Prabowo welcomes Brazil's Lula at Merdeka Palace for bilateral talks

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto personally welcomed Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for bilateral talks at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, marking Lula’s official visit to Indonesia.

The government rolled out a full ceremonial welcome, with security personnel escorting Lula’s motorcade from his hotel to the palace. A cavalry unit from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) accompanied the convoy through the National Monument area to Merdeka Palace.

Prabowo greeted Lula upon arrival, shaking hands before the two leaders walked to the palace courtyard for a formal ceremony featuring both national anthems and an inspection of the guards of honor.

Prabowo then introduced Lula to key members of the Red and White Cabinet, including State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi, Foreign Minister Sugiono, Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto, and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

Other senior officials present included Coordinating Food Minister Zulkifli Hasan, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Lula also presented the ministers accompanying him as part of Brazil’s delegation.

Following the ceremony, both presidents signed the guest book and posed for photographs in the Credential Chamber before holding a private meeting in Prabowo’s office.

The two leaders are expected to co-chair a bilateral meeting between their delegations and later hold a joint press conference.

Lula’s visit to Jakarta forms part of his Southeast Asia diplomatic tour and reciprocates Prabowo’s visit to Brazil’s Planalto Palace in July.

During their previous talks in Brasília, the two presidents discussed global issues, including United Nations reform and the shared legacy of Indonesia and Brazil in the historic 1955 Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung.