Head of European diplomacy begins Latin American tour in Peru

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, met this Monday in Lima with Peruvian Foreign Minister Oscar Maúrtua at the beginning of a tour of Latin America that will also take him to Brazil.

“The High Representative of the European Union @JosepBorrellF began his official visit to Peru, received by Foreign Minister Oscar Maúrtua at the Torre Tagle Palace,” tweeted the Peruvian Foreign Ministry.

Read also: Check out our coverage on Peru

According to a statement from his office, Borrell’s two-day visit to Peru seeks to strengthen political, economic, and cooperation ties.

“We exchanged visions on bilateral relations, trade and economy, climate change, the pandemic, and the social agenda. We want to consolidate and deepen EU-Peru relations,” Borrell said on Twitter after finishing his two-hour meeting at the chancellery.

According to the EU agenda, Borrell will meet and have lunch on Tuesday with President Pedro Castillo at the government palace. The European Union (EU) diplomat will also hold a meeting with the president of the Congress, María del Carmen Alva, and civil society representatives.

Peru has a Multi-Party Trade Agreement with the EU and the Schengen Visa Waiver Agreement, allowing Peruvians to enter 30 European countries without a visa for 90 days.

In his first visit to Latin America since taking over EU foreign policy in 2019, Borrell will leave on Wednesday for Brazil. He will first meet with private sector representatives in São Paulo. On Thursday, he will hold a meeting in Brasília with Foreign Minister Carlo Alberto Franco França, as well as Defense Minister Braga Netto and Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco, according to a statement from his office.

He will also visit EU-funded projects that support women’s empowerment and the UNHCR welcome center for Venezuelan refugees in Brasília.