By Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira
LISBON, April 22 (Reuters) – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was received in Lisbon on Saturday, at the start of his first visit to Europe since he was elected.
In an effort to improve foreign relations and the image of his country abroad, Lula arrived in Portugal on Friday for a five-day visit that coincides with a controversy over his recent comments on the war in Ukraine.
Lula has angered many Western countries for suggesting Ukraine and Russia are to blame for the conflict that began when Moscow invaded its neighbor in February 2022.
Two Brazilian officials told Reuters Lula – keen to protect Brazil’s neutrality – was expected to avoid criticizing the West’s role in the Ukraine war during his visit.
Lula’s visit, along with that of other Brazilian officials, “continues the agenda of relaunching Brazil’s diplomatic relations with its main partners,” the government said in a document in which the agenda was reported.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro did not visit Portugal during his four years in office.
Lula attended a welcome ceremony in front of Lisbon’s Jerónimos Monastery on Saturday morning, which included a military parade and the singing of national anthems. Several people dressed in red, the color of Lula’s Workers’ Party, gathered to show their support for her.
Angered by Lula’s comments on the war, Portugal’s Ukrainian community held a demonstration outside the Brazilian embassy on Friday.
Brazil has said that Portugal could be an “important ally” in helping the South American bloc Mercosur negotiate the grand free trade deal with the European Union. Trading has been on hold due to various weather issues. (Reporting by Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira and Rodrigo Antunes Edited in Spanish by Javier López de Lérida)
Source: Ambito
