French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a meeting with the business community at the Sao Paulo State Industries Federation, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Macron is on a three-day official visit to Brazil. France’s President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin as ge arrives for a meeting with businesspeople at the Sao Paulo State Industries Federation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
“The trade deal with Mercosur as it is being negotiated now is a terrible deal. For you and for us,” Macron said, according to the translation into Portuguese by Sao Paulo’s Industry Federation, whose headquarters held the event. “It was negotiated 20 years ago. We need to rebuild it.” Alckmin, who is also Brazil’s industry minister, didn’t mention the negotiations in his own speech, but alluded to them.