President Lula at a New Development Bank event in China| Photo: Ricardo Stuckert

the american newspaper washington post criticized President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s (PT) trip to China, in an article published this Thursday (13). According to the newspaper, the United States hoped that Lula (PT) would be a partner for the West after the defeat of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), but stated that the Brazilian president seems to have “his own plans”.

The publication cited some episodes during the first quarter of the PT government, such as the fact that Brazil refused to join American President Joe Biden in condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He also pointed out the case of the Iranian ships in Rio de Janeiro, Celso Amorim’s visit to Nicolás Maduro and Vladimir Putin, as well as the BRICS bloc, which brings together Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa.

Regarding the Russian invasion, the newspaper quoted: “Brazil supported a UN resolution in February calling for peace and demanding that Moscow withdraw troops from Ukraine. But weeks later, Lula refused to sign a declaration by the president’s Summit for Democracy Biden condemning Russia’s attack on its neighbor.”

According to the newspaper, Lula’s trip to China takes place “at a time when relations between Washington and Beijing are becoming increasingly tense.” The report also stated that Brazil “is helping Beijing to boost its currency, the yuan, against the dollar”, “to overthrow the international order led by the USA”.