Europe and the United States and see ourselves as enemies,” he said. The Brazilian president recalled that only in his first terms Brazil began the construction of infrastructures that actually connected the country to its neighbors, such as bridges with Bolivia and Peru.

Lula stressed that this isolation was encouraged even by military sectors. “Venezuelans were taught to see Brazil as a threat. This needs to end. We have to see ourselves as strategic allies, not as opponents,” he said.

Integration as a state policy

More than an occasion speech, Lula argued that regional integration is treated as a permanent priority of the South American states. “Foreign policy cannot be done according to the taste of each president. It has to be state policy,” he said. He criticized the institutional paralysis caused by the bureaucracy and charged that the agreements signed have goals and deadlines. “If there is no date, the bureaucrat – who is eternal – does not execute. Our term has deadline, his not,” he said.

The president also pointed out that South American countries need to set aside ideological differences. “You don’t have to like each other. This is not a marriage, it is a relationship between states,” he said, recalling his good coexistence with presidents of different political spectra, such as Uribe and Piñera.

Sovereignty, Brics and Generous Leadership

Lula again criticized the protectionism of the great powers and the imbalance of international institutions. “The rules of the global game were not made for us. They were made by the colonizers,” he said, mentioning the disproportion of votes on the Olympic Committee and the African sub-repression.

He reiterated that Brazil does not need to dispute “carguinhos” with neighbors: “Brazil is already great by itself. Our leadership has to be generous, of joint construction.” Lula invited Boric to participate in the BRICS Summit in July, and suggested that Chilean seek an audience with Chinese President Xi Jinping: “You need to show that the greatness of a country is not in its territory, but in the strength of its politics and its people.”

Finally, he thanked the Chilean reception to Brazilian exiles during the dictatorship. “Brazil is eternally grateful to Chile for what it did in 1964,” he said.

Boric: Strategic ties and democracy at the center of the agenda

Alongside Lula, President Gabriel Boric celebrated the “revitalization” of bilateral relations with Brazil, from his return to the presidency in 2023. “We share bonds of friendship and fraternity. And today, more than ever, we are working together for the development of our peoples,” he said.

Boric pointed out that the 19 agreements signed in the last year cover topics ranging from security to artificial intelligence. “We want public policies that improve the lives of the poor and the middle class. This is the center of our cooperation.”

Record Trade and Concrete Integration

The Chilean President celebrated the historic record in bilateral trade in 2024, with more than $ 12 billion in exchange – exceeding, according to him, Brazil’s trade with France, Spain and the United Kingdom. “Brazil is our main commercial partner in the region and one of the most relevant in the world,” he said.

He also anticipated the participation of the two countries in a business forum and strategic projects such as the Bioceanic corridor, which will connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through shared road infrastructure with Argentina and Paraguay. “It’s not just rhetoric. It’s real integration,” he said.

Safety, Culture and Innovation in the Accord Package

The official visit culminated in the signing of 13 agreements in areas such as public safety, legal cooperation, culture, science, agriculture and defense. Among the highlights is the pact to combat transnational organized crime, with information exchange between police and judiciary, and memo to promote joint audiovisual productions.

Other agreements include family farming, migratory policies, health certification and development of artificial intelligence with an emphasis on digital inclusion and sovereignty.

A new chapter for South America

The Planalto ceremony symbolized more than the rapprochement of two progressive governments: it marked a new chapter for South America, which seeks joint responses in times of commercial war, climate crises and increasing inequalities. Brazil and Chile point out possible ways – with dialogue, integration and commitment to democracy.

As Boric summed up: “We have a duty to work together. Here, in South America, we are friendly countries.”