EC President Ursula von der Leyen stated that a controversial free-trade deal with South America’s Mercosur bloc was in sight as she visited Latin America to finalize the accord despite opposition from France. The EC has been negotiating with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay for over 20 years to create the world’s largest free trade zone. However, French President Emmanuel Macron quickly expressed his disapproval, calling the deal unacceptable in its current state.