I'm John Batchett, Professor Evan Ellis.

My colleague is here.

He's in Ecuador, and we're turning to the good news of the continent, which is Mercosur.

It is an agreement that's been in negotiation for 25 years, if I read this correctly.

It involves four countries, Paraguay and Uruguay are small.

Brazil is gigantic.

Argentina is gigantic.

So these four countries have been in negotiation with the European Union for 25 years.

Why?

Why taking so long? Because it has to do with agriculture. And if you remember,

the farmers of Europe are very powerful with those beautiful machines they drive to capitalists

and create difficulties for governments in London, in Paris, in Rome, in Berlin. It goes on. That's why

Mercosur takes a while. However, there's news that something has happened that is positive because

the participants, the European Commission, that's the executive of the EU,

and the four countries involved, have said they have an agreement,

but it needs to be validated back home.

At the same time, there's a suggestion from Javier Malay,

the controversial and exciting president of Argentina,

that the four countries negotiate individually with Europe and no longer try to make it a collective.

Professor, I hope I've characterized Mercosur's challenges correctly.

At this point, do you read this good news as really good news or are they just putting a face on it?

Well, it is the possibility of good news.

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