Economic agenda dominated discussions between Mr. Lula and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. According to the Brazilian leader, Latin American countries must “overcome their fears” to enhance regional integration and trade. Mr. Lula criticized Brazil for historically “turning its back on Latin America.”

“Currently, Brazil’s trade flow with South America stands at $42 billion, but it could reach $60 billion, even $70 billion if we were not afraid of ourselves,” Mr. Lula remarked during a forum with business leaders from both countries in Bogotá.

The president also regretted the bureaucratic hurdles that hinder the expansion of commercial flows and regional integration. “We have never been so separated,” he complained.

Alongside Mr. Petro, the Brazilian president proposed that regional countries explore the idea of establishing a regional development bank. “We cannot rely on the World Bank all the time,” he said.

Concerning Colombia’s potential membership in the BRICS, Mr. Lula pledged to champion the request with other bloc members. Originally established by Brazil, Russia, China, and India, the BRICS later welcomed South Africa and, more recently, expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran.

According to the president, Latin Americans need to “determine how big we want to be.” “And I propose to stop being afraid. We have the potential to triple trade between Brazil and Colombia,” the Brazilian leader added.

In another initiative, Mr. Petro suggested strategic partnerships between the two countries, particularly in areas related to clean energy generation. “We have enormous advantages over most countries on the planet in producing clean energy.”

Alongside environmental concerns, democracy was a focal point of Mr. Lula’s visit to the neighboring country. A speech distributed by the Planalto Palace highlighted Brazil and Colombia’s mutual belief “that ballots and democracy pave the way forward.” The statement was intended for delivery during lunch with Mr. Petro. However, the government later clarified that the speech was not delivered. “For the first time in history, we have governments that share the commitment to make our societies fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable,” the speech read.

According to the text, relations between Brazil and Colombia are “essential for the prosperity of South America.” “We are two great multicultural democracies, marked by the valuable contributions of indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants,” added the distributed speech, which emphasizes that the Amazon rainforest “unites us with its human and natural riches and the potential for a tropical bioeconomy.”

(The journalist’s travel was facilitated by an invitation from Apex.)