Pneumonia makes Lula cancel trip to Beijing
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President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva canceled his trip to China, after being diagnosed with bacterial bronchopneumonia and influenza A. In a note, the government informed that the visit will be rescheduled “on a new date”, without informing the day of departure.
The team of the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, warned that he “will not make the trip at this time” due to the “cancellation of the presidential mission to China”.
Lula had already postponed the departure of the presidential entourage for one day, from this Saturday to Sunday morning (26). However, ministers, diplomats and a delegation of 120 agribusiness entrepreneurs were already in Beijing awaiting the president. They participated in industry events and work and institutional meetings with Chinese government officials. Other businessmen, from areas such as industries and commerce, are expected to arrive in Beijing this Saturday.
“President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva decided to postpone his trip to China as a result of medical advice. The postponement has already been communicated to the Chinese authorities with the reiteration of the desire to schedule the visit on a new date”, informed the government, this Saturday, 25.
According to a note from the Planalto Palace, Lula was examined at the Hospital Sirio-Libanês, in Brasília, on Thursday, the 23rd, after having symptoms of the flu. The doctors then diagnosed that the president had “bacterial and viral bronchopneumonia due to influenza A, and treatment was initiated”.
“After today’s reassessment and, despite the clinical improvement, the medical service of the Presidency of the Republic recommends postponing the trip to China until the cycle of viral transmission ends”, said the doctor Ana Helena Germoglio.
Chinese authorities have been notified
According to the government, the Chinese authorities have already been informed of the postponement. There was anticipation in Beijing and apprehension because of Lula’s state of health since Friday, the 24th, when takeoff was postponed for one day.
Ambassadors discussed on the phone the possibility of a general postponement of the State visit, but were initially informed that the general picture was good and the government canceled only the first day of commitments in China, a forum promoted by the Brazilian Center for International Relations (Cebri) .
Assistants to the president say that the rescheduling depends not only on the complete recovery of the Brazilian president, after the end of the viral cycle and transmission of Influenza, but also on the possibility of rescheduling appointments with the head of state, Xi Jinping.
There was still behind the scenes concern on both sides about a possible transmission of the virus to the Chinese leader. The Asian country’s government has strict protocols for dealing with Xi Jinping’s health. During the covid-19 pandemic, he did not leave the country. Lula would be received by the Chinese president on Tuesday, the 28th, and would have a bilateral meeting, as well as a banquet in his honor. The Influenza A virus would be active during the encounter. Lula was diagnosed on March 23 and the meeting would take place five days later. The viral cycle is 7 days.
With the announcement of Lula’s hospitalization, one option considered was the sending of Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, which would cause the ceremonial change of State commitments to the level of Vice Presidents of both countries. Even so, the diplomats thought it unlikely because of the smaller geopolitical dimension and doubted that the government base would agree to delegate to Alckmin a visit with the political weight of China, an agenda dear to the PT and the left.
Before the visit was scheduled, the party dispatched leaders Romênio Pereira and Mônica Valente to Beijing for meetings with the Chinese Communist Party. The president of the Lula Institute, Márcio Pochmann, was already on institutional agendas in the Chinese capital.
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