Lula, together with the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, this Monday in Brasilia. RICARDO STUCKERT (EFE/RICARDO STUCKERT)
The meeting that the US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, and the President-elect of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, held this Monday in the capital, Brasilia, lasted two hours.
The meeting, which has been much longer than initially planned, has dealt with a wide range of topics, including Venezuela, the war in Ukraine, climate change... In addition, Sullivan brought an invitation from President Joe Biden, so that Lula could meet him. visit in Washington.
The Brazilian is inclined, according to one of his closest advisers, to travel after taking office, on January 1, and not before as was initially considered.
After the meeting with the US envoy, Lula tweeted: "I am encouraged to talk with Biden and deepen the relationship between our countries."
The democrat was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate the leftist after his victory and the next day they talked by phone.
Despite the interest shown by both parties, everything indicates that the trip to Washington will probably already be in 2023.
After attending the climate summit and Portugal, the next president of Brazil is immersed in intense two-way negotiations: with his coalition partners to design his Cabinet of ministers and with Congress, to approve funds with which to pay for his great promise electoral, keep the pay for the poorest.
Lula's main adviser on foreign policy, former Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, who has been at the meeting with the White House envoys, has since hinted that Lula's agenda is too complicated in the almost four weeks that remain. until the start of his third term.
“(Lula) appreciates the invitation, but perhaps he does not have (time) to be (in the US) before taking office.
But he believes that he will be able to go shortly after the start of the year, already on an official visit as president," Amorim said, according to G1.
In an international scenario marked by the growing confrontation between the US and China, Brazil is seeking its place between the two.
The Asian giant replaced the first world power as its first trading partner a little over a decade ago.
Sullivan visits Brazil in full transfer of power between the teams of Lula and the defeated outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, who remains mute and with a minimal public agenda, which for now includes mostly military events.
The National Security adviser is accompanied on his trip to Brasilia by Biden's special advisor for Latin America, Juan S. González.
The Americans were also going to meet with a high official of the Bolsonaro government, the Secretary of Strategic Affairs.
According to the account of the Brazilian side, Lula and Sullivan have discussed various issues but there have been no concrete demands.
They have addressed the situation in Venezuela, the war in Ukraine, climate change, Haiti, the situation of democracy...
The former Brazilian foreign minister has recounted that for the Americans "it is essential that in Venezuela there be an election that can be considered fair and they will accept the winner," reports Reuters.
In the midst of the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, the United States has launched an operation to rebuild relations with the government of Nicolás Maduro.
After a recent exchange of detainees, the US president has authorized the oil company Chevron to operate in the South American country.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, Lula's position is more ambiguous than Washington would like.
The Brazilian, who caused a controversy by accusing Zelensky of being as responsible as Putin for the dispute, is in favor of prioritizing a diplomatic solution over any other possibility.
The Brazilian president-elect and the National Security adviser have been in favor of collaborating more closely in the face of the climate emergency, but without talking about concrete measures.
And while Brazil has asked Washington for support in its everlasting demand that the Security Council be expanded with other members, Biden would like Lula to deploy a new operation in Haiti to stabilize the country and thus stop emigration to US territory.
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