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The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva, decided this Saturday, due to pneumonia, to postpone his state visit to China, where he had planned to discuss with his counterpart Xi Jinping peace plans for the war in Ukraine and strengthen the diplomatic and economic relations between the two nations, since they had become rare during the mandate of Jair Bolsonaro.
“Due to medical guidance,” ‘Lula’, 77, “resolved to postpone his trip to China,” whose authorities were informed, the Presidency’s Social Communication Secretariat said in a statement.
‘Lula’ da Silva, in power since January, sought with the visit to the Asian power to regain Brazil’s weight in world geopolitics after the isolationism of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.
The diagnosis is “bacterial and viral bronchopneumonia due to influenza A,” explained Dr. Ana Helena Germoglio, according to the statement from the Presidency.
In the role of medical guidance, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva resolved to say goodbye to his trip to China. The addition has already been communicated to the Chinese authorities with the reiteration of the desire to mark the visit in new data. #TeamLula
– Lula (@LulaOficial) March 25, 2023
The president had gone to the Sirio Libanés hospital in Brasilia on Thursday with “flu symptoms”, after an intense week of work with commitments in four states of this continental country.
On Friday, the leftist president, who was initially due to leave on Saturday for China, had postponed his departure for a day due to “mild pneumonia” and remained at the official residence of La Alvorada, where he met with ministers and parliamentary leaders.
His condition was stable and he was receiving medication, but after a new medical evaluation this Saturday, the head of state decided to suspend the trip.
“Despite the clinical improvement, the medical service of the Presidency of the Republic recommends postponing the trip to China until the viral transmission cycle ends,” said Dr. Germoglio.
Another doctor who examined him, Roberto Kalil, told the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper that “the president is doing well” and could return to work next week, although for a trip to China he will have to wait at least 10 days. The Executive has not yet reported a new date for the visit.
For his part, the advisor for international affairs to the Presidency, Celso Amorim, who was chancellor during the first two governments of ‘Lula’ (2003-2010), told the newspaper ‘O Globo’ that the interest in the visit has not changed. and that Brazil seeks to reschedule it “as soon as possible.”
After reassessment on the day of today and, despite the clinical improvement, the medical service of the Presidency of the Republic recommends the addition of the trip to China until the cycle of viral transmission is closed. – Dr. Ana Helena Germoglio
– Lula (@LulaOficial) March 25, 2023
Economic agreements, improvement of diplomatic relations and Ukraine: the issues to discuss with Xi
‘Lula’ was to arrive in China at the head of a large delegation of at least six ministers, governors, senators and deputies, as well as more than 200 heads of companies, almost half of which are from the agricultural sector.
His official schedule was to start on Tuesday, when he was scheduled to meet Xi Jinping. The leftist leader had to present his proposal to create a group of mediating countries in the war in Ukraine to his Chinese counterpart.
According to Brazilian media, even without ‘Lula’, businessmen must continue their agendas in China, where a business seminar will take place on the 29th.
China is the first commercial partner of Brazil: last year the exchange between the two countries exceeded 150,000 million dollars.
But Brazilian businessmen continue to find it difficult to place higher value-added goods on the Chinese market and are looking for new investments.
His health has been a cause for concern in recent years. Last November, ‘Lula’ underwent a procedure to remove a lesion in the larynx.
The president, who often has a hoarse voice, was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2011 and had a tumor removed. Since then, medical results have shown complete remission of the cancer.
with AFP
