Shortly after taking office in Congress and speaking at the Palacio do Planalto, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received greetings from the heads of state who came to Brazil to honor the presidential inauguration.
The first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, the vice president, Geraldo Alckmin, and the second lady, Lu Alckmin, were at the president’s side at all times. In all, 18 heads of state came to Brasília for the ceremony. Among them are the majority of Latin American leaders, with the exceptions of Peru and Venezuela.
In the case of Uruguay, two former presidents also came to greet and take a picture with Lula. They are Julio María Sanguinetti (1995-2000) and José Pepe Mujica (2010-2015). Both accompanied the Uruguayan president Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou in the formal greeting to the new president of Brazil.
Julio María Sanguinetti and José Pepe Mujica greet President Lula- Tania Rego/Agência Brasil
In all, delegations from 65 countries confirmed their presence, including heads of state and government, vice presidents, chancellors, special envoys and representatives of international organizations. Adding ambassadors and diplomatic corps, there are around 120 countries represented.
Argentine President Alberto Fernández shakes hands with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Planalto Palace – Tania Rego/Agência Brasil
The 18 heads of state present were the King of Spain, Felipe VI, and the presidents of the following countries:
Germany – Frank-Walter Steinmeir
Angola – Joao Lourenço
Argentina – Alberto Fernandes
Bolivia – Luis Arce
Cape Verde – José Maria Neves
Chile – Gabriel Boric
Colombia – Rodrigo Chaves
Ecuador – Guillermo Lasso
Guyana – Irfaan Ali
Guinea-Bissau – Umaro Sissoco Embaló
Honduras – Xiomara Castro
Paraguay – Mario Abdo Benitez
Portugal – Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Suriname – Chan Santokhi
East Timor – José Ramos Horta
Togo – Faure Gnassingbe
Uruguay – Luis Lacalle Pou
Zimbabwe – Wang Qishan
The first lady of Mexico, Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, came representing the country’s president, Manuel López Obrador. Also present were the Vice Presidents of China, Wang Qisham; from Cuba, Salvador Mesa; from El Salvador, Félix Ulloa and from Panama, José Gabriel Carrizo.
The confirmed heads of government were those of the Republic of Guinea, Mali, Morocco and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Also present were the deputy prime ministers of Azerbaijan and Ukraine.
In the case of presidents of power, the confirmed presences were the presidents of the Federation Council (Russia), of the People’s National Assembly (Algeria), Islamic Consultative Assembly (Iran), Senate and National Assembly (Dominican Republic), Assembly of the Republic (Mozambique ), the Senate of Jamaica and Equatorial Guinea, the National Parliament (Serbia) and the National Assembly (Venezuela).
Lula’s inauguration also included special envoys from the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Qatar, Kenya, France, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Cambodia.
At this moment, President Lula is taking part in the ministerial inauguration ceremony, at the Planalto Palace, and later on to Itamaraty, where a dinner with foreign authorities is scheduled.
