President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) indicated this Thursday (3) that he should maintain his visit to Russia, scheduled to take place in mid-February, even amid tensions on the country’s border with Ukraine.
The Brazilian leader also said, in a nod to reduce pressure on the meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, that he would go to the US if invited by US President Joe Biden.
“Brazil is Brazil, Russia is Russia. I make relationships with the whole world. As if Joe Biden invites me, I will be in the US with great pleasure,” said the president, who is participating this Thursday in a bilateral meeting with the president of Peru. , Pedro Castillo, in Porto Velho (RO).
The United States has pressured Bolsonaro to cancel, or at least postpone, the trip to Moscow, in yet another move to try to isolate Putin during the escalation of tensions on the border with Ukraine.
American diplomats expressed concern about the timing of the visit. In the White House’s assessment, Bolsonaro’s visit to Putin would send the message that Brazil supports the Kremlin’s actions in Eastern Europe, lending legitimacy to something the US considers a violation of international law.
The crisis was triggered after Russia deployed 100,000 to 175,000 troops in areas close to the borders with Ukraine. The US and allies of NATO, the western military alliance, accuse Putin of preparing an invasion of the neighboring country, as he did in 2014 when he annexed Crimea.
On Thursday, Bolsonaro also spoke about relations with Peruvian Pedro Castillo, elected by a left-wing party. “We want a free South America, freedom of expression, freedom of the press for everyone. Of course, this meeting has to do with that. We cannot have a good relationship if democracy doesn’t really prevail in his country,” Bolsonaro said.
Then, he highlighted that criticism and possible friction with the Peruvian leader are no longer a problem. At the time of the elections in the Latin American country, in 2021, Bolsonaro came to regret Castillo’s victory over Keiko Fujimori, a right-wing candidate and daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori.
“Now we’ve lost Peru. It’s back, apparently, there’s 1% missing there, just a miracle to reverse, a guy from the São Paulo Forum will get back there [organização de partidos de esquerda]”, he said at the time.
Bolsonaro and Castillo sign a series of bilateral agreements in Porto Velho. Before the event, the Brazilian leader highlighted that the partnerships reflect the spirit of a good relationship between the countries.
The president arrived at the Porto Velho Air Base (RO) around 10 am, local time (11 am in BrasÃlia), and was welcomed by dozens of supporters. Without a mask, he waved and greeted some gifts, as well as holding a child in his lap.
He also participated in a motorcycle race that had 180 participants, all previously registered online. Before the start of the event, supporters were searched by federal and military police, in addition to receiving identification through a sticker. In the vicinity of the Air Base, where the president landed, merchants were selling Brazilian flags and towels with Bolsonaro’s image. A sound car played the national anthem and the Independence anthem.
Source: Folha
