Interviewed yesterday on Radio Itatiaia, Brazilian President Lula da Silva announced he intends to travel to Santa Cruz, Bolivia on July 9 to offer his full support to President Luis Arce, who was just the victim of a failed military coup attempt June 26, and to also help defend democracy in that country. The trip, which will take place one day after the annual summit of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) in Paraguay, was previously scheduled and is to discuss trade matters and strengthening South American integration, Brazil’s Correio Braziliense reported June 27. Construction of highways and canals to connect Brazil to its neighbors is on the agenda.
Lula also raised the question of what interests might have been behind the military coup attempt against Arce. He pointed out that “there are many international interests focused on Bolivia, because it has the largest lithium reserves in the world, and it has many other critical minerals of great importance, as well as gas, so it’s important for people to keep in mind that there is some interest in carrying out a coup. I’m against coups,” he said. “I support democracy.” Lula and Arce have a close working relationship and BRICS member Brazil supports Bolivia’s stated intention to join that important group.
