The head of French diplomacy had an interview with leftist President Lula who then, in several tweets, spoke of "the strengthening of ties and partnership between Brazil and France in culture, economy and defence" .

Exasperated by criticism of the gigantic fires in the Amazon, Bolsonaro and two of his ministers had insulted Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte in August 2019, after having canceled a month earlier a meeting with the head of diplomacy Jean-Yves Le Drian, preferring to go... to the hairdresser.

Speaking at a press conference with Ms. Colonna, Mr. Vieira assured that the Lula government, in office since January 1, wanted to "turn the page on the last few years" (2019-2022), to "put back ( the) relationships at the highest level".

This visit "marks the beginning of a relaunch of this particular political partnership which has linked us to Brazil for 15 years (...), to which we are going to give a new ambition", declared Ms Colonna too.

His trip prepares for a visit by President Macron to Brazil.

It could take place on the occasion of a Summit on the Amazon that Brasilia wishes to organize by the end of the first semester, revealed the two ministers.

"President Macron is keen to come, we just have to find the date and the occasion," Ms Colonna said.

Lula announced on Twitter that he had been invited to visit France.

The two ministers converged on many subjects, including the environment, with the crucial issue of the preservation of the Amazon rainforest, security, the fight for democracy and against misinformation.

Divergence over Ukraine

A notable difference however: Ukraine, Ms. Colonna recalling the "responsibility of Russia" as an "aggressor".

Prior to his election, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva drew criticism for claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "as much responsible" for the conflict as Vladimir Putin.

"It was Russia that chose to start the war. We cannot put the two countries on an equal footing. I am convinced that Brazil will be keen to recall the facts, the responsibilities", insisted the French minister.

Ms. Colonna also met the Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva, muse of ecology in Brazil.

The opportunity to display a "community of ambition" on environmental action, a 180 degree turn after the Bolsonaro years marked by a sharp increase in deforestation.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna (L) shakes hands with Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva on February 8, 2023, in Brasilia © Sergio Lima / AFP

"Brazil's recommitment and in particular its zero deforestation goal by 2030 is a major opportunity to move forward on the protection of the Amazon", tweeted Ms. Colonna after her meeting with Ms. Silva, illustrating her message with a photo of a frank hug between the two women.

The Lula government has already taken matters into its own hands in the Amazon, hunting down thousands of illegal miners currently fleeing Yanomami indigenous lands.

First foreign employer in Brazil

The head of French diplomacy also expressed Paris's support for Brazil's entry into the OECD, a file blocked under Bolsonaro because of environmental damage.

Another file at a standstill for the same reasons: the ratification of the 2019 free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay).

"We are committed to it (to this agreement). We are now more confident in Brazil's ability to accept respect for social and environmental principles in a future agreement," Colonna said.

But "there is still a lot of technical work to be done and we are awaiting proposals from the European Commission," she added, while Mr. Vieira had hoped to see the agreement ratified before the end of the first half.

Ms. Colonna is expected Thursday in Sao Paulo, where she will meet the governor of this rich and populous state in the south-east, the engine of the Brazilian economy.

France is the third foreign investor in Brazil, with 32 billion dollars.

It is also the largest foreign employer with 500,000 Brazilian employees in 1,100 French companies.

The minister must also visit a reception center for women, mostly black, victims of violence, a scourge in Brazil.

© 2023 AFP