South America’s presidents gather in Brazil for first regional summit in 9 years

By CARLA BRIDI
Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — South America’s leaders will gather in Brazil’s capital on Tuesday as part of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s attempt to reinvigorate regional integration efforts that have in the past floundered amid the continent’s political swings and polarization. Analysts say Lula senses an opportunity for integration because of the political affinities of the region’s current governments and appears to want to test leaders’ willingness to cooperate through a revived Union of South American Nations, or Unasur. First established 15 years ago in Brazil’s capital during the second presidential term of Lula, the regional bloc sought to integrate the 12 South American nations culturally, socially, politically and economically.