Lula takes off to US to meet with Biden
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took off today (Feb. 9) for the US, where he should meet with US President Joe Biden in Washington. The meeting will take place at the White House tomorrow afternoon (10) and is said to mark the resumption of relations between the two countries, which have maintained diplomatic ties for nearly 200 years.
“We wish to build partnership ties and growth between our countries for the development of our region, discuss efforts to achieve peace in the world and fight fake news,” Lula wrote on social media.
Their agenda should center on three themes: democracy, human rights, and the environment, Brazil’s Foreign Ministry stated. The two heads of state are expected to discuss how the two countries can continue to work together to promote inclusion and democratic values in both the region and the world.
Lula and Biden were elected and assumed their mandates in similar contexts, amid accusations of alleged electoral fraud and attempted coups. Just as the US Capitol was attacked in January 2021 by radicals dissatisfied with the electoral defeat of former President Donald Trump, so too were major government buildings in Brazil ransacked on January 8 this year by pro-coup rioters.
Agenda
On the environment and climate change, Brazil plans to present itself as a major actor committed to bringing back into motion environmental protection instruments and urging countries in the region to finance relevant efforts.
To be debated as part of the human rights agenda are the global fight against hunger and poverty, the rights of indigenous peoples, and the fight against racism, not to mention the integration of the two million Brazilians living in the US, the largest community of Brazilian nationals overseas.
Economically, the Brazilian government aims to attract investment, particularly in energy transition, as well as to further integrate production chains. Peace and global security should also be brought to the debate, along with governance in the G-20.
The US is Brazil’s second largest trade partner and the main destination for industrialized product exports. Last year, the total exchange between the two surpassed $88 billion—an unprecedented value in the time series. The North American nation also boasts the largest stock of investments in Brazil, estimated at $123 billion.
Since taking office, Lula has made two trips abroad, to Argentina and Uruguay. The visit to the US comes follows an invitation from Biden himself. The Latin American leader will be staying at Blair House, the official residence where the US president entertains his most important guests.
Lula’s entourage includes First Lady Janja Lula da Silva and Ministers Mauro Vieira (Foreign Relations), Fernando Haddad (Finance), Marina Silva (Environment), and Minister Anielle Franco (Racial Equality).
The president is expected back in Brazil on Saturday (11).
