Lula da Silva Confirms Brazil’s Return to CELAC

Orinoco Tribune, January 5, 2023 — In 2020, former president Jair Bolsonaro decided to withdraw Brazil from CELAC.

This Wednesday, the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, confirmed his country’s return to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

The announcement was made by the assistant foreign minister of Bolivia, Fredy Mamani, who indicated that Da Silva informed the Bolivian president, Luis Arce, of his return to the regional organization.

“President Lula has confirmed that he will participate in the 7th Summit of Heads of State in Argentina,” Mamani said at a press conference. “The return of Brazil to CELAC is very important; this announcement is fundamental for Latin America and the Caribbean, and will strengthen the regional integration process.”

Lula Da Silva is expected to confirm the statement during the 7th CELAC Summit of Heads of State, to be held on January 24 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In 2020, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro withdrew Brazil from CELAC on the grounds that it “gave prominence to non-democratic regimes.” CELAC is composed of Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Dominica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.