Brazilian President Lula embarks on February 10, 2023, for a trip to the United States and a meeting with Biden. The meeting will take place at the White House, in Washington, and will focus on three central themes: the environment, human rights, and democracy. Itamaraty says that the meeting represents a ‘reset’ in the relationship between the countries.
Meeting details
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting will take place on February 10 at the White House, in Washington, the seat of the United States government. The meeting is expected to take place in the afternoon.
The trip is full of symbolism and is viewed with anticipation by those around the two presidents. This because:
- Lula and Biden defeated opponents who waved at the extreme right, Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump;
- Both took office in a scenario of unfounded accusations of electoral fraud that led to attacks against the government headquarters in Brasília , on January 8, and against the Capitol Building in Washington, on January 6, 2021 .
Between Lula’s victory, at the end of October 2022, and the visit to the White House, the two presidents have already spoken by phone on two occasions:
- When Lula was declared the winner of the presidential elections ;
- On January 9, the day after the coup attacks on the buildings of the National Congress, the Federal Supreme Court and the Planalto Palace.
The US is the third country visited by Lula since he took office, on January 1 — he has already been to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay.
Lula also plans to travel to China and Portugal in the coming months. The dates have not yet been confirmed.
‘Reset’ in relationships
The Brazilian Foreign Ministry, in a press briefing on February 7 said that the meeting represents a “reset [restart]” in Biden’s relationship with Brazil, which, according to the brief, was on “water bath”.
Topics covered during the Lula-Biden meeting
During Lula’s visit to the US, the agenda of the two leaders will have three central themes:
Environment
According to Brazilian foreign ministry official Ambassador Michel Arslanian Neto, Brazil has already signaled a “special impulse” on the issue during the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP-27) in November. Now, Lula and Biden must join efforts to engage other countries.
Michel Arslanian Neto also stated that the two presidents should discuss cooperation for the development of the energy transition – the transition from an energy matrix focused on fossil fuels to wind and hydrogen.
Human rights
Both countries are interested in promoting an agenda, such as focusing on developing a policy for indigenous peoples.
The fight against hunger and poverty will also form part of the discussion. The ambassador recalled that Brazil will assume the rotating presidency of the G20 on December 1st of this year and that, in this way, it should place the theme “at the center of the world economic debate”.
Democracy
Michel Arslanian Neto said that Brazil and the US should send a “message of strong support” to democratic political processes, “with the proper use of social networks and the fight against extremism”.
Who will accompany Lula?
During Lula’s visit to the US, the first lady, Janja da Silva, will accompany him. The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, and the Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva , informed that they should be part of the Brazilian delegation.
