Republic of Lithuania
Brazil maintained diplomatic relations with Lithuania during the period of that country's independence, in the 1920s and 1930s. When Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union (1991), Brazil recognized it and diplomatic relations were reestablished.
The Embassy of Brazil in Copenhagen is responsible for representing Brazil to the Lithuanian government. In 2019, the Ambassador of Brazil in Copenhagen visited Lithuania on three occasions: in January, for the traditional annual meeting of heads of diplomatic missions with the Lithuanian president; in July, for the inauguration of the new president, Gitanas Nauseda; and, in November, for the inauguration of an exhibition and meetings with local authorities. In February 2020, the Ambassador in Copenhagen returned to Lithuania to attend the meeting of heads of diplomatic missions with President Gitanas Nauseda.
In 2019, trade between the two countries amounted to $45 million, with $23.8 million exported to Lithuania and $21.2 million imported by Brazil. The main products on the Brazilian export list are leather, tobacco, and raw animal materials. The main Lithuanian exports to Brazil are fertilizers and telecommunication equipment.
Both countries have cooperated in the process of reforming global governance institutions and have expressed mutual support for candidacies to international bodies. Lithuania supported Brazil's candidacy for a permanent seat on a reformed UN Security Council and co-sponsored the G4 (Brazil, Germany, India and Japan) draft resolution on UN Security Council reform.
São Paulo is the second largest community of the Lithuanian diaspora in Latin America, after Buenos Aires. In addition to the consulate-general in the city, Lithuania maintains honorary consulates in Santana do Parnaíba (São Paulo) and Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil has supported events to disseminate Brazilian culture, with the participation of national artists in art exhibitions, film screenings in festivals, and book releases of Brazilian authors translated into Lithuanian. As a result of the pioneering collaboration between the Lasar Segall Museum in São Paulo and the Vilna Gaon Jewish Museum in Vilnius, an important retrospective of the artist Lasar Segall was held in the Lithuanian capital in November 2019.
Chronology of bilateral relations
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2019 |
Retrospective of the artist Lasar Segall at the Vilna Gaon Jewish Museum in Vilnius |
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2018 |
Meeting of Foreign Ministers and signing of the Brazil-Lithuania Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly |
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Fifth Meeting of Political Consultations in Brasilia |
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2017 |
Meeting of Foreign Ministers and signing of Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Cooperation, during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly |
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Fourth Meeting of Political Consultations in Vilnius |
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2015 |
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Linas Linkevičius, visits Brazil |
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2013 |
Consent to the opening of the Lithuanian Honorary Consulate in Rio de Janeiro |
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2012 |
Consent of the Brazilian government to the opening of the Lithuanian consulate general in São Paulo |
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2011 |
Appointment of the honorary consul of Brazil in Vilnius |
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Bilateral Political Consultations Meeting in Brasilia. Signing of Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations |
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2009 |
The Secretary General for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Samuel Pinheiro Guimarães, holds a bilateral meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart, Undersecretary Asta Liauskiene, on the margins of the European Union – Rio Group Ministerial Meeting (Prague) |
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2008 |
President Valdas Adamkus visits Brazil. Signing of Cultural Cooperation Agreement |
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2002 |
Opening of the embassy of Lituania in Buenos Aires, responsible for overseeing, cumulatively, Brazil’s relations with Lithuania |
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Working visit of Foreign Minister Celso Lafer to Lithuania. Signing of Bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement |
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1996 |
Visit to Brazil of President Algirdas Brazauskas, the first high-level visit of a Lithuanian official |
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1993 |
The Embassy of Brazil in Copenhagen (Denmark) is now cumulatively responsible for representing Brazil in Lithuania |
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1991 |
Brazil’s recognition of Lithuania's independence and reestablishment of diplomatic relations |
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1921 |
Brazil’s recognition of Lithuania’s independence |
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1920-1930 |
Lithuanian community establishes in São Paulo |