Lula ends visit to Portugal with entourage that caught the attention of the Portuguese

The closing of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s (PT) visit to Portugal, this Tuesday morning (25), was marked not only by protests and boos during a speech in the Assembly of the Republic. The size of the Brazilian entourage also caught the attention of the Portuguese, due to the large number of participants – around 75 people.

The number was not confirmed by the Presidency of the Republic, but, according to the Portuguese broadcaster SIC, two planes were needed to transport the entourage of authorities, advisors and security guards. A People’s Gazettethe government informed, through the Secretariat of Communication (Secom), that the entourage of authorities had 24 participants, but without mentioning the advisors and companions.

According to the official report informed to the report, the first lady Janja da Silva, five ministers, four senators, nine deputies and members of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC), Embratur and the Apex Brasil. See below the official list of participants of the Brazilian entourage:

• José Múcio, Minister of Defense;
• Margareth Menezes, Minister of Culture;
• Marcio Macedo, Chief Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency;
• Luciana Santos, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation;
• Anielle Franco, Minister of Racial Equality;
• Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL), senator;
• Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP), senator;
• Leila Barros (PDT-DF), senator;
• Fernando Lopes de Farias (MDB-AL), senator;
• Marcelo Queiroz (PP-RJ), federal deputy;
• Átila Lins (PSD-AM), federal deputy;
• Jandira Feghali (PCdoB-RJ), federal deputy;
• Júlio Lopes (PP-RJ), federal deputy;
• Lídice da Mata (PSB-BA), federal deputy;
• Newton Cardoso Júnior (MDB-MG), federal deputy;
• Denise Pessôa (PT-RS), federal deputy;
• Gabriel Mota (Republicanos-RR), federal deputy;
• Gervásio Maia (PSB-PB), federal deputy;
• Marcio Rosa, executive secretary of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC);
• Marcelo Freixo, president of the Brazilian Institute of Tourism (Embratur);
• Jorge Viana, president of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil).

The official list failed to mention Minister Silvio Almeida, of Human Rights and Citizenship, who participated in a meeting with Anielle and Macêdo on Sunday (23), with Portuguese social movements.

Nights at the hotel cost between 300 and 7 thousand euros

The Brazilian delegation spent four nights at the luxury hotel Tivoli Avenida Liberdade, in downtown Lisbon, where rates range from 300 euros (R$ 1,600) to 7,000 euros (R$ 39,000). The place is famous for hosting celebrities when they go to the Portuguese capital and is close to designer stores.

The Presidential Suite at the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade measures 270 m², accommodates up to three people and has a living room with a terrace, bathtub and access to the spa, among other facilities and amenities. There is also the diplomatic suite which is a little smaller, with 77 m² and facilities similar to the presidential one.

The hotel did not say how many rooms were booked by the delegation or the amount paid.

An air ticket from Brasília to Lisbon by a Brazilian company costs from R$ 7,800 on the next available Friday. Also according to SIC, 22 cars were made available to transport participants.

Secom also did not inform the expenses, but said that the data will be made available on the Transparency Portal.

“It should be explained that part of the expenses with transport and accommodation was paid for by the Portuguese government. The expenses incurred by the Brazilian government will be made available on the Transparency Portal, under the heading ‘Receipt of Resources’, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), the body responsible for funding accommodation and per diems for the authorities that are part of the official entourages of the president, the vice -President of the Republic, pursuant to Decree No. 940/93”, he informed the report.

The Portuguese government did not explain the expenses with the Brazilian entourage. Secom also said that it was agreed that the bilateral Summit Brazil-Portugal summit will be held in Brazil in 2024.

The secretariat did not respond, until the closing of the report, when the expenses of the trip will be made public, which agencies bore the costs of the companions and the total number of participants in the entourage. She just limited herself to informing the signing of bilateral agreements and the resumption of relations between the two countries.

From Portugal, president Lula’s entourage went to Spain, where the president meets with Spanish trade union centrals, participates in the closing of the Brazil-Spain Business Forum this Tuesday (25), and will have official meetings with the president of the government, Pedro Sánchez , and with King Felipe VI on Wednesday (26), before returning to Brazil.