MercoPress, 10/30/2010
Following the death of former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner, the Union of South American Nations, Unasur must find a new consensus leader and the outstanding figure and possible candidate is Brazilian president Lula da Silva recognized as a great promoter of regional integration.
Kirchner became Unasur secretary general after months of negotiations fro a consensus candidate among the twelve countries of the region which became possible last March when Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez left office.
Vazquez and Kirchner were involved in a frustrating conflict over the construction of pulp mills in shared watercourses that only ended with the election of a new government in Uruguay under President Jose Mujica who abstained in the decisive voting round for Unasur first secretary general.
Brazil Portal 