South America’s leaders meet in Brazil to discuss regional cooperation

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, centre, hosts leaders at the South American Summit at Itamaraty palace in Brasilia, Brazil (Andre Penner/AP/PA)

South America’s leaders gathered in Brazil’s capital on Tuesday as part of an effort by the Brazilian president to revive regional cooperation in energy, crime-fighting and the economy.

The regional bloc previously known as Union of South American Nations, or Unasur, first gathered 15 years ago to boost cooperation between the 12 South American nations. But the group eventually fractured amid the continent’s political swings and polarisation, and this is their first meeting for nine years.