Brasilia, Jan 6 (Bureau) The Brazilian government has announced the country’s decision to rejoin the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) after a three-year break, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said on Friday. In January 2020, Brazil suspended its participation in the regional bloc, citing “no results in the defense of democracy in any field.” “Brazil announced today to the member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (#CELAC) its decision to rejoin, fully and immediately, all political and technical entities of the mechanism,” the foreign ministry tweeted.
The ministry also said that new Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would attend the 7th CELAC Summit in Buenos Aires on January 24 at the invitation of his Argentinian counterpart Alberto Angel Fernandez.It added that Brazil’s decision to rejoin the CELAC was “an essential step” in restoring the country’s diplomatic heritage and in “repositioning Brazil” in the international stage. CELAC was launched in December 2011 and is made up of 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Argentine currently holds CELAC’s temporary presidency.