There are already “a lot of new things in the relationship between Portugal and Brazil”, points out Marcelo
In brief statements to journalists, upon arrival at the Itamaraty Palace, in Brasília, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed that with Lula da Silva there was, above all, “the joy of resuming the tradition of the President-elect going to Portugal as the first country”which happened in mid-November.
“Then, the possibility of embracing the Brazilian President”, at the inauguration ceremony, “and embracing him in Portugal soon”, added the Portuguese head of state, referring to the Lula da Silva’s state visit to Portugal scheduled for April.
“Truly, a lot of new things in the relationship between Portugal and Brazil – multilateral Brazil, Brazil on the international scene, Brazil in the organizations where it is sorely needed”, concluded Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The meeting of the Portuguese President with the President of Brazil was scheduled for 12:00 local time (15:00 in mainland Portugal), but was delayed by at least four hoursdue to Lula da Silva’s intense agenda of bilateral meetings on the day following his inauguration.
The Presidency of the Portuguese Republic initially announced that the meeting would take place at the Planalto Palace, but all of Lula da Silva’s bilateral meetings today are taking place at the Itamaraty, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.
Since morning, at Itamaraty, the Brazilian President has received today the King of Spain and the Presidents of Bolivia, Guinea-Bissau, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, the Vice President of China and the President of Chile.
Next on the list of bilateral meetings, after Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is the President of Angola.
At Lula da Silva’s inauguration, on Sunday, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was the first foreign head of state to greet him, with a hug, in the greetings session at the Planalto Palace.
On Friday, upon arriving in the Brazilian capital, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that Lula da Silva would travel to Portugal for a Luso-Brazilian summit and a state visit between April 22nd and 25th.