Spanish King Felipe meets with Brazil's newly sworn in President Lula

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ISTANBUL (AA) – Spanish King Felipe on Monday met with Brazil's newly sworn in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the capital Brasilia.

The meeting took place a day after the king attended the inauguration of Lula, who returned to power as Brazil's president for a third term.

The leaders discussed relations between Brazil and Spain as well as ties between Europe and Latin America, Lula said on Twitter.

According to the Royal Household of Spain, the king went to the Brasilia Air Base following the meeting to return to his country.

The trip also marked Felipe's first visit to Brazil as the Spanish king.

On Oct. 30, Lula beat then-incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro in a tight race, garnering 50.9% of the votes compared to Bolsonaro's 49.1%.

Lula had been a candidate during the 2018 presidential election until graft and money laundering convictions curtailed his political aspirations. He was sent to prison and Bolsonaro won the presidency.

In 2019, Lula was released from prison after his convictions were overturned by the Supreme Court, allowing him to run again for the president's office.

He was an influential figure during the "pink tide" era – a period when many Latin American countries turned to the left.