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Lula’s Delegation Gathers More Than 110 Members in New York, With Expenses of R$ 4.31 Million and Meeting Marked by Trump’s Gesture
The trip of the Brazilian delegation to the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York involved dozens of authorities and million-dollar figures. According to the Folha de São Paulo, the partial findings from the Transparency Portal indicate expenses of R$ 4.31 million just for the group that directly accompanied President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). In addition to ministers, representatives from public banks, governors, and the first lady participated.
Delegation Costs in Focus
According to official records, about R$ 2.8 million was spent on accommodations. Another R$ 1.5 million covered vehicle rentals for transportation in the city.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for the logistics, highlighted that the values are still “in execution” and will only be fully disclosed after the completion of the trip.
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In 2024, the recorded expense for the presidential delegation at the UN reached R$ 8 million. Therefore, a complete comparison between the two years cannot yet be made, as some daily rates and services take months to be recorded in the system.
Who Was in the Delegation
This year’s group included ministers such as Ricardo Lewandowski (Justice and Public Security), Camilo Santana (Education), Márcia Lopes (Women), Sônia Guajajara (Indigenous Peoples), Jader Barbalho (Cities), Mauro Vieira (Foreign Affairs), and Marina Silva (Environment).
The first lady, Rosângela Lula da Silva, known as Janja, and the governor of Ceará, Elmano de Freitas (PT), also traveled.
Representatives from Banco do Brasil and BNDES joined the list, reinforcing the presence of public agencies at the event.
Absences and Restrictions
Some names were left out. The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, despite having a visa granted, chose not to travel.
The Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, withdrew from the mission due to limitations imposed by the Trump administration for circulating in New York.
Lewandowski himself also faced issues. His visa was suspended, but on the 16th he received entry clearance and managed to join the delegation.
Speeches and Meetings
As tradition, Brazil opened the statements at the Assembly. In his speech, Lula made a strong defense of Brazilian democracy.
He condemned the advance of anti-democratic forces and the inaction of great powers in the face of the conflict in Gaza.
Without directly mentioning the United States, the president warned that authoritarianism grows when the international community remains passive.
He also took the opportunity to reaffirm the judicial condemnation against Jair Bolsonaro for involvement in a coup attempt.
Reaction with Trump
After Lula’s speech, American President Donald Trump stated in his speech that he briefly met with the Brazilian.
The meeting lasted just over half a minute, but yielded statements. Trump said he felt “excellent chemistry” with Lula and even joked:
“I only do business with people I like, and I liked him. For at least 39 seconds we had excellent chemistry.”
This was the first time the two shared the same environment since the imposition of American sanctions against Brazil.
History and Transparency
Last year, the Brazilian government sent 161 people to the UN Assembly, including eight ministers. The variation in the exact numbers occurs because different ministries adopt their own criteria for publishing traveler lists, and not all names are disclosed in the Official Federal Gazette.
The Itamaraty reaffirmed in a statement that all expenses of the 2025 mission will be published. Thus, any citizen will be able to consult them both on the Transparency Portal and in the Federal Government’s Travel Panel.
Lula’s trip to New York and his team highlighted not only Brazil’s diplomatic weight at the UN but also the significant costs involved.
With still partial data, the numbers draw attention, while the speeches and meetings reinforce the political relevance of the event.
Information from Folha de São Paulo.
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