The US President, George W. Bush, called reelected Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, this Tuesday morning, October 31, to congratulate him.
In a very friendly and informal call the American leader told Lula, "Your victory was spectacular. You have to give me a little of your know how because I need it at this time".
Americans are going to the polls November 7 for congressional elections and Republicans are running the risk of losing their majority in the Senate or the Lower House or even in both houses of Congress.
The American president also invited Lula to pay a visit to the United States in the coming months. According to Foreign Relations Minister, Celso Amorim, who was present when Bush called, the US chief was "warm" during the whole short conversation.
British Premier, Tony Blair, also called Lula, today, to greet the Brazilian president. Blair told Lula that he intends to talk to him and other chiefs of state on matters dealing with the World Trade Organization (WTO). Lula used the occasion to invite him to visit Brazil.
On Monday, the British prime minister had already sent Lula a letter stressing the importance of resuming Doha’s Round negotiations. Great Britain and other European countries as well as the United States have been resisting demands by emerging countries to reduce agricultural subsidies.
Spain’s Prime Minister, José Luiz Zapatero, has also called Lula, but it was not revealed what they talked about. According to Amorim calls by presidents Hugo Chávez from Venezuela and Evo Morales from Bolivia, which were being expected this morning, were postponed.
The president had to leave the Palácio da Alvorada, the presidential residence, to tape a message to be carried out by a national TV and radio pool.
Lula is also expecting calls from Argentina’s Néstor Kirchner and Libya’s, Muammar Gadafi.
The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, yesterday, congratulated the Brazilian people for having chosen Lula for another four years, calling it a wise decision:
"From here we greet and congratulate the people of Brazil for this wise decision of reelecting with over 60% of the votes this great brother, friend and socialist comrade, working leader President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva."
And Chávez went on: "The significance of Brazil is as gigantic as its size. Brazil will soon reach 200 million people. The imperialistic capitalism was eyeing the country, trying to get rid of Lula. But here we have the Brazilian people confirming president Lula."