President Lula’s Press Statement on the State Visit of the President of Panama

My dear friend José Raúl Mulino, President of the Republic of Panama. Fellow ministers who accompany President Mulino’s delegation. Colleagues from Brazil attending this meeting.

I am going to start by telling you a story. In 2008, we were at a meeting in Panama City with several Brazilian and Panamanian businesspeople when we received news of the subprime crisis in the United States.

Just like that, our meeting was over because several of the businesspeople had investments in the United States, and all of them, I think, thought that the world was over due to the subprime crisis. The concrete data is that, since then, Brazil’s relationship with Panama became extremely difficult. The last visit of a Panamanian president to Brazil was in 2008.

So a long time went by, practically 17 years, since we had a meeting, since we had a Head of State visit. And this is very bad because it makes growing the political relationship, the academic relationship, the scientific and technological relationship, the commercial relationship, and the relationship between our businesspeople very difficult. So President Mulino’s visit to Brazil is truly the beginning of a new relationship between Brazil and Panama.

President Mulino knows perfectly well that I advocate for relationships between any two countries in any area, from politics to culture, from trade to business. This relationship must be a two-way street, where everyone can win, where everyone can do business, and where everyone is satisfied. We cannot have a relationship in which the deficit of one of the countries is too large because it would generate many setbacks, including the internal relationship with the national congress and with the entrepreneurs in both countries.

For this reason, I want to tell President Mulino that I am very grateful for his visit to Brazil. I hope we can meet again at the COP that will be held in the Brazilian state of Pará, in the city of Belém, and I hope we can transform this COP30 into the COP of Truth. We have to know at this COP who is truly concerned about the climate issue.

Whether the leaders believe or not in what science is saying, in what is going on in the world. If we do believe, we will have to change our behavior in several aspects. If we do not believe, we will go down in history as the only animals that are capable of destroying their natural habitat, which is Planet Earth.

For this reason, President Mulino, I would like to thank you so much — not only for your presence, but also for the presence of a strong Panamanian delegation.

It is a great satisfaction to receive in Brasília the President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, accompanied by an expressive delegation of businesspeople.

Today, we strengthened the ties of cooperation and friendship between two democratic, multicultural countries that possess a rich biodiversity.

We are strengthening the bonds between the largest economy and the main logistical center of Latin America and the Caribbean.

We reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism, sustainable development, and regional integration.

This is particularly relevant in one of the most critical moments in the history of our region.

Attempts to restore old hegemonies jeopardize the freedom and self-determination of our peoples.

Threats of interference pressure democratic institutions and compromise the construction of an integrated, developed, and autonomous continent.

International trade is used as an instrument of coercion and blackmail.

The phrase "he who sows flags reaps sovereignty," which marked the Panamanian resistance in the 20th century, is more relevant than ever.

Brazil fully supports Panama’s sovereignty over the Canal, conquered after decades of struggle.

Panamá has been managing this maritime corridor for over 25 years with efficiency and respect to neutrality, ensuring safe passage to ships from all places. For this reason, we have decided to join the treaty regarding the permanent neutrality and operation of the Panama Canal, which has already been signed by more than 140 countries.

The agreement signed between Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports [Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos] and the Canal Authority will optimize Brazilian exports and modernize the operation of our ports.

Panamá also connects us to the world by air.

Copa Airlines operates more than 80 weekly flights departing from Brazil.

Panamá is our largest trade partner in Central America and the first in the region to associate with MERCOSUR.

We support Panama’s adherence to FONPLATA, a bank that has been playing a fundamental role in integration projects in the Cono Sur region.

To boost economic complementarities, we have instructed our teams to advance negotiations for a commercial agreement and another one to promote investments.

I have congratulated President Mulino on the acquisition of four Super Tucano EMBRAER aircraft.

These are high-technology aircraft that will strengthen the Panama National Air and Naval Service’s monitoring and surveillance activities.

FIOCRUZ is also going to increase the Panamanian capacity to produce vaccines and contribute to the establishment of a regional pharmaceutical pool.

My dear friends,

Brazil and Panama are both defenders of multilateralism and of peaceful solutions to controversies.

I wish President Mulino success in his current term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

As the representative of Latin America and the Caribbean in that organization, Panama can count on Brazil’s support to preserve the region as a peace zone, and one that is also free of nuclear weapons.

Combating organized crime cannot be used as a pretext for illegal threats of the use of force in clear violation of the United Nations Charter.

We talked about the importance of the UN supplying greater support and funding to Haiti’s Security Mission.

Like Brazil, Panama is a developing nation that is rich in marine ecosystems and tropical forests.

During the Oceans Summit in June, I advocated for the International Maritime Organization to adopt binding targets for zero carbon emissions in navigation by 2050.

I congratulate Panama for the investments it has been making towards the decarbonization of the Canal and maritime transport.

I salute the Panamanian adherence to the Global Biofuels Alliance and the national program that blends ethanol into gasoline, opening new doors to bilateral cooperation and investments.

Brazil is ready to share its vast experience in the production of renewable energies.

Even though Panama is one of the few countries that absorb more greenhouse gases than they emit, it already faces the effects of a rising sea level in its territory.

The displacement of the indigenous Guna people from their ancestral archipelago is a concrete example of climate injustice.

Both Brazilians and Panamanians are responsible for the immense biodiversity that exists in their countries and deserve to be compensated for the environmental services they provide to the planet.

For this reason, I have encouraged President Mulino to adhere to the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF), which we will launch at COP30.

As I have been saying, this will be the COP of Truth, the turning-point COP, our last chance to prevent an irreversible rupture in global climate.

I reiterated the invitation for [President Mulino] to attend [COP30 in] Belém because this COP, as I said in the beginning, will be definitive for the responsibilization of those who want to defend our planet.

Thank you very much.