Lula meets with Argentine President Alberto Fernández

This is his first engagement after winning the election

Daniel Mello

Published on 31/10/2022 - 16:05

São Paulo

Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva meets Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez, in Sao Paulo — © Esteban Collazo/Argentine Presidency/Direitos reservados

Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met today (Oct. 31) with the president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, in a hotel near Paulista avenue, in downtown São Paulo. This is Lula’s first official engagement after his victory at the polls.

Fernández published a brief video on Twitter in which he appears embracing Lula. “All my love, admiration and respect, dear comrade. We have a future that embraces us and summons us,” the Argentine president wrote.

Yesterday (30), Fernández, like other world leaders, congratulated Lula on his victory in the second round of the elections. “His victory marks the beginning of a new time in the history of Latin America,” he also wrote. “Here you have a companion to work and dream with,” he said.

In a close race, the former president, who has already led the country in two terms, from 2003 through 2010, was elected to serve a third term as president of Brazil. With 60.3 million votes, Lula garnered 50.9 percent of the valid ballots in the runoff, held yesterday. He defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, who was running for reelection.