After a trip to China marked by controversial remarks about the war in Ukraine, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva kicked off a visit to Portugal on Saturday followed by a visit to Spain to reconnect with Europe and break the isolation of the Bolsonaro years.
On his first trip to Europe since returning to power, the icon of the Latin American left has opted for a four-day state visit to the former colonial power from which Brazil seceded in 1822.
The 77-year-old former metal worker, who actually ruled Brazil from 2003 to 2010, wants to put his country back at the center of global geopolitics, and has been trying to play a tightrope walker since the start of his tenure.
He traveled to Washington in February to meet at the White House with his US counterpart, Joe Biden, and recently visited China, Brazil’s largest trading partner.
But Lula stirred controversy when he told Beijing that the United States should stop “encouraging war” in Ukraine and that the European Union should “start talking about peace”.
His words were strongly criticized by Washington, which accused him of “repeating Russian and Chinese propaganda without taking the facts into account.”
– Change of dialect in Ukraine –
The Brazilian leader also reaffirmed that the responsibilities for the war triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 were shared between the two countries.
On Monday, he received Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Brasilia, who “thanked” Brazil for its “contribution” to the search for a solution to the conflict and its “excellent understanding of the genesis of this situation.”
Under fire, Lula changed his tune on Tuesday and condemned Russia’s “violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity”.
In Portugal, a founding member of NATO and one of the first European countries to supply battle tanks to Kiev, the obscurity of Brasilia did not make a good impression.
“Brazil’s position at the United Nations has always been the same: on the side of Portugal, the United States and NATO. (…) However, it is very simple: if Brazil changes its position, it does not look at Portugal. Conservative President Marcelo reacted It is Rebelo de Souza earlier this week who will hold his position and we will disagree.”
– Chico Burke and the Carnation Revolution –
This thorny topic is sure to be taken up on Saturday when Lula meets his counterpart, then Portuguese Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa.
On the occasion of the 13th summit of Brazilian Luzo, the first in seven years, dozens of bilateral agreements will be signed, mainly in the fields of energy, science, education and tourism.
On Monday, after a meeting with entrepreneurs near Porto (North), Lula will co-present the Cammons Prize to the famous Brazilian singer and writer Chico Buarque, the highest honor in Lusophone literature.
The latter, known for his commitment to the left and against the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964-1985), was announced as the winner in 2019, but former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro refused to sign the documents necessary for the award to be formally presented to him.
Avant de s’envoler for Madrid, Lula prononcera mardi un discours au Parlement Portugais lors d’une séance precédant les commémorations du 49e anniversaire de la Révolution des Œillets, which a mis fin à 48 ans de droite dictate et 13 années de guerres coloniales In Africa.
