In Brasília, at the Planalto Palace, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed Spain’s President Pedro Sánchez on March 6. The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral relations, emphasizing:
– Spanish investments in Brazil
– Energy transition initiatives
– The Mercosur-European Union trade agreement
Bem-vindo ao Brasil, companheiro @sanchezcastejon. 🇧🇷🤝🇪🇸
🎥 @ricardostuckert pic.twitter.com/mAdaEy0DOh
— Lula (@LulaOficial) March 6, 2024
Lula expressed his enthusiasm: “It is a source of great joy to welcome the president of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez… Today, we were able to prove once again that there is a great affinity between our governments.”
READ MORE
+ + Lula pledges full support for Brazil’s 2027 Women’s World Cup bid
+ + President Lula receives FIFA delegation in Brasília
+ + CBF expands foreign player limit to 9 in Brazilian league
He showcased Brazil’s investment potential in infrastructure and sustainability, highlighting renewable energy opportunities. “Our countries are taking great strides in the field of renewable energy—a field of cooperation that interests us greatly. Brazil’s potential is unlimited for generating electricity from clean sources such as biofuels, wind, solar, and green hydrogen,” Lula stated.
Sánchez reiterated Spanish investors’ interest in Brazil, emphasizing energy transition and climate change. “Spanish companies recognize this transformative impulse that President Lula gives to the Brazilian economy… It is an important element and will allow us to attract greater investment from foreigners into this country,” he said.
Brasil e Espanha têm registrado episódios de racismo, de discriminação racial e de xenofobia, inclusive no futebol. Só um projeto social inclusivo nos permitirá erigir sociedades prósperas, livres, democráticas e soberanas. Na reunião de hoje decidimos seguir avançando nesse…
— Lula (@LulaOficial) March 6, 2024
The leaders signed four memorandums of understanding covering:
- Telecommunications cooperation between Brazil’s Ministry of Communications and Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Enterprise, alongside Hispasat S.A. and Telebrás.
- Science and innovation collaboration between Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
- Training and improvement in Brazil’s Virtual School of Government and Spain’s National Institute of Public Administration.
- Health agreement between Spain’s Carlos III Health Institute and Brazil’s Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.
They emphasized the importance of protecting democracy and combating disinformation. Lula pointed out, “Spain and Brazil are two great democracies that face extremism, denial of politics and hate speech, fueled by fake news.”
Sánchez supported the establishment of a permanent dialogue mechanism: “We will institutionalize a permanent dialogue mechanism between the governments of Brazil and Spain…”
Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia in sports
The discussion also covered racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia in sports, and labor rights in the face of new technologies, with Lula citing Spain’s regulation of app-based work as a model.
Regarding the Mercosur-European Union trade agreement, Sánchez committed to advancing the negotiations, highlighting its potential to unite regions and address global challenges like democracy, human rights, and climate change.
Lula concluded with optimism about the agreement’s potential: “We have reached a situation in which—politically, economically and geographically—we need to make this agreement… That’s why I’m optimistic.”
