Brazil’s Lula to join other world leaders at ASEAN summit

MANILA – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend the ASEAN summit in Manila later in November, joining other world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, the hosts said on Nov 6.“President Lula will attend the summit as a guest of the summit chair,” Dominic Imperial, the Philippine foreign department’s spokesman for ASEAN issues, told reporters.Trump, Lula, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are among world leaders confirmed to fly to Manila for the Nov 15-18 ASEAN summit and related meetings.Lula, 81, pulled off a shock election win in October against Flavio Bolsonaro in a vote later described by Trump as a “disgrace”.Bolsonaro fled to the United States last week to start a self-imposed exile after the vote count.ASEAN’s so-called East Asian dialogue partners – China, Japan, and South Korea – will also be represented at the Manila gathering, though Beijing has not named its official representative.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also expected to take part, the host nation has said. AFP