Scholz And Macron To Visit Brazil Following Lula Inauguration

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to meet with incoming Brazil President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva in Brazilia shortly after his inauguration on January 1, according to Reuters sources.

• Reuters: "The sources said details were expected to be decided only after Lula's inauguration on Sunday."
• The trips may signal an attempt by western leaders to push for closer diplomatic relations with Brasilia after a period of unpredictable policy direction during the administration of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro.
• Courting Lula will be seen as particularly important to Western leaders including US President Joe Biden as Brazil is seen a crucial to managing Chinese influence in Latin America and achieving climate targets.
• Pushing Lula too hard for support on Russia is unlikely as a return to Brasilia’s traditional non-aligned approach to foreign policy is expected.
• Andre Pagliarini, a professor at Hampden-Sydney College: “Lula holds that Brazil benefits most from an independent foreign policy that does not go out of its way to ingratiate itself with the US or its geopolitical rivals du jour."