Bolivia’s Arce hopes to improve ties with Brazil when Lula takes office. From Health & Fitness Journal

©Health & Fitness Journal. FILE PHOTO: Bolivia’s President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora delivers a speech during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba commemorating the 18th anniversary of the founding of ALBA-TCP at the Congress Palace i

LA PAZ (Health & Fitness Journal) – Bolivia’s President Luis Arce said Monday he hopes Brazil’s new President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will help improve diplomatic relations and explain issues raised during former President Jair Bolsonaro’s tenure have caused controversy.

In a televised address late Monday, Arce said he expected Lula, who took office for the third time on Sunday, to help explain gas deals between the countries that Bolivian politicians have called harmful, as well as Bolsonaro’s “conduct” during one political crisis in Bolivia in 2019.

“There are many things that need to be explained by the Brazilian government,” Arce told Telesur.

“With this new relationship, we hope that all this information that is being investigated in Bolivia can flow out of Brazil,” he said.

Arce cited far-right politician Bolsonaro’s alleged support for the resignation of former leftist President Evo Morales in 2019. Morales’ supporters called the event a coup d’état, and Bolivia now faces protests following the arrest of an opposition Bolivia governor in connection with the incident .

When Morales left the government, Bolsonaro tweeted “a great day”.

Like Lula, Morales had been part of a wave of leftists that dominated Latin American politics earlier in the century.

Regarding the contracts, the Arce government said in May Bolivia was seeking higher prices for natural gas sold to Brazil’s Petrobras, claiming ongoing contracts with the state oil company had caused heavy losses.

Lula took office with a promise to “fix” diplomatic relations.