Brazilian President Lula to visit his Colombian counterpart this week

Brasilia, April 15 (RHC)-- The director of the South America Department of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, Joao Marcelo Galvao de Queiroz, reports that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will hold a meeting this week with his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, as part of an official visit to the South American country

Lula will participate in a business forum, organized by ApexBrasil and the ProColombia agency, which is expected to be attended by some 300 businessmen from both nations from various sectors.  The Brazilian president will also attend the inauguration of the 36th International Book Fair of Bogota (FILBo), where Brazil will be the Guest of Honor.

The Presidency of Brazil revealed in a press release that the presidential meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 17, and will address, among other topics, issues related to "the agendas of trade and investment, sustainable development and Amazon cooperation, social programs, human rights and family agriculture".

For his part, Galvao de Queiroz considered that "This visit of President Lula is another stage in this process of rapprochement with Colombia, which began with the presence of President Petro at the inauguration on January 1, and then with his participation in the meeting of South American presidents".

Colombia and Brazil "are two countries with an important contingent of Afro-descendants and indigenous people, and have as a priority attributed by their rulers the strengthening of these sectors in society", added Galvao de Queiroz.

The note from the presidential office of the South American giant highlighted that "they are two governments that share very similar visions regarding the Amazonian dimension that both have and in relation to South American and regional integration, in a broader manner".

The Brazilian president's agenda in Colombia will be preceded by a parliamentary mission organized by the Brazilian Secretariat of Institutional Relations to establish ties between Brazilian and Colombian congressmen "on issues of mutual interest."