Lima (Peru), August 26, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - On Monday (25), President Lula da Silva told an audience of Peruvian workers' and civil society organizations that integration in South America will make it possible to change the course of history. Still, Lula made a point of saying that this idea shouldn't remain simply a matter of polite conversation. In the opinion of the Brazilian President, what is fundamental is the physical integration of countries, through the construction of highways, railroads, waterways, and other infrastructural projects, as well as a willingness to create a more harmonious educational and cultural policy among the countries that belong to the continent. He also suggested that time-frames be set for projects to become reality.

Lula also referred to another type of integration, based on objectives. "We discovered that, if we assemble a political front, we can extract much greater advantages from our rich partners. The expression we use that "There is power in unity" is not limited to social and union campaigns; it also applies to governments"

As far as President Lula is concerned, the Mercosur has plenty of opponents. "We suffer from cultural and economic inferiority, and, why not say it, a large degree of political submission to countries able to invest in Brazil. This is equally true of Peru and the rest of South America," President Lula remarked, during his meeting with civil and labor organizations at the Peruvian University of San Marcos (the first university established in the Americas, four hundred and fifty years ago).

Yesterday afternoon, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid a visit in Lima to the Peruvian Supreme Court, where he received the decoration of the Peruvian Order of Justice, after which he held a working session with Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, to sign agreements between the two countries to augment commercial relations. (DAS)