Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Donald Trump hold a meeting at the White House on Thursday. The talks cover organized crime, trade tariffs and critical minerals. Cuba is expected to remain a secondary topic, according to Itamaraty sources.
The meeting was intermediated by businessman Joesley Batista, owner of J&F. A company jet is scheduled to fly from Colorado to Washington the day before. The leaders’ dialogue had been planned since January after a phone call, but took shape following recent outreach from the White House.
The agenda focuses on bilateral matters. The fight against organized crime, American tariffs on Brazilian goods and critical minerals rank among the main points. Finance Minister Dario Durigan confirmed that rare earths will be on the table, with Brazil defending national sovereignty and local industrialization.
Lula travels with ministers including Mauro Vieira, Alexandre Silveira and Wellington César Lima e Silva. Sources indicate the talks may also address the nomination of Michelle Bachalete to the UN and the war in the Middle East. The delegation also includes the director-general of the Federal Police.
