Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived in Lima on Tuesday, to participate in a project to promote Brazilian and Peruvian relations, daily El Comercio reported.
Lula met with President Ollanta Humala at the presidential palace for a private dinner Tuesday evening, and is participating this week in a conference on “10 Years of the Strategic Alliance Brazil-Peru 2003-2013.” The conference is being organized by the Peruvian-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Capebras.
Lima’s Mayor, Susana Villaran, is also expected to declare the former Brazilian president an Honorary Guest in Lima, while Peru’s San Marcos University is expected to give him an honorary doctorate.
Lula is widely popular in Brazil, and once described by U.S. President Barack Obama as the world’s most popular politician. His model of attracting prívate investment while increasing social programs for the poor inspired President Ollanta Humala’s style of government, opposed to the more radical policies promoted by countries such as Venezuela, which Humala originally espoused. President Humala’s presidential campaign was closely advised by Lula himself and other Brazilian advisors.
