Brazil's Lula kicks off visit to European ally Portugal

By HELENA ALVES
ASSOCIATED PRESS • April 22, 2023

Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa reviewing the troops during welcome ceremony outside the 16th century Jeronimos monastery in Lisbon, Saturday, April 22, 2023. Lula da Silva is in Lisbon for a four day state visit to Portugal. (Armando Franca/AP)

LISBON — Portugal's president welcomed President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil on an official visit Saturday, as the Brazilian leader looks to strengthen ties with his country's natural partner in the European Union.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa received Lula and Brazilian first lady Rosangela da Silva in an official ceremony at the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon. Portugal is home to over 250,000 Brazilians, and some were on hand to cheer the visiting president.

During his first joint press conference with Sousa, Lula avoided feeding the controversy regarding his recent comments about Western military aid fueling Ukraine and Russia's conflict.

"My country took the decision long ago to condemn Russia for the occupation of the space and violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine, in the first days, and we have voted in the U.N. in this regard," he said.

The Brazilian leader reiterated his proposal that a group of nations including Brazil mediate a peaceful resolution to the war.

"I never equaled both countries, because I know what an invasion is and what territorial integrity is. And all of us think Russia is wrong and we already condemned it in every UN decision", he stated. The trip is Lula's first to a European country since he defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and won a third non-consecutive term in October. While in Portugal, the left-wing leader aims to secure about a dozen agreements on trade and migration. The relaunch of a Portugal-Brazil summit, which was last held in 2016 when Michel Temer was Brazil's president, was planned as the diplomatic highlight of the trip. The event will be the setting for the signing of 13 bilateral agreements, including a cooperation deal between the space agencies of Brazil and Portugal.

Before departing for Spain on Tuesday, Lula's itinerary includes a prize-giving ceremony on Monday to honor renowned Brazilian musician Chico Buarque and a visit to Brazilian airline manufacturer Embraer's factory near Lisbon.

Carla Bridi contributed from Brasilia and Raquel Redondo from Madrid.