Brazilian President Lula da Silva has invited Chilean President Gabriel Boric to attend the July 6-7 summit of BRICS nations to take place in Rio de Janeiro. Lula extended the invitation on April 22, during Boric’s state visit to Brazil, during which the two Presidents signed several economic and strategic cooperation agreements. Brazil is Chile’s second most important trading partner, after China. Lula’s invitation to Boric, which is an official one, has led to a lively debate in the Chilean media about the pros and cons of membership in the BRICS.
Reflecting the debate, in remarks made to {El Ciudadano) reported on its Facebook page, China’s Ambassador to Chile Niu Qingbao reported that he was happy to learn about Chile’s interest in the BRICS and other multilateral organizations. “We are good partners, we are good friends,” he said, and China would certainly support Chile’s application, although he noted that membership in the BRICS is a decision made by consensus.
