President Donald Trump said he agreed to meet next week with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after an impromptu interaction between the two leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“I must tell you, I was walking in and the leader of Brazil was walking out. We saw him, and I saw him, he saw me, and we embraced,” Trump said in his speech at the annual gathering Tuesday, delivered after the Brazilian leader also addressed the organization.
Trump has clashed with Lula, as the Brazilian president is known, over the conviction of Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, for attempting a coup.
Bolsonaro is a political ally of Trump’s and was sentenced by Brazil’s top court to more than 27 years in prison even after the US president urged the country to drop the case. Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports in a bid to stop the trial and his administration has sanctioned the Brazilian judge and others tied to the prosecution.
Earlier: Lula Kicks Off UN General Assembly With Broadside at Trump
But on Tuesday, Trump offered warm words for Lula even as he continued to assail Brazil.
“He seemed like a very nice man, actually. He liked me, I liked him,” Trump said. “At least for about 39 seconds we had excellent chemistry, it’s a good sign.”
Trump said he hoped the two nations could find a way to work together.
“I’m very sorry to say this, that Brazil is doing poorly, and will continue to do poorly, they can only do well when they’re working with us,” he added. “Without us, they will fail, just as others have failed.”
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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