President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva this week called on the UN to take a more active interest in events taking place in Central America.

Speaking on 28 July during a visit to Brasília by Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega, Lula said the UN should pay attention to the democratic projects in the region that are bringing into the fold sections of society that, despite constituting a majority of the population, had historically been excluded.

He added that the UN should also reform itself in order to end the 'flagrant imbalance' in its Security Council.

Lula later said it was important to bridge the gap between Mercosur and the Central American Integration System through a wide-ranging trade agreement, and promised that Brazil would strive to push forward the relevant negotiations during its presidency of Mercosur, which begins next week.

Source: Agência Brasil