The Diplomat
His Majesty the King, who yesterday attended the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as the new President of Brazil, expressed his confidence that Brazil will play a “very active” international role.
Don Felipe headed the Spanish delegation that attended Lula da Silva’s inauguration, which also included the Second Vice-President and Minister of Employment, Yolanda Díaz, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares.
Hours before taking part in the ceremony in which Lula returned to the Brazilian presidency, the King held a meeting at the Spanish Embassy in Brasilia with the Ambassador, Mar Fernández-Palacios, and with the rest of the diplomatic representation and representatives of the Spanish community.
Before the Spaniards living in the South American country, Felipe VI valued the relationship between Brazil and Spain both for “the historical trajectory” and for the “common” and “shared interests” of both nations.
After pointing out that Brazil is experiencing a “moment of change”, the King spoke of emphasising all the issues in which both countries have “mutual interests, both on this side of the Atlantic and in Europe and other parts of the world”.
This is the first time that Don Felipe has visited Brazil since he came to the throne in June 2014, although, in 2011, he attended as Prince of Asturias the inauguration of Dilma Rousseff, who succeeded Lula as president between 2003 and 2010. Twenty years ago, on 1 January 2003, he also attended Lula’s inauguration in Brasilia, during his first term in office.
At yesterday’s ceremony, Felipe VI coincided with 15 other heads of state who accompanied Lula on his return to power, including those of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as those of Germany and Portugal.
The event was not attended by the outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, who did not present Lula with the presidential sash, breaking a tradition in Brazilian democracy.
In his speech, Lula said, among other things: “On these terrible ruins I assume the commitment, together with the Brazilian people, to rebuild the country and make Brazil once again a Brazil of all and for all”.
Before the ceremony, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Edson Arantes do Nascimento “Pelé” and Benedict XVI.
The official ceremonies concluded with a reception offered by Lula at the Itamaraty Palace, headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, to some fifty foreign delegations.
Yesterday, Don Felipe had lunch with the President of Portugal, Marcelo Reblo da Sousa, before Lula’s inauguration.
The King is scheduled to meet with the new Brazilian leader today, after which he will return to Madrid.
