Brazil's Lula Scraps Planned Visit to BRICS Summit
Brazil's president has called off his planned trip to Russia due to an injury. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will not be able to attend the annual BRICS meeting in Russia due to a head injury he incurred earlier this week.
The summit, set to take place over three days in Kazan—Russia's fifth-largest city—will begin on Tuesday. Lula had been expected to engage with fellow leaders, including Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China, during the conference. In his absence, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira will represent the nation.
“President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in accordance with medical advice, will not be traveling to the BRICS summit in Kazan due to a temporary impediment to long-distance flights,” his office stated on Sunday. The announcement also indicated that Lula would participate in the summit via videoconference and would return to his regular schedule later in the week.
The 78-year-old politician was hospitalized after suffering an injury at his residence on Saturday. A statement from the Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo confirmed he sustained blunt trauma to the back of the head, reportedly after slipping in his bathroom.
“After examination by the medical team, he was advised to avoid long-distance flights,” the hospital added. Fortunately, the president has since been discharged and is now back at home.
Founded in 2006 by Russia, China, India, and Brazil, BRICS aimed to enhance trade and investment among its members. The group has since expanded to include nine nations and has broadened its agenda to cover security and various global challenges.
“The BRICS have a unique chance to shape the trajectory of global development,” Lula remarked last year, noting that “our countries together represent a third of the world economy.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
The summit, set to take place over three days in Kazan—Russia's fifth-largest city—will begin on Tuesday. Lula had been expected to engage with fellow leaders, including Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China, during the conference. In his absence, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira will represent the nation.
“President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in accordance with medical advice, will not be traveling to the BRICS summit in Kazan due to a temporary impediment to long-distance flights,” his office stated on Sunday. The announcement also indicated that Lula would participate in the summit via videoconference and would return to his regular schedule later in the week.
The 78-year-old politician was hospitalized after suffering an injury at his residence on Saturday. A statement from the Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo confirmed he sustained blunt trauma to the back of the head, reportedly after slipping in his bathroom.
“After examination by the medical team, he was advised to avoid long-distance flights,” the hospital added. Fortunately, the president has since been discharged and is now back at home.
Founded in 2006 by Russia, China, India, and Brazil, BRICS aimed to enhance trade and investment among its members. The group has since expanded to include nine nations and has broadened its agenda to cover security and various global challenges.
“The BRICS have a unique chance to shape the trajectory of global development,” Lula remarked last year, noting that “our countries together represent a third of the world economy.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
