Brazil's new top diplomat shifts focus from ideology to trade

Brazilian new Foreign Minister Jose Serra attends his inauguration ceremony at Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, May 18, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

BRASILIA/BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The arrival of a tough-talking foreign minister in Brazil marks a move away from ideologically-driven diplomacy that raised tensions with the United States and towards a big push on trade.

Jose Serra's first foreign visit to Argentina on Monday focused on restoring South America's Mercosur customs union to its purpose as a free trade area, after Venezuela's entry in 2012 turned it into a left-leaning political forum.