If it were possible to say that in South America there is some kind of regional political leadership, that would be divided between Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his Venezuelan colleague, Hugo Chávez.

Making a comparison between them is interesting. Lula is more moderate, despite being a leftist party. He gives continuity to the macro-economic policies of his predecessor, Fernando Henrique, and pleased the financial market. Hugo Chávez, on the other hand, can be seen as a kind of “troublemaker”. Nationalist and controversial, does everything to irritate the United States, like the fact of having established a kind of alliance with Iran, have purchased Russian weapons, nationalization of enterprises and the most phenomenal example of its controversial: calling President Bush the “El Diablo “in the UN.

Despite the differences between these leaders, the connection between them is very strong. They are always meeting to discuss topics of interest of the two countries (as the resolution of local conflicts), that is why Venezuela is entering for Mercosur.

And these meetings are giving fruits, for both sides. Since Chávez took power, foreign investment decreased greatly, to the point of receiving less money that much smaller countries such as Honduras. However, investments are still made in there (no one should forget the immense reserves of oil from Venezuela): 20% of the total are of Brazilian companies.

Big Brazilian companies such as Braskem, Odebrecht and Gerdau are investing nearly $ 1 billion in the sectors of infrastructure and petrochemicals. This is part of a strategy drawn up by Hugo Chávez to depend less on capital of the U.S., reducing the presence of this country in Venezuela and attracting new partners like Brazil, Argentina and China.

This position adopted by the two presidents, establishing a bilateral partnership, seems to be something that’s performing well. There has never been an approximation between these countries throughout history like right now. Lula and Chávez, each in his own manner and with their own interests, are redrawing the geopolitical South America, a partnership profitable and enabling a greater integration in the subcontinent.