President Jair Bolsonaro and US President Joe Biden had a bilateral meeting on Thursday night (9) in Los Angeles, during the 9th Summit of the Americas, which brings together leaders from most countries in the Western Hemisphere. This is their first meeting since Biden came to power in January 2021. The press statement, accompanied by aides from the parties, began at around 8 pm Brasília time (4 pm local time) and lasted around 4 pm. 10 minutes.
???? President Jair Bolsonaro met this Thursday (9) with Joe Biden, President of the United States. The meeting took place during the IX #Americas Summit, In Los Angeles. Accompanied by Biden, Bolsonaro spoke about the meeting. Look: pic.twitter.com/dtC4YmOnk3
— Agência Brasil (@agenciabrasil) June 10, 2022
In his speech, Bolsonaro said that Brazil will be one of the largest exporters of clean energy on the planet, praised agribusiness and reaffirmed that the country is an example in preserving the environment, despite the “difficulties”.
“The environmental issue, we have our difficulties, but we do our best to meet our interests and also, why not say, the will of the world. We are an example for the world in the environmental issue. In addition to food security, clean energy, as well as in terms of the environment, Brazil is a giant, and it presents itself to the world as the solution to many problems”, he said.
Bolsonaro said he was interested in getting closer to the United States, cited common values between the two nations and commented on the Brazilian elections in October. “This year, we have elections in Brazil, and we want, yes, free, reliable and auditable elections. And I’m sure that when I leave the government, it will also be in a democratic way”, he pointed out.
Regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine, Bolsonaro said he wanted peace and did everything possible to achieve it, but without taking measures that could have economic consequences for Brazil. The US and Europe have been leading trade boycotts against the Russians to push for an end to the war.
“We regret the conflicts, but I have a country to manage. And, due to its dependence, we always have to be cautious, because the consequences of the pandemic, with the mistaken stay-at-home policy, the economy we see later, aggravated by a war 10,000 km away from Brazil, the economic consequences are harmful for all of us”, he argued. “We are available to collaborate in building a way out of this episode, which we do not want, between Ukraine and Russia,” he added.
Biden, who spoke before Bolsonaro, made a shorter statement, welcomed the Brazilian leader and said that other countries should help finance the preservation of the Amazon.
“We have to help the economic recovery and also the climate concern. You try to protect the Amazon, I think the rest of the world should help finance this preservation. This is a very big responsibility. We have to connect our peoples and I’m looking forward to to know what you think about it. I’d like to hear your opinion and also raise some issues of mutual interest,” Biden said.
He also spoke of shared values between the two countries and praised Brazil, calling it a “wonderful country”, with a “magnificent people” and “strong institutions”.
On the Brazilian side, the meeting was accompanied by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, who is with Bolsonaro in the US, in addition to ministers.
Bolsonaro participates this Friday (10th) in the deliberative session of the Summit of the Americas. Also on Friday, after the end of the meeting of heads of state, the Brazilian president and his entourage will travel to Orlando, also in the United States, where he will fulfill the agenda for the inauguration of a Brazilian consular headquarters and other activities.
