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Mercosur and Canada resume free trade agreement negotiations after years of impasse

  What is happening between Mercosur and Canada? After more than a decade of stalled talks, the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) and Canada announced in September 2025 the formal resumption of negotiations for a free trade agreement. The decision was confirmed at a meeting between representatives of the two blocs during the United Nations General Assembly in New York and represents a strategic step toward strengthening economic ties between South and North America. This move is not just symbolic: it could pave the way for one of the largest trade agreements in the South American region in recent years, with direct impacts on the economies of millions of people—from farmers to small business owners. Why does this agreement matter? A free trade agreement between Mercosur and Canada has the potential to eliminate or reduce tariffs on thousands of products, facilitate investment, increase business competitiveness, and generate new job opportunities. For ord...
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Princess Kako begins official visit to Brazil: see what this historic celebration represents


 Princess Kako of Akishino, a member of the Japanese imperial family, began an official visit to Brazil this Thursday (5). The trip marks 130 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries and was organized at the invitation of the Brazilian government. Over the next ten days, she will visit several cities, including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, as well as municipalities in Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul and the interior of São Paulo.


On the first day of the trip, the princess visited the Japanese Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park, in São Paulo — a symbol of friendship between Brazil and Japan. The site was built in Japan, dismantled and shipped to be installed on Brazilian soil in 1954, during the celebrations of the 4th centenary of the city of São Paulo. The space is maintained by the Japanese-Brazilian community, which plays a fundamental role in preserving Japanese culture in the country.


 Accompanied by local authorities and Roberto Nishio, president of the Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture, Princess Kako participated in a symbolic ceremony and planted a sakura tree, the traditional Japanese cherry tree, next to a white ipê tree that had been planted by her parents during a visit to Brazil in 2015.


During the event, Nishio said that the princess expressed her desire to return to Brazil in the future to see the sakura blossom, and that she has already been invited to the celebrations of the 120th anniversary of Japanese immigration to the country, scheduled for three years from now.


The ties between Brazil and Japan were formalized on November 5, 1895, with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation. Today, Japan is one of Brazil's main economic partners, with significant investments in areas such as the automobile industry, energy and steel. The Asian country is also home to more than 200,000 Brazilians, while Brazil has the largest community of Japanese descendants outside Japan, with more than 2 million people.


In March of this year, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited Japan to strengthen trade relations. On that occasion, he highlighted the importance of recovering the trade balance between the two countries, which had fallen in recent years, and also discussed the expansion of Brazilian exports, especially beef.


As part of the tributes to the 130 years of partnership, the Chamber of Deputies will hold a formal session on June 11, reaffirming the historical, cultural and economic ties between the two nations.

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