Meeting between Lula and Arce signals new era of bilateral ties

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told his Bolivian counterpart Luis Arce Catacora during their encounter in Santa Cruz de la Sierra that "there is no individual way out in South America," Agencia Brasil reported. Both leaders agreed that the bilateral meeting spelled the beginning of a "new era" in bilateral ties now that Bolivia is a full member of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). It was Lula's first trip to Bolivia during his third term in office while Arce has been to Brazil four times in the past 12 months.