Paraguay/Peña: We cannot simply wait for the EU, I believe there are many other countries for agreements

By Caroline Aragaki, special correspondent, and Mateus Fagundes Foz do Iguaçu and São Paulo, 12/20/2025 - The president of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, criticized the delay of the European Union (EU) in closing an agreement with Mercosur. There was an expectation that the European bloc would sign the trade agreement with the South American group at the Summit taking place this morning in Foz do Iguaçu (PR). For him, it is necessary to seek new partnerships. "We cannot simply wait for the EU. I believe there are many other countries with whom we can make agreements," he stated. "We see a great opportunity with Central Asian countries," he pointed out. Peña also said he regretted that Europe has not realized "that it needs the agreement more than Mercosur does." "Mercosur is a South American, global power," he defended. The Mercosur leaders' summit was initially scheduled for early December. However, it was postponed to today at the request of the European Union, which was waiting for a ...