A Política Externa do Governo Bolsonaro para o Mercosul: Impactos no Processo de Integração Regional e na Inserção Internacional do Brasil

Abstract

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Mercosur has been one of the main institutions aiming at the regional integration of South American countries, particularly the Southern Cone states: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to highlight the foreign policy directions given to Mercosur during the government of Jair Messias Bolsonaro (2019-2022), extending the analysis to the role of his cabinet, especially the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Economy. Three key topics are addressed in this study: the Mercosur-European Union Association Agreement; China’s presence in the South American region; and the relationship among the full members of Mercosur. Among the development topics, the relations between Brazil and Argentina, the main member countries of Mercosur, are discussed. These issues were crucial for the state of the bloc, as they reveal the difficulties in joint negotiations, the importance of topics such as sustainability, and the challenges Brazil faces as the main regional actor. All these points will be discussed and developed throughout the study.