There are already “a lot of new things in the relationship between Portugal and Brazil”, says Marcelo – Observer
The head of the Portuguese State, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said this Monday, before being received by the newly sworn-in President of Brazil, Lula da Silva, that there is already “a lot of new things in the relationship between Portugal and Brazil”.
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 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 that are 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 it was at least four hours latedue 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 are taking place at the Itamaraty, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.
Since morning, at Itamaraty, the Brazilian President has already received 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 will travel to Portugal for a Portuguese-Brazilian summit and a state visit between April 22nd and 25th.