Antonov denies information released by the São Paulo state government regarding investments

The Ukrainian state-owned aviation company Antonov denied on Wednesday (26) information released by the São Paulo state government.

In a note, the administration of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans, right) said that the company had suspended investments of US$50 billion over 5 years in Brazil because of statements by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT, progressive-globalist) about the war in Ukraine.

“Currently, the mass media of the Federative Republic of Brazil are sharing the false information that the Antonov Company has suspended supposed negotiations on the supposed launch of aircraft production in Brazil,” Antonov said in a statement on Facebook.

The Ukrainian company frequently consults with partners in several countries, including Brazil.

However, it said it has no authorized representative in the country.

“Antonov emphasizes its interest in developing cooperation with the Federative Republic of Brazil in the field of aviation technologies and will appreciate Brazil’s official initiatives on establishing mutually beneficial cooperation,” it added.

The Secretary of International Affairs of the State of São Paulo reported on Monday (24) that the Ukrainian state-owned company would have suspended investments in Brazil.

“The Secretariat of International Business of the State of São Paulo informs that, on April 11, it received representatives of Oleksandr Nykonenko and Victor Avdeyev, board member and vice president of Antonov Company, for a hearing about the interest of the Ukrainian state-owned company Antonov to develop activities in Brazil, especially in the State of São Paulo,” said the São Paulo government in a statement.

“According to the representatives, the company would have an investment plan of US$50 billion over five years.”

“Subsequently, the meeting participants got in touch, by e-mail, informing that ‘given the latest statements from the federal government, Antonov decided to suspend the negotiations,'” it added.

The information was spread by the press and in the social networks of members of Congress, as is the case of conservative federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira.

Chief Minister of the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic, Paulo Pimenta, asked to retract those who shared the false information.

“An absurd story without any real basis, posted without any care, as truth, as official information from the government of São Paulo With what objective? For political dispute?” he questioned on Twitter.

WHAT LULA SAID

During a trip to the United Arab Emirates on April 16, the Brazilian presidential candidate said the war was Russia’s and Ukraine’s fault.

He also blamed the U.S. in part for the conflict. On Monday (17), he received Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Earlier, he had already suggested that to end the war, Ukraine should cede the territory of Crimea to Russia.

U.S. representatives in Washington, D.C., criticized the president’s statements. They also caused reactions in Europe.

Lula softened his tone on a trip to the Iberian peninsula from April 21 to 26.

He signed a joint declaration with the Portuguese government in which both countries repudiated “the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity by Russia. In Spain, he said it is not up to him to decide whose Crimea belongs to him.

READ THE FULL NOTE FROM ANTONOV

“Currently, the mass media of the Federative Republic of Brazil are sharing the false information that the ANTONOV Company has suspended supposed negotiations on the alleged launch of aircraft production in Brazil.

“ANTONOV officially states that it holds constant consultations with foreign partners from various countries, including the Federative Republic of Brazil, to promote products and services in foreign markets.

“However, ANTONOV has no authorized representative in Brazil and has not granted any person, including law firms, any authority to represent the company’s interests.

“ANTONOV emphasizes its interest in developing cooperation with the Federative Republic of Brazil in aviation technologies and will appreciate Brazil’s official initiatives on establishing mutually beneficial cooperation.

“Thus, the report in the Brazilian press is not the official position of ANTONOV.

“To avoid manipulation and worsening of the international partnership, as well as to consider the current international situation caused by the large-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, ANTONOV kindly asks the media to carefully verify information related to the company’s activities received from other sources.”

With information from Poder360