“The political leadership, the personal commitment, and the passion that you have shown in recent weeks and months, my dear President Lula, have been truly enormous,” said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during a meeting with Lula in Rio de Janeiro on Friday (Jan. 16). The encounter took place one day before the signing of the agreement in Paraguay, which is holding the temporary presidency of Mercosur.

The two met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs palace to discuss the agreement, which will create one of the world’s largest trading areas, home to approximately 720 million people. The European Union’s approval of the agreement was announced last week, after more than 25 years of negotiations.

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Lula emphasized that “trade liberalization and openness only make sense if they are capable of promoting sustainable development and reducing inequalities,” recalling that trade and investment result in new jobs and opportunities.

“Political dialogue and cooperation will guarantee high standards of respect for labor rights and environmental protection,” Lula said.

Added Value

Lula added that, unlike in the past, Brazil will not restrict itself to supplying commodities - especially agricultural products - to the European Union.

“We will not limit ourselves to the eternal role of commodity exporter. We want to produce and sell industrial goods with higher added value,” he stated, adding that the agreement provides incentives for investments by European companies in Mercosur, which includes strategic value chains for the energy transition and digital transmission.

“The best is yet to come”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that all members of the bloc should benefit from new jobs and that many opportunities will arise for the business sector on both sides.

“I know that, between our regions and our peoples, the best is yet to come. This is how we create true prosperity, which is shared prosperity. We agree that international trade is not a zero-sum game,” she noted.

“The whole story will only be successfully told when companies begin to feel the benefits of our agreement. Something that should happen quickly,” von der Leyen added.

She went on to say that the agreement will multiply opportunities, with clear and predictable rules, as well as standards and supply chains that, according to her, “will serve as highways for investment.”

“This agreement now concluded is the achievement of an entire generation,” the European leader highlighted, as she thanked Lula for his commitment to consolidating the agreement.

The acupuncturist’s profession is now regulated in Brazil. The law that governs the professional practice of this ancient Chinese medicine therapy was enacted by President Lula and published this week.

“A set of techniques and therapies consisting of stimulating specific points on the human body through the use of appropriate needles and specific instruments and procedures,” acupuncture aims to “maintain or restore the balance of the physical and mental functions of the human body,” the piece of legislation reads.

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The professional practice of this technique is primarily granted to those who hold a higher education degree in acupuncture, issued by a recognized institution.

The exercise of the profession is also open to those with a degree in a similar or equivalent course overseas, provided it is validated and registered with the competent authorities, as well as to higher education health professionals who hold a specialist title in acupuncture recognized by the applicable federal councils.

Authorization

Non-licensed professionals who have been practicing acupuncture continuously for at least five years are also authorized to practice the activity, provided they can prove their experience.

After the new law was signed, the Planalto presidential palace released a statement saying that the new rules guarantee the right to use isolated and specific acupuncture procedures as part of the regular practice of other health professions, as allowed by the relevant professional councils.

“In such cases, the professional must undergo a specific extension course taught by a recognized educational institution,” the government reported.

The United States will suspend, starting January 21, the issuance of immigrant visas to citizens of 75 countries, including Brazil. The measure was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday (Jan. 14) by the US State Department. Tourist visas will continue to be issued.

Besides Brazil, the list includes several other countries, such as Russia, Iran, Iraq, Colombia, Uruguay, Cuba, Haiti, and Yemen.

According to the statement, the measure stems from a “comprehensive review” of US policies, regulations, and guidelines being conducted “to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilize US social welfare programs or become a public burden.”

The statement notes that President Donald Trump “has made it clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not represent a financial burden to Americans.”

Recalling the three years since the attempted coup of January 2023, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday (Jan. 8) that the riots at the time serve as a reminder that democracy is not an unshakable achievement.

“[Democracy] will always be a work in progress, subject to constant harassment from old and new would-be dictators. That is why democracy must be cherished and defended tooth and nail, day after day,” he declared. 

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• Brazil’s Supreme Court convicts over 800 in coup plot cases.
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• Lula pledges to veto bill that softens penalties for attempted coup.

During an official ceremony at the Planalto presidential palace, he emphasized the need to make clear that democracy is “more than just a fancy word in the dictionary,” adding that it requires building a fairer and less unequal country, “with more rights and fewer privileges.”

“It is more than the desire and the right to vote on election day – and then keep your voter card tucked away for the next four years. Democracy requires the effective participation of society in government decisions,” he said.

“Perhaps the most compelling evidence of the strength of Brazilian democracy is the trial of the coup plotters by the Supreme Court,” he concluded saying.

No sentence reduction

Earlier, President Lula vetoed Bill 2,162 of 2023 – known as Dosimetry Bill – which had been approved in December by Congress. The piece of legislation would reduce the sentences of those convicted for the anti-democratic riots of January 8 and for the attempted coup d'état.

“All of them had ample right to defense, were tried with transparency and impartiality. At the end of the trial, they were convicted based on robust evidence,” he noted.