Brasilia, March 28 — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva today presents a positive health picture due to the bacterial bronchopneumonia afflicted him that has forced him to postpone a strategic trip to China.
According to Ana Helena Germoglio, infectious diseases doctor, general coordinator of the presidency’s health team, Lula is recovering well at the Alvorada Palace, the official residence of the head of state in Brasilia.
The Galena also assured that the Labor Party founder would be fully recovered by tomorrow.
After showing flu symptoms on March 23, the President was diagnosed with bacterial and viral bronchopneumonia due to influenza A.
On Germoglio’s recommendation, Lula, 77, had to postpone a weekend trip to China with a large delegation.
The Minister for Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, a doctor by profession, also confirmed that the President remains in very good health and has been receiving oral medication since Saturday evening.
He commented that the ex-union leader will soon be deployed to Alvorada to further his rehabilitation process.
“At least until Wednesday, you must keep all your appointments here at the Palacio de la Alvorada on doctor’s recommendation,” he noted.
When the decision is made, Lula, accompanied by 240 businessmen, as well as governors, senators, lawmakers and ministers, will travel to the Asian giant to strengthen ties in various areas.
The goal of the trip is to “promote the revival of relations with the country’s most important trading partner since 2009,” the federal government confirmed.
Last year, China imported more than $89.7 billion of Brazilian products, particularly soybeans and minerals, and exported nearly $60.7 billion to the domestic market.
The volume traded, $150.4 billion, has grown 21-fold since Lula first visited the Asian giant in 2004.
The trip also falls in the week that Brazil is exporting beef again after a month’s suspension. Sales of the product were suspended after a case of the so-called mad cow disease (a brain disease in adult cattle that can be transmitted to humans through contaminated meat) was discovered on February 22 at a farm in the municipality of Marabá, in the province northern State of Para.
Other important areas of the visit program are tourism between the two countries and investments.