MADRID, Jan 1 (EUROPA PRESS) –

International leaders have started to react to this Sunday’s inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as Brazil’s 39th president, which they hailed as the start of a new phase of relations with the South American country.

“Order and progress: Brazil lives up to its motto,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on his Twitter account. “Congratulations dear president and friend on your inauguration. We are together!”, he wrote in his account.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier hailed the oath as a move to put Brazil back “on the international stage”.

“We need Brazil. We need a Brazilian political leadership that plays a role not only in economic cooperation, but also in global climate protection,” he said in a statement compiled by DPA.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also congratulated Lula on the start of his “historic” third term as head of Brazil. “On behalf of the UK, I would like to wish him success in his leadership in Brazil , and express our desire to strengthen our economic and environmental ties”, he has announced, also on his Twitter account.

Likewise, on the same social network, the President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, and the Vice President, Cristina Kirchner, have welcomed the coronation. “A new day is coming for South America,” the former president wrote. “Force Lula! Force Brazil!”, he added.

In relation to Spain, the Vice President of the Second Government, Yolanda Díaz, who was present at the inauguration ceremony in Brasilia, highlighted “a historic day for the Brazilian people where hopes finally came true”, in a message accompanied by a photo with the former Uruguayan president José Mujica and the Colombian president , Gustavo Petro.

The latter has expressed his wish for Lula’s oath to join “the political changes that are provoking the irreversible path of South American integration”, while Chile’s president, Gabriel Boric, hailed “a day full of hope for Brazil, Latin America and the world”, in a message ending with a “hug tight”.

Among the pending reactions to the inauguration were some prominent ones such as the United States or Venezuelan representatives, who were eventually led by the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, “to accompany the Brazilian brothers” in the inauguration, according to a message published as soon as I landed in Brazil.