Brazil’s Lula hails historic EU-Mercosur deal

In Rio de Janeiro Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday hailed a trade deal between the EU and South America's Mercosur bloc as a victory for multilateralism amid global volatility.

Lula said the signing of the deal in Asuncion, Paraguay on Saturday was very good, especially for the democratic world and for multilateralism. He then added that the European Union and Mercosur share values such as respect for democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. Von der Leyen praised Lula's role in pushing forward the negotiations, and said the deal sends a powerful message and shows the power of partnership and openness.