Statement by the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on a visit to Washington (USA), upon arrival at the White House

President Lula - President Biden, as well as putting Brazil back in the world’s new geopolitics – since Brazil had isolated itself for four years –, I had three things to say to you: first of all, thank you for your solidarity in recognizing my inauguration as Brazil’s President. Secondly, I acknowledge your position in defense of democracy. And lastly, congratulations on your speech the day before yesterday: it would also go down very well if it were made in Brazil. You know that Brazil spent four years marginalizing itself, with a president who didn’t like to have any relations whatsoever with any other countries. His whole world was fake news – morning, noon and night. It seems to me that he despises international relations.

Question 1 — How was your contact with President Joe Biden – and were there any announcements about the Amazon Fund?
President Lula — Look, first of all I’d like to congratulate you, because working as a journalist must be very complicated. Standing in this kind of cold, waiting to ask a question... journalism is a profession that should pay very, very well! The second thing is to tell you that it is with great joy that I return to Brazil, after having had a long conversation with President Biden about various problems of interest to the United States and Brazil, both in the fields of social and racial equality, and in the fields of democracy, clean energy, and the climate issue, above all – as well as the strengthening of democracy. I think everyone knows the importance of a good relationship between Brazil and the United States. No matter if it’s a relationship from the economic and commercial point of view; from the political point of view; or from the cultural point of view – it’s very important that we stay together. And I’m sure that the United States, through President Biden, is very convinced of the need to help out so that the world can be cared for with a little more affection, especially concerning countries that still have many preserved forests – such as the countries of South America, Brazil, Congo and other African countries. And I think it's important to take into account that we must transform the richness of our biodiversity into something that can be useful for the Brazilian people who live in the Amazon. I felt that President Biden was very willing to participate in building a fund, you know? With all the developed countries in the world, so that we can try to take better care of our planet. You know of our commitment in Brazil – of reaching zero deforestation by 2030. It will be very, very, very delicate work. We’re going to have to talk with a great number of governors and mayors. Instead of simply prohibiting it, we’re going to have to help encourage cities to cease deforestation. We’re going to be very tough with the loggers who cut down forests with no authorization to do so, and with prospectors who are not authorized to prospect or research. We’re going to be very tough, because, if we aren't, we won't be taking care of the Amazon or of indigenous peoples, and we won't even be taking care of the world's climate. I’m convinced that we are living in a new era. Brazil has returned to the world stage, right? Using its political power, and the respect that Brazil has conquered, so that we can, alongside other countries, carry out the task that has to be carried out for humanity. One very important thing that I think needs to happen is that we have to have global governance with greater authority; that other countries may participate in the Security Council so that certain decisions concerning the climate are taken at international level. I felt a lot of willingness from the American President to contribute to this effort; our teams will continue conversing in all fields so that there may be a very, very important evolution for both Brazil and the United States.

Question 2 — Welcome to the United States. Are you going to honor your election campaign commitment to not work towards the legalization of abortion in Brazil?
President Lula — You see, first of all, the issue of abortion is not a matter for the Brazilian Federal Government to discuss. It’s a matter for the National Congress; it’s defined in our Constitution, and, therefore, it’s not a subject to be discussed by the President. This is a matter that pertains to the National Congress.

Question 3 — President, thank you. Are the United States going to join the Amazon Fund?
President Lula — I think they’re going to do so. Not only do I think they’re going to, but they must participate. Because, you see, Brazil doesn’t want to transform the Amazon into a sanctuary for humanity – but neither does Brazil want to give up on the Amazon as a territory over which Brazil is sovereign. What we do want, in fact, is to share – with scientists all around the world – an in-depth study about the need to maintain the Amazon, but to also extract something from the richness of the Amazon's biodiversity that could mean an improvement to the quality of life of the people who live there – more than 25 million people. By doing so, we’ll ensure that there is greater security concerning the planet, because now everyone already knows the planet is round, that it rotates, and that, therefore, no one can escape from the destruction that we carry out on Earth.

Question 4 — You proposed a peace group to try to mediate the end of the war between Ukraine and Russia. How did President Biden react to this idea? And just to be clear on the issue of the Amazon Fund: did Biden clearly say that he’ll invest in the Amazon Fund, or are you going to build the Fund with several countries in the Amazon region, the American continent and other countries?
President Lula — I don’t think I specifically discussed the Amazon Fund; I discussed the fact that rich countries must take on the responsibility of financing all countries that have forests. In South America alone, besides Brazil, there’s Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, the Guianas – that is, there are several countries that we must take care of. So I didn't deal specifically with the Amazon Fund, but I can tell you that he will participate in it. The second thing is that I said to President Biden what I’d already said to President Macron and to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz – that we must establish a group of countries that aren’t directly or indirectly involved in Russia's war against Ukraine, so that we can find a possible way of making peace. I’m convinced that we must find a way out; a way to put an end to this war – and I felt the same concern from President Biden, because nobody wants this war to continue, and there have to be partners capable of establishing a group of negotiators who both sides believe in, and who both sides can understand – and end this war. The first thing is to end the war; next, to negotiate what is going to happen in the future. But we must stop shooting – if not, there’s no solution.

Question 5 — Mr President, when are you thinking of visiting Angola? We know that there is an excellent relationship between Angola and Brazil – and so that you may also take a more recent image of Angola to Brazilians, because recently Globo TV presented extremely old images of Angola, from over 20 years ago, and they didn’t show the country’s current reality. Are you thinking of visiting Angola to give Brazilians a new image of the country?
President Lula — I’m certainly organizing a trip to three African countries. I want to go to Angola, to South Africa and to Mozambique, to show that Brazil is going to resume its strong relationship with Africa. You know that Brazil owes much of its culture to Africa. It’s a debt that cannot be paid in cash: it has to be paid in exchange for science and technology, and in aid that Brazil can give in terms of development in various fields. And we’re going to do so, because it’s Brazil's historic and humanitarian obligation to maintain a beautiful relationship with the African continent. Brazil's relationship with Angola has always been very good. It's important to know that Brazil was the first country to recognize Angola's independence.