Presidents Lula Da Silva and Trump Set to Meet in DC on Thursday

Finally, President Donald Trump’s long-postponed meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is to take place this Thursday, in Washington, D.C. No official announcement has been made, but an unnamed White House official has confirmed to media that the meeting is on. The agenda ranges from tariffs, to critical minerals (Brazil is second only to China in reserves of critical minerals; the Lula government is drafting a national policy to prioritize processing of those minerals in Brazil), and, of course, international strategic matters. Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin told Brazil’s O Globo daily on Tuesday that Lula da Silva also plans to propose an agreement for the two countries to jointly combat the drug trade (Lula da Silva opposes the Trump administration’s sovereignty-be-damned, “send in the US Marines!” policy).