Lula and Macron to visit Amazon rainforest in Belém

On his first official visit to Brazil, French President Emmanuel Macron arrives this Tuesday (Mar. 26) in Belém, in the state of Pará, where he will be welcomed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Both leaders will carry out an extensive bilateral agenda in the coming days in the country, covering topics such as the environment, defense, and the reform of multilateral organizations.

Macron’s itinerary includes visits to Itaguaí, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília, with his stay lasting until Thursday (28). Ambassador Maria Luísa Escorel, Secretary for Europe and North America at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated during a press conference with journalists last week, “A three-day visit is uncommon for a head of state. This is an indication of the significance of the Brazil-France relationship, of the exchange [between both countries], of the deep interest across various sectors.

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In Belém, both presidents will board a Navy boat to Combu Island, on the south bank of the Guamá River, to observe the artisanal and sustainable production of cocoa in the forest. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Lula aims to demonstrate to President Macron the complexity of the Amazon issue and the sustainable economic development alternatives available. Furthermore, Lula intends to highlight that the Amazon is not merely a vast forest but also home to approximately 25 million inhabitants, whose survival depends on the forest. The presidents will also hold a private meeting with indigenous representatives. During this meeting, President Macron is expected to award a commendation to Raoni Metuktire, a prominent indigenous leader of the Kayapó ethnic group and a global advocate for indigenous causes.

Submarine

Later today (26), from Belém, Lula and Macron will head to Rio de Janeiro, where they will stay overnight. On Wednesday (27), they will depart by helicopter from the Copacabana Fort to Itaguaí, where they will inaugurate the third submarine constructed at the Navy Naval Complex as part of the Submarine Program. This program is the result of a cooperation agreement between the governments of Brazil and France and aims to build a total of five submarines, with the final one expected to be delivered in a few years. During their meeting, Lula and Macron will discuss the continuation of this partnership, as well as a program to produce military helicopters and nuclear energy for civilian use.

Meeting and dinner

After their agenda in Rio, President Lula will return to Brasília, while Macron will travel to São Paulo to continue his visit to Brazil. There, the French president will participate in the Brazil-France Economic Forum on Wednesday (27) at the headquarters of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp). The forum will be attended by approximately 50 French businesspeople, including the Vice President of Brazil, Geraldo Alckmin.

In 2023, the two countries recorded a trade flow of $8.4 billion, with $2.9 billion in exports and $5.5 billion in imports.

Brazilian exports to France include products such as soybean meal, crude oils, petroleum, cellulose, and iron ore. On the French side, the main products imported by Brazil are engines, machinery, aircraft, and manufactured goods.

According to data from the Brazilian Central Bank, France is the third-largest investor in Brazil, with investments exceeding $38 billion. Additionally, there are approximately 860 French companies operating in Brazil, creating 500,000 jobs.

After the business meeting, Macron is expected to attend a dinner with Brazilian artists and cultural personalities, including singer-songwriter Chico Buarque. The possibility of the French president walking along Avenida Paulista and visiting the São Paulo Museum of Art (Masp) has not been ruled out. His agenda also includes a meeting with members of the French community in Brazil and the inauguration of a unit of the Pasteur laboratory at the University of São Paulo (USP). Macron will spend Wednesday night in São Paulo and, the following day, he will embark on the last leg of his trip, a state visit to Brasília.

State visit

In the federal capital, Brasília, Macron will be received with the honors befitting a head of state and will meet with Lula at the Planalto presidential palace. The meeting will focus on bilateral and global issues, including cultural matters, as 2025 marks 200 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Topics such as the reform of multilateral institutions, including Brazil’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, as well as the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, are expected to be discussed. The political situation in Venezuela and the humanitarian crisis in Haiti will also be on the agenda.

A sensitive topic between Brazil and France, likely to be sidestepped during Macron’s visit, is the ongoing negotiations regarding the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. Macron expressed his opposition to the agreement at the end of last year.

“This visit is not about that. Negotiations have been paused due to the European Parliament elections. The focus is on the strategic bilateral relationship between these two countries. The focus is on convergences, not divergences,” stated Brazilian ambassador Maria Luísa Escorel.