Brazil’s president arrives in Lisbon this Friday for a five-day state visit to Portugal, where he will sign at least 13 bilateral agreements at the Luso-Brazilian summit, which is supposed to take place annually but will be the first in seven years.
“The trip is part of the relaunch of Brazil’s diplomatic relations with its main partners, as was the case with the visit to China 10 days ago, and to the United States, Argentina and Uruguay at the beginning of this government.” said the Brazilian Presidency, in a statement.
“According to data, about 252,000 Brazilians legally reside in Portugal. This does not include Brazilians with Portuguese or other European nationalities. According to estimates from the Brazilian consulates in Portugal, the Brazilian community could number between 275,000 and 300,000 people,” recalled the Brazilian. Government, to emphasize the importance of this trip, the first to Europe since Lula took office on January 1.
Lula da Silva lands at 10:40 am at the Figo Maduro military airport, but it is Saturday that his official agenda begins, with the 13th Luso-Brazilian summit as one of the highlights.
At the previous Luso-Brazilian summit, in 2016, which had also not been held for three years, between the Prime Minister, António Costa, and the then President of Brazil, Michel Temer, “five bilateral agreements were signed in the field of electric mobility, literature and science and cooperation for development,” reads the official page of the Portuguese government.
Now more than twice as many agreements will be signed, with the Brazilian government insisting that “the preparation of the meeting started at the end of last year, after the presidential elections”, in October 2022, in which Lula da Silva won against Jair Bolsonaro.
“There will be at least 13 documents, including cooperation between the space agencies of Brazil and Portugal, between the cinema agencies of the two countries for audiovisual production, from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) with various ministries of Portugal and for equivalence of studies, among others in middle and high school,” the Brazilian government said.
On Wednesday, during a press conference at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasília, the Secretary for Europe and North America, Ambassador Maria Luisa Escorel de Moraes, explained that including memorandums of understanding on energy, geology and mining, the “mutual recognition of driving titles” between the two countries, rights of people with disabilities, a memorandum on tourism.
The day will conclude with a state dinner hosted by the Portuguese President in Palácio da Ajuda.
The next day, Sunday, Lula da Silva’s schedule is “free” for now, said the Brazilian diplomat.
On Monday, Lula da Silva and his retinue will travel to Matosinhos to attend the opening of the Portugal-Brazil Business Forum, together with Prime Minister António Costa.
There will also be the signing of the renewal of the Protocol of Understanding between the Portuguese Investment and Foreign Trade Agency and its Brazilian counterpart, the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (ÁPEX).
The departure to Lisbon will take place on board a KC-390, produced by the Brazilian company Embraer. Portugal recently purchased five KC-390 aircraft.
Upon arrival in Lisbon, the Brazilian leader goes to OGMA – Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal, in Alverca.
He will not be present at the April 25 session. After Lisbon, go to Madrid
“The moment of great emotion for everyone” is saved for 4 p.m. at Palácio Queluz for the presentation of the 2019 Camões Prize to Brazilian singer and writer Chico Buarque.
“The Brazilian was chosen to receive the award in 2019, but the signature was not given by the previous government,” recalled the current Brazilian government.
A “ceremonial session in honor of President Lula, which precedes the April 25 celebrations”, is scheduled for April 25 at 10 a.m., during which the Brazilian president will deliver a speech.
Lula da Silva will travel to Madrid after a speech at the Assembly of the Republic and will not be present at the memorial meeting on April 25.
“The information we received was that the president had been invited to a special session for him so that he could speak to the assembly,” confirmed Ambassador Maria Luisa Escorel de Moraes, when asked by Lusa.
“In principle, he would already leave for Madrid and not participate in the April 25 memorial session. This is the information I have at the moment,” added the Brazilian diplomat who will be present in Lula da Silva’s entourage.
Source: DN
