Why Emmanuel Macron is going to Brazil despite his differences with President Lula

The President of the Republic is traveling to Brazil to discuss biodiversity and the fight against global warming. A desire for rapprochement while there is no shortage of areas of discord between the two countries.

Emmanuel Macron visiting Brazil. After two days in Guyana, and a visit on Tuesday March 26 to the assembly site of the Ariane 6 rocket in Kourou, the Head of State lands at 8:15 p.m. in Belém, in the heart of the Amazon forest, for his very first visit . He must notably decorate the cacique Raoni. Biodiversity, fight against global warming… Emmanuel Macron hopes to make Brazil a strategic partner. However, between France and the country led by Lula, there is no shortage of areas of contention.

The first of the angry subjects is Ukraine. Since the start of the conflict, France has been looking for allies, but Brazil has played the non-aligned role, in the wake of the Brics, the famous big emerging countries like India, which are seeking to voice a third way. Schematically, Brazil believes that kyiv is partly responsible for the conflict, which is mainly regional. There is also no question of Brazil necessarily following the United States. The situation is roughly similar diplomatically with regard to Gaza, Brazil having heavily condemned Israel’s response after October 7.

Another subject of contention: Mercosur, this free trade treaty which plans to facilitate the importation into Europe of agricultural products from several Latin American countries including Brazil. France is against the treaty, which triggered the annoyance of Lula, who did not hesitate to denounce the protectionism of Emmanuel Macron. Difficult to believe, as Mercosur hit the headlines during the recent agricultural crisis, but officially the Élysée assures that this subject will not be discussed between the two presidents, a sign that everything is done to smooth things over.

A “very Brazilian” year 2024

But then, if there are so many reasons for anger, why does Emmanuel Macron still choose to go to Brazil? Because he wants to reconnect, says those around him. Brazil remains a giant: 215 million inhabitants, fifth country in the world by area. France is the largest foreign employer there with more than 1,100 companies and yet Emmanuel Macron has never set foot there. It is therefore his very first visit, a curiosity due in particular to the Jair Bolsonaro years (2019-2023). Even if politically he is very far away, the head of state on the other hand describes Lula as his friend. He even received it when he was released from prison in Paris, when the former steelworker had not yet become president again.

The Élysée sees in this state visit, very rare in Brazil since Covid, the reflection of this closeness. Emmanuel Macron wants to display it around common challenges: the fight against global warming, the fight against poverty, the preservation of biodiversity… Hence the first stopover in Belém, the presentation of decoration to the cacique Raoni, before stages in São Paulo, where he will give a speech to the French community and meet former footballer Rai before going to Brasilia. The Head of State has in mind that the year will be “very Brazilian”according to the Élysée: G20 in Rio in the fall, COP30 in Belém in 2025… Brazil, for Emmanuel Macron, is also a box to check.