The elected vice president of Colombia, France Marquezmet this Tuesday in Sao Paulo with the former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvawhich aspires to a new mandate, to speak about peace and the fight against hunger and racism.
“An encounter fraternal and constructive with Lula, who expressed his love for Colombia and his desire to support us in achieving peace and well-being for the Colombian people. Thank you, thank you Brazil for her brotherhood, ”said Vice President Márquez.
For his part, Lula indicated that in the meeting with the president-elect, the continent was discussed, as well as the fight against hunger and racism in Colombia and Brazil.
The Brazilian president between 2003 and 2010 is the favorite in the polls ahead of the elections on October 2. At the polls, he will face the far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.
The meeting took place within the framework of a tour of the renowned environmental leader that began this Tuesday in Brazil. The tour will run until Monday and includes visits to Rio de Janeiro, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires and La Pazaccording to an agenda released by his press team.
“We want to establish a fraternal dialogue with political and social leaders on issues of peace, equality, climate change and racial justice in the region,” added the vice president-elect.
Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT) reported that Márquez’s agenda in Sao Paulo included meetings with former ministers to “know the social inclusion programs implemented by the governments” of that political organization, at the head of the Executive between 2003 and 2016.
He also met with representatives of the Brazilian black movement
“Márquez showed special interest in affirmative policies, in programs for transferring resources and combating violence against children and protecting women,” added the PT.
If Lula wins the elections, Brazil will join the new wave of leftist governments in Latin America, including Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Bolivia and Colombia.
A fervent anti-leftist, Bolsonaro did not congratulate Petro on his victory in June and assured that his coming to power is a sign of the “threat of the return of communism”, as he refers to the Lula administrations, to Brazil.