Brazil to be destination of Argentina's new president's first official trip

Brazil is set to become the destination of the first official trip of Argentina's newly elected President Mauricio Macri after his inauguration. His intention was expressed Monday (Nov. 23) during a telephone conversation between Macri and Brazil's Dilma Rousseff, who called to hail him for his Sunday victory.

In the phone call, which lasted less than 10 minutes, Rousseff invited Macri to visit Brazil before his inauguration ceremony at the Casa Rosada presidential palace, scheduled to take place on December 10. He pledged to attempt to arrange his engagements so as to meet with the Brazilian head of state before taking office.

The newly elected president told Rousseff that his istration plans to give “a new lease of life to Mercosur” and forge a “fluid and dynamic” relationship with Brazil. Over the last years, protectionist policies adopted during Néstor Kirchner's and Cristina Kirchner's governments undermined the bloc's economic strategies. On December 21, Macri is expected to represent Argentina at the Mercosur summit meeting, to be held in Paraguay.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira