By Camilo Diniz
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva canceled two events scheduled for Saturday (Nov. 14) in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and was kept resting at his hotel. The reason, once again, was his voice. The hoarseness that had already troubled the president during the COP31 climate conference in Turkey has now derailed his agenda in Asia.
Two speeches canceled in a single day
The first to fall was the joint statement with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which was supposed to follow the bilateral meeting between the two leaders. Lula then also dropped the closing speech at the Brazil-Philippines Business Forum, organized by ApexBrasil, Brazil's trade and investment promotion agency. The presidential delegation said Lula would spend the rest of Saturday at the hotel.
The warning signs from Turkey
The problem did not begin in Manila. On Wednesday (Nov. 11), during COP31, Lula asked Environment Minister João Paulo Capobianco to read one of his speeches. At the close of the conference, however, the president wanted to be the last to speak and delivered a 14-minute address despite the hoarseness. His voice had been failing for days, and the schedule continued at the same pace.
What is at stake at the ASEAN summit
Lula is still expected to speak at the opening of the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Brazilian government considers his participation crucial to bring Brazil closer to the bloc and to advance a change in the country's status, from sectoral dialogue partner to full dialogue partner. In other words, what is at stake is not just a speech but a diplomatic ambition.
Other meetings at risk
The agenda in the Philippines also includes bilateral meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and with Singapore's prime minister, Lawrence Wong. Those meetings are still scheduled but could be affected if the voice problem gets worse. For now the outlook is uncertain, and those who depend on Lula to close deals in the region will have to wait to find out whether he will be in condition to speak.
Why it matters
Lula, Brazil's president and the leader of the Workers' Party (PT), has built his foreign policy around raising Brazil's profile abroad. A trip through Asia that includes a summit with a regional bloc, a business forum and meetings with several heads of government is a high-visibility test of that effort. Canceled appearances on such a schedule affect not only the president's image but also the negotiations that depend on his presence.
VDD Analysis
A president who cancels speeches, delegates the reading of his remarks to a minister and still goes ahead with an international trip exposes a problem that goes beyond the throat: doubt about his ability to fulfill the country's diplomatic agenda. Brazil needs a head of state with a firm voice and a firm schedule, not a string of canceled commitments.
