Argentine president to embark on state visit to Brazil

President Alberto Fernández of Argentina is set to undertake a state visit to Brazil on Monday, where he will engage with authorities from all three branches of government and hold a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The upcoming meeting with Lula da Silva marks the fifth encounter between the two heads of state since the start of this year.

President Fernández previously traveled to Brazil for Lula’s presidential inauguration in January, a bilateral meeting in early May, and a working day of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) in early June.

In return, President Lula visited Buenos Aires in January for a summit of Heads of State of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).

This forthcoming meeting serves as a prelude to a summit in the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazú on July 4, where President Fernández and President Lula will convene with the presidents of Paraguay and Uruguay, Mario Abdo Benítez and Luis Lacalle Pou, respectively.

The summit is part of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) Heads of State gathering.

During his visit to Brazil, President Fernández’s itinerary includes a meeting with President Lula at the Planalto Palace, lunch at Itamaraty, the headquarters of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, meetings with the President of the Brazilian Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, and a representative from the Chamber of Deputies.

Additionally, he will visit the Federal Supreme Court, Brazil’s highest court, led by President Rosa Weber.

This visit is significant as it coincides with commemorating the 200th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Argentina and Brazil, which commenced on June 25, 1823.