Fox News Latino/EFE, 07/05/2012
Mexican President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto said in an interview published here that his administration will step up efforts in South America to repair the country’s image, including seeking a strategic alliance with Brazil.
“There’s no question Mexico’s image in the world has been tarnished in recent years and the boom in Brazil has been contrasted with Mexico’s stagnation,” Peña Nieto told Chile’s La Segunda newspaper.
“(Along those lines), we’ll look to develop a real strategic alliance with Brazil to deepen our relationship in all spheres,” Peña Nieto, of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, said.
[...] In hemispheric news, Brazil’s ties to its Latin American neighbors have been both tested and strengthened this week. On the one hand, regional tensions have been high since the expulsion of Paraguay from Mercosur after last week’s demi-coup/impeachment that ousted Fernando Lugo. Though Brazil was one of the many nations that criticized the impeachment proceedings and questioned their constitutionality, the country also stands to benefit. Given that the coup led to Paraguay’s removal from Mercosur, lawmakers in Asunción can no longer block Venezuela’s entrance into the trade union, a development which could potentially profit Brazil greatly. Outside of South America, Brazil and Mexico are strengthening their relationship, as Mexico’s newly elected President vowed to ally with the South American giant. [...]