Overview
- At the G20 in Johannesburg, Friedrich Merz and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a roughly 40‑minute conversation described by Merz’s team as a cordial exchange.
- Merz wrote on X that he will explore Belém more on his next visit, mentioning dance, local cuisine and the rainforest, and he spoke of deepening the partnership with Brazil.
- A government spokesperson said Merz would not issue an apology for his remarks about Belém that many in Brazil viewed as dismissive.
- Lula had publicly countered Merz’s comments by inviting him to experience Belém’s culture, and both sides presented a conciliatory tone after their meeting.
- German domestic criticism continued, with Green minister Tobias Goldschmidt calling the government’s COP performance embarrassing, citing a late Tropenwaldfonds commitment and EU deforestation‑rule dilution tied to Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer.