RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Jan 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Friday hailed a trade deal between the EU and South America's Mercosur bloc as a victory for multilateralism at a time of 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." - Angry EU farmers -Together, the EU and Mercosur account for 30 percent of global GDP and more than 700 million consumers. The deal between the EU and Mercosur nations Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, was agreed in Brussels last week despite fierce opposition from European farmers. Meanwhile, the EU is working on a trade deal with India, the world's most populous nation with 1.4 billion people, whose relations have soured with Washington due to punishing tariffs.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 17, 2026 03:11 UTC