The summit takes place in “a context of revitalization of CELAC, which was paralyzed for a time after Brazil’s departure,” said Minister Daniela Benjamin, director of Regional Integration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “At this summit we will have the opportunity to evaluate the progress that is being made and learn how cooperation will expand from now on,” she said.

According to the Itamaraty Palace, headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, Lula must schedule bilateral meetings with other heads of government, such as the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.

In January 2023, da Silva stated that Brazil is returning to the world, and nothing is more natural than beginning this path with the 7th summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He also noted that “throughout the successive Brazilian governments since redemocratization, we have committed ourselves with zeal and a sense of mission to regional integration and the solidification of a peaceful region, based on relationships marked by dialogue and cooperation.” However, he described recent years as a regrettable exception, “when my predecessor (Bolsonaro) made the inexplicable decision to withdraw Brazil from CELAC.”

He stressed that Brazil is back in the region and “ready to work side by side with all of you, with a very strong sense of solidarity and closeness.”

Lula is in Kingstown after attending the closing of the 46th conference of heads of government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) on February 28th in Georgetown, capital of Guyana, as a special guest.

Da Silva advocated expanding cooperation and integration between Brazil and the countries of the region, especially in terms of transportation and logistics, and invited the Caribbean countries to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, one of the highlight actions of the Brazilian presidency of the G20, a group of the 19 largest economies in the world and the European Union, which will last until the end of November.

jrr/llp/lam/ocs