LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Brazil, Argentina aim to boost trade; Haddad plays down common currency

The latest in Latin American politics today:

Brazil, Argentina aim to boost trade; Haddad plays down common currency BUENOS AIRES - Brazil and Argentina are set to sign an agreement to boost bilateral trade, with more Brazilian export financing backed by Argentina's international collateral, a Brazilian government source said on Monday, as officials played down talk of a common currency.

Leaders from both countries are meeting at a summit in Buenos Aires, with Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad saying they were looking to stimulate bilateral trade. Haddad talked down the idea of a shared currency circulating in both Argentina and Brazil in comments to journalists late on Sunday, after the countries' presidents published a joint article saying their aim for greater economic integration included studies of a common South American currency.

Former Mexican drug czar accused of aiding El Chapo heads to trial Opening statements are set to begin on Monday in the U.S. trial of a former Mexican law enforcement official once in charge of cracking down on drug trafficking, who now stands accused of taking bribes from the powerful Sinaloa Cartel.

Genaro Garcia Luna led Mexico's Federal Investigation Agency from 2001 to 2005 and was Public Security Minister from 2006 to 2012, during which time he worked closely with U.S. counter-narcotics and intelligence agencies. He pleaded not guilty in 2020 to U.S. charges that he accepted millions of dollars to protect the cartel once run by imprisoned drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Crime, inflation hammer support for Chile's Boric in first year SANTIAGO - Carmen Villegas, 56, a housewife in Santiago, was one of the millions of Chileans who turned out to vote for Gabriel Boric in 2021, propelling the young leader to the presidential palace amid optimism over his plans to reduce deep-seated inequality.

But almost a year after coming into office in March 2022, Boric, 36, is now finding out the perils of leadership, with voters like Villegas growing disenchanted as inflation has hurt people's spending power and crime has risen. Mexican economy minister to meet U.S. commerce secretary in coming days

MEXICO CITY - Mexican Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro said in an interview published on Monday that she would meet U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in the coming days. Buenrostro told local media outlet Milenio that she would discuss development projects in the works, including the "Sonora Plan," which aims to increase the supply of clean energy in northern Mexico, and a transportation network known as the Interoceanic Corridor in the southern part of the country.

Venezuela calls off Maduro meeting with Lula, Brazil's government says BUENOS AIRES - Venezuela has decided to call off a previously arranged meeting between President Nicolas Maduro and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday, Lula's press office said.

The Brazilian government had announced earlier in the day the two leaders were set to meet in Buenos Aires this afternoon as they attend a summit of Latin American and Caribbean countries in Buenos Aires. Later, however, Lula's team released a new update of his agenda, saying the meeting would no longer take place as Venezuela had canceled it. (Compiled by Steven Grattan; Editing by Paul Simao)

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