Brazil's Bolsonaro To Refrain From Participation In Mercosur Summit Hosted By Paraguay

RIO DE JANEIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2022) Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday announced his decision not to attend the upcoming Mercosur summit in Paraguay.

"I said that I will not go, although in politics you can go back on some things. But for now, my decision is not to participate in the Mercosur (Summit)," Bolsonaro told CNN Brazil.

Bolsonaro did not explain the reasons for his decision, adding that he won't attend despite a personal invitation from Paraguay's President Mario Abdo Benitez and goodwill toward him as a person.

The Mercosur summit will take place in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, on July 20-21.

Mercosur was founded in 1991 to promote a common space to generate commercial and investment opportunities through the integration of South American economies into the international market. The organization includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay as members, as well as Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname as associate members.