Brazil (Lula da Silva) + 240 representatives ✈

The Brazilian President will pay an official visit to China between March 26 and 31. “It is an extremely important trip, not only to guarantee the relationship Brazil has with China but also to expand our relationship with China,” Lula told Brasil TV 247.  China is by far Brazil’s biggest trade partner.

The two countries will sign at least 20 agreements in areas including health, agriculture, education, finance, industry, science, and technology, according to Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

With 240 members of government and the business community expected to join Lula on his trip to Beijing next week, this promises to be Brazil’s most important diplomatic event of the year. Over 20 bilateral agreements are on the table. My report from Brasília @telesurenglish pic.twitter.com/NbfAVXTz3C

— BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) March 22, 2023

One of the major problems is at Brazil’s National Social and Economic Development Bank, led by a Bolsonaro-appointed Central Bank Chief.  Campos Neto can only be removed by the Brazilian senate.  The bank and Neto are setting one of the world’s highest interest rates: 13.75%.  One of the subjects of conversation between Lula and Xi Jinping next week will certainly be possible work-arounds to the still active Bolsonarista attempt to strangle Brazil’s economy – Brian Mier reports.  

In an interview on @brasil247, Lula said he’ll talk with Xi Jinping about the conflict in Ukraine next week because, “China is an extremely important country, which can have a more serious conversation with the U.S.”   Lula praised Xi’s three-day official visit to Russia, as amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, “we all need to stop and talk.”  Brazil “can make an extraordinary contribution to end the war and return to peace,” which is the most important thing to strive for at the moment, Lula said.  Likewise Lula said: “Russia is very important for peace in the world to prevail for many, many centuries.”

In general, since the election a calmer spirit prevails in the country.  There was major action from the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST) and this is a very large landless workers movement. School kids went out on strike to demand decent education (not the Bolsonaro education). Both of these were relatively peaceful, people felt they stated their cases and of course Lula picked up those cases.  There are problems with rivers being poisoned by illegal mining activities and others poisoned by pesticide use.  These are in indigenous lands.