The president held meetings with his host, Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, as part of this process and said that the member nations of the trade bloc are interested in the strategic position of Panama

During the meeting, Brazil and Panama signed four bilateral agreements, including the sale of four A29 Super-Tucano fighter planes manufactured by Embraer.

The agenda also included commitments in technological cooperation, military training and productive integration projects.

The Brazilian gesture reaffirms the priority of Latin America and the Caribbean in his government’s foreign policy, said Lula.

Meanwhile, Mulino celebrated the “historic friendship” between both nations and advocated the strengthening of commercial ties.

On the other hand, Lula defended Panama’s sovereignty over the inter-oceanic canal and reiterated that regional independence constitutes an inalienable principle of Brazilian foreign policy.

jdt/jav/mem/ga