Brazil’s Vision of a South American Union

On Tuesday, May 30, leaders and representatives of all of South America’s 12 countries met in Brazil’s capital Brasilia, where they were hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lula aims to revive a regional bloc previously known as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) - a leftist organisation set up in 2008 by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Lula (president at the time) to counteract the influence of the United States in the region.