Lula receives Brazil’s certificate as free of foot‑and‑mouth disease
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Friday (Jun. 6) received the certificate recognizing Brazil’s status as a country free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination. The new health status was approved by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on May 29 and, the president said, comes as recognition of the robustness and reliability of the country’s agricultural defense system.
“It’s a day to show our gratitude for the efforts made by cattle producers in Brazil, the Ministry of Agriculture, and Brazilian meatpackers, who have worked for 60 years to be recognized as first-class citizens,” the president said at the WOAH event in Paris. He is on a state visit to and has several engagements scheduled until next Tuesday (10).
“It’s one thing to work to try and please those inside our house; but it’s quite another to try and win over the world, pleasing and convincing people who often don’t even know Brazil or our producers—the people who are our competitors and often make demands we think are absurd, but we fully comply with. So this day marks the recognition of a country where agribusiness is one of its most important economic pillars,” he added.
Brazilian Minister of Agriculture Carlos Fávaro highlighted the efficiency of the Brazilian health system in the face of increasingly severe crises. He recalled that two years ago Brazil had its first case of bird flu in wild animals and managed to keep the virus from entering commercial farms during this period.
“If we are prepared, we can certainly keep the focus on a single farm. This is a difficult procedure, and Brazil is proving to be really efficient. This isn’t about celebrating the crisis, but the opportunity of the crisis, to show this robustness,” the minister declared.
He also mentioned that the Brazilian state has partnered with several countries, distributing vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease to ensure that there are no outbreaks in neighboring territories.
In the minister’s opinion, the new health status opens up great commercial opportunities, with access to more demanding markets, like Japan. Brazil, he noted, currently exports beef and pork to over 160 nations.
The president of the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), Ricardo Santin, described the certificate as a boost to the country’s image and said it means money for Brazil’s balance of trade. He cited China as an example. For sanitary reasons, China can only buy boneless pork from Rio Grande do Sul state.
“This recognition could tell China that it can recognize [the whole country], as it recognizes Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, Acre, and Rondônia as [states] free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination, able to sell bone-in pork and pork offal. This brings to Rio Grande do Sul alone $120 million over the course of a year—which goes into the trade balance, but is also distributed among a plethora of small integrated producers who will be doing social justice,” he pointed out.
Honorary doctor
Before the WOAH event, President Lula also received the Doctor Honoris Causa title from Paris 8 University, in recognition of his work on policies for access to higher education, the fight against hunger, and the defense of democracy.
Honoris causa is Latin for “because of honor” and is the most important title that can be awarded by a higher education institution in recognition of people who make significant contributions in areas such as culture and education. In addition to President Lula, Brazilian philosopher Marilena Chauí has also been recognized by Paris 8 University.
In the president’s view, the title comes from his commitment to those who have always had to fight for a voice and space.
“I’m sure this award and this title is much more a tribute to the capacity of the Brazilian people to resist than anything I’ve done in my country,” he stated at the ceremony.
Paris 8 University was created to democratize French higher education and has strong links with the working class, immigrants, and other marginalized groups. The institution has cooperation initiatives with Brazil, including a program for indigenous doctoral students.
“We have to believe in education as a way of giving opportunities to everyone. It makes me happy to know that, in my country, the daughter of a domestic worker can compete for a university seat with her employer’s daughter. We don’t want to disadvantage anyone—what we want is to give them the right to compete for spots on equal ,” he said.
In his speech, the president recalled the rise of the extreme right in the world and their attack on universities. In the US, for example, President Donald Trump has cut funding and plans to limit debates and ban institutions from receiving foreign students.
“The far right is afraid of education because they know it’s where awareness is born. , which has welcomed so many exiled Brazilian intellectuals, knows that defending universities means protecting science. In times of disinformation and negationism, knowledge must be protected as an instrument for the common good,” he argued.
Engagements
Also on Friday, President Lula visited the exhibition Nosso Barco Tambor Terra, by Ernesto Neto, at the Grand Palais, ’s main convention center. The event marks the Year of Brazil in , which includes various activities until September across more than 50 French cities.
Yesterday (5), he was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron before g 20 bilateral deals in health care, public security, education, and science and technology.
He was also honored by the French Academy in Paris. The institution was created in 1635 and, in its almost 400-year history, only 19 other heads of state have been honored in an official session. Before President Lula, the only Brazilian to receive the honor was Dom Pedro II, in 1872.
