▲ Argentine President Javier Milei
Argentine President Javier Milei did not attend the Mercosur summit held in Asuncion, Paraguay, on June 29–30, local newspapers Clarin and La Nacion reported on June 30.
Mercosur is a South American economic bloc founded in 1991, consisting of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia.
The Argentine presidential office stated that instead of attending the summit scheduled for today, President Milei would remain in the country to oversee the inauguration of the new Chief of Cabinet, Diego Santilli, and manage the government transition.
Consequently, Argentina is represented at the summit by Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno.
President Milei's absence is interpreted as a move linked to the government reshuffle that followed the recent resignation of former Chief of Cabinet Manuel Adorni.
The president has indicated that he intends to focus on coordinating initial state affairs with the new Chief of Cabinet.
Meanwhile, leaders of the member states are gathering at the Mercosur summit today to discuss key issues.
One of the core agenda items is the discussion on the implementation status of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU), which has been under negotiation for a long period.
In particular, discussions are expected to focus on how to approach the allocation of duty-free export quotas to the EU.
The initiation of negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan is also set to be a major agenda item.
Mercosur member states are seeking to diversify their export markets by expanding economic cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region.
Furthermore, differences in views among member states regarding the Mercosur trade regime remain a significant point of contention.
Argentina argues that member states should be granted greater autonomy to sign individual free trade agreements with third countries.
In contrast, Brazil maintains a negative stance, arguing that common rules must be upheld to preserve the bloc's unity and bargaining power.
Argentina's recent pursuit of a separate trade agreement with the United States has also become a source of friction with Brazil.
Brazil has expressed strong dissatisfaction that the negotiations were conducted without prior consultation with other member states.
The issue of Venezuela's membership status is also subject to discussion.
While some member states have mentioned the possibility of Venezuela's return, Argentina maintains the position that meeting democratic standards must be a prerequisite.
There is also speculation that the bloc will issue an official statement regarding the recent earthquake disaster in Venezuela.
Venezuela is currently reeling from the aftermath of devastating magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that have left at least 1,700 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.