U.S. President Joe Biden will welcome Brazil’s newly installed leftist president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, to the White House on Friday, seeking to strengthen relations with the South Amercian nation, which had cooled somewhat under da Silva’s predecessor.
Da Silva, commonly known as Lula, took office in early January after narrowly defeating Brazil’s former far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, in an October runoff election.
A week after da Silva’s inauguration, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the capital and trashed main government buildings, demanding that the leftist president’s election be overturned.
Biden condemned the action and pledged U.S. assistance. Analysts say the visit is important for da Silva to shore up support from the U.S. to help reassure the world of his nation’s political stability.
In a statement, the White House said Biden and da Silva would discuss how the two countries can continue to work together to promote inclusion and democratic values in the region and around the world, particularly in the lead-up to a March 2023 Summit for Democracy.
They will also “address common challenges, including combating climate change, safeguarding food security, encouraging economic development, strengthening peace and security, and managing regional migration.”
The Reuters news agency, citing Brazil’s foreign ministry, said da Silva’s delegation would include Environment Minister Marina Silva, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad and Racial Equality Minister Anielle Franco.