WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden will host Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for meetings on Feb. 10, the White House announced, a month after the storming of government buildings in the Brazilian capital by far-right protesters.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders would discuss U.S. “support of Brazil’s democracy and how the two countries can continue to work together to promote inclusion and democratic values in the region and around the world." They are also set to discuss climate change, migration, economic development and security matters.
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Lulu replaced President Jair Bolsonaro, who left Brazil for Florida on Dec. 30, two days before Lula's inauguration. The ceremony proceeded without incident, but a week later thousands of Bolsonaro’s die-hard supporters stormed the capital and trashed the main government buildings, demanding that the leftish president's election be overturned.
The action was sharply condemned by Biden, who pledged U.S. assistance. It had echoes of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump after he lost his reelection bid.
Bolsonaro is being investigated for whether he had any role in inciting that uprising. It is just one of several probes targeting the former president, which at the least could strip him of his eligibility in future races.