Emmanuel Macron received the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Elysée on June 23, 2023. This meeting was notable as it marked a rare occasion where a French President visited Brazil. Macron was scheduled to begin a three-day state visit to Brazil on March 26 and was expected to be received by Lula da Silva in Belem, the capital of the State of Para in the Amazon. Despite his age of 78 years, Lula da Silva made the effort to travel 1,600 kilometers to personally welcome his guest, highlighting the significance of the visit and the strengthening of relations between the two countries.
The last official visit by a French President to Brazil was in 2016 during the presidency of François Hollande, marking an eight-year gap in high-level diplomatic exchanges between the two nations. The absence of visits was primarily attributed to the tumultuous presidency of Jair Bolsonaro from 2019 to 2023, who had strained relations with France, particularly during a diplomatic crisis in 2019 involving wildfires in the Amazon. Macron’s visit aimed to establish a presence in Latin America, a region that had been neglected by French diplomacy, and to demonstrate closeness with Lula da Silva, with whom he had met on several occasions.
Macron had been actively cultivating a relationship with Lula da Silva, hosting him at the Elysée in November 2021, even before his election victory in October 2022 against Jair Bolsonaro. Macron had congratulated Lula on his electoral success and showcased him as a key figure at the Paris summit in June 2023. Despite their differences in background and political journeys, Macron and Lula had found common ground in their approach to diplomacy, often adopting bold and occasionally controversial positions on international issues.
Both Macron and Lula were described as “francs-tireurs” or mavericks in diplomacy, known for their provocative and sometimes radical stances on various global issues. Macron’s interventions in the Ukraine conflict and his suggestion of sending troops to support Kiev, as well as Lula’s comparison of the war in Gaza to the Holocaust, were cited as examples of their unconventional approaches to diplomacy. The meeting between Macron and Lula in Brazil was seen as an opportunity for the two leaders to engage in dialogue and build on their shared interests.
The visit also signaled Macron’s broader strategy of engaging with Latin America, a region where French influence had waned in recent years. By strengthening ties with Lula da Silva and Brazil, Macron hoped to regain a foothold in the region and leverage their partnership on key global issues. The personal rapport between Macron and Lula, despite their differences in background and political ideologies, reflected a pragmatic approach to diplomacy focused on finding common ground and fostering cooperation between nations.
In conclusion, Macron’s visit to Brazil and meeting with Lula da Silva underscored the importance of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the potential for collaboration on various global challenges. The gestures of goodwill and personal engagement between the leaders highlighted a commitment to dialogue and cooperation, despite past differences and challenges. The visit also showcased Macron’s efforts to reassert French influence in Latin America and build partnerships with key regional players, setting the stage for enhanced cooperation in the future.
