Bolivia's Arce hopes to mend ties with Brazil as Lula takes office

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 in commemoration of the 18th anniversary of the creation of ALBA-TCP at the Convention Palace in Havana, Cuba, December 14, 2022. Yamil Lage/Pool via REUTERS

LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivia's President Luis Arce said on Monday he hopes Brazil's new president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will help improve diplomatic relations and explain issues that generated controversy during former President Jair Bolsonaro's mandate.

Speaking on television late Monday, Arce said he expected Lula, who took office for the third time on Sunday, would help explain gas contracts between the countries that Bolivian politicians have called detrimental, as well as Bolsonaro's "behavior" during a political crisis in Bolivia in 2019.