Phl, Brazil mark 80 years with Lula visit

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil will undertake a state visit to the Philippines on 14 to 15 November to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture, energy, science and technology, defense, and technical cooperation.

The visit, upon the invitation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., marks the first time a sitting Brazilian president has visited the Philippines and coincides with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

As the largest country and economy in Latin America, Brazil is considered a key partner as the Marcos administration seeks to expand the Philippines’ engagement with the region.

The visit also comes ahead of the Philippines’ hosting of the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits as ASEAN chair, providing an opportunity to strengthen Brazil’s engagement with Southeast Asia.

Marcos has invited Lula to attend the 49th ASEAN Summit Plenary as Guest of the Chair. Brazil is an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner.

Marcos will welcome Lula at the Philippine International Convention Center, where the two leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks on advancing cooperation, including in multilateral forums and among countries of the Global South.

Despite their geographical distance, the Philippines and Brazil share historical and cultural ties rooted in Christian traditions.

Both countries have strong Catholic traditions, vibrant religious festivals and rich indigenous heritage. Their cultures also place importance on family and community relationships, hospitality, music, dance and religious celebrations.

These shared affinities offer opportunities to strengthen people-to-people ties through cultural exchanges, tourism, education, sports and other collaborative initiatives.

The Philippines and Brazil formally established diplomatic relations on 4 July 1946.