Miguel Díaz-Canel is delighted with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s recent victory in Brazil’s presidential electionsto the point that in his first phone call with the South American president, he couldn’t hide his desire to get closer to an old Havana ally.
After congratulating him via his Twitter profile on Sunday evening, The ruler of the island telephoned the newly elected Brazilian president on Monday revealed by the Cuban Presidency in an unusual decision on its social networks.
president @DiazCanelB congratulates @LulaOfficial for his election victory shortly after the election results became known.
You can count on… #Cuba for everything, he assured her. 🇧🇷 🇨🇺#LulaPresidente2022 https://t.co/YXkrni7sLo pic.twitter.com/PvHusnvSOB
— Cuba Presidency 🇨🇺 (@PresidenciaCuba) October 31, 2022
“Your victory is not just yours: it belongs to Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean, it is a victory for peace, for Latin American integration, and you can count on Cuba for everything,” Díaz-Canel is heard saying over the phone.
“A hug for you, brother. We will work together and do many things. A hug and see you soon. Congratulations,” the video ends.
The ruler himself had tweeted: “Last night I spoke to Lula full of feelings of victory. I sent him hugs from Raúl, the people and the government of Cuba.”
On Sunday, within minutes of the announcement of the election results, Diaz-Canel tweeted: “Cuba congratulates you, dear colleague. You delayed your victory with cruel methods, but they could not prevent you from winning with referendum. Lula will return, PT will return, social justice will return.”
As of Monday itself, Lula had received calls from several world leaders, including the leaders of France, Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz; Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa; the President of that country, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told EFE.
According to the Workers’ Party (PT), he also contacted United States President Joe Biden, “but the connection failed,” so they would try again later.
In addition to these phone calls, the content of which was not disclosed, as in the Díaz-Canel case, Lula met in person with Argentine President Alberto Fernández in Sao Paulo.
The 77-year-old former mechanical woodturner’s victory received strong institutional support in Brazil and was quickly recognized by the international community within hours of the result being confirmed.
However, President Jair Bolsonaro had yet to comment or acknowledge his defeat as of Tuesday, leading to uncertainty over whether or not he will accept the opinion of the polls.
Havana’s cancellation of the More Doctors program after Bolsonaro came to power in Brazil was a major blow to the Cuban regime’s cofferswhich made millions of dollars in benefits by exporting professionals to this country.
During his campaign, Lula announced that if elected, he would reinstate this program. However, it is not certain that the leadership of a government with a strong opposition and an unfavorable political and institutional panorama will be able to implement all of its projects.