President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva departed Brasília late on Tuesday afternoon for his trip to Colombia, where he will meet President Gustavo Petro.
In a briefing to reporters last week, João Marcelo Queiroz, head of the Brazilian Foreign Affairs Ministry’s department for South American Affairs, said that Mr. Petro invited Lula to visit Colombia during the South American Summit in Brasília back in May 2023. Lula will attend the Bogotá International Book Fair, which this year pays homage to Brazil.
Mr. Queiroz said that around 70 Brazilian companies currently operate in Colombia, notably to enjoy the benefits of Colombian free trade agreements with the U.S. and the European Union.
Presidents Lula and Petro are to have a two-hour bilateral meeting on Wednesday morning, followed by a press conference.
Mr. Queiroz told reporters that it is “expected” that both presidents will discuss the upcoming elections in Venezuela. However, the subject is not present in more recent official communications about Lula’s agenda in Bogotá.
Additionally, a business forum will be held, organized jointly by export promotion agencies ApexBrasil and ProColombia. Mr. Queiroz said he expects around 300 people will attend.
Brazil is Colombia’s third-largest trading partner, behind the U.S. and China. Trade between Brazil and Colombia amounted to around USD 6.1 billion in 2023.
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