Lula to attend the coronation of King Charles

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirmed that he will attend the coronation of King Charles III, in the United Kingdom, on May 6. The trip should also include a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with no scheduled date yet. 

Charles III and Lula spoke by telephone in early March. The conversation focused on possible partnerships between the two countries on issues related to the environment and sustainability. 

The president returned from a state visit to China this Sunday, and on Thursday he leaves again for appointments in Portugal and Spain. He will return to Brazil before going back to Europe in May.

While in China, Lula signed 15 bilateral agreements with his counterpart Xi Jinping last Friday, most of them on technological cooperation. The two leaders agreed to form a working group to facilitate bilateral trade.

Brazil was also invited to take part in the G7 meeting to be held in May in Hiroshima, Japan. It is the first time since 2019 that the country has been invited to a G7 meeting.

In the invitation, the Japanese embassy in Brazil said that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida believes that Lula can play an “active role” in discussions on the global economy, the war in Ukraine, and the climate because he “has a lot of experience.”

Since taking office in January, Lula has visited the U.S., Argentina, Uruguay, and China — all-important trade partners for the country. This round of international trips aims to consolidate Brazil’s image as a relevant player on the international stage. 

During the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro, foreign relations were overlooked, and the country gained a reputation for being isolated from the rest of the world. The image was crystalized at the G20 meeting in 2021, during which Mr. Bolsonaro preferred to talk to waiters at events rather than other world leaders and was the only president without side meetings with other representatives.

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