Brazil’s Lula hails ‘bold’ Chinese investors as rival pitches rare earths to Trump

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva named China as a possible partner in his critical minerals plans, three days before Sunday’s closely fought election.Lula told Flow, one of the country’s most-watched podcasts, on Thursday evening that Brazil should stop shipping out raw ore. “We want to transform them here in Brazil,” he said of the minerals.Asked whether China fit into his plans, Lula said it could be a partner “bringing technology to us”, as could the United States. “[Donald] Trump has to know that he takes care of the United States. I take care of Brazil,” he said.Brazil holds the world’s second-largest rare earth reserves after China, and both Washington and Beijing are seeking supplies outside Chinese control.