Brazil’s Lula cancels trip to Russia on medical advice, will join BRICS summit via video link

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced on Sunday that he will no longer travel to Kazan, Russia, for the BRICS summit, following medical advice to temporarily avoid long-haul flights.

Hospital Sirio Libanês in Sao Paulo said in a statement that the leftist leader was instructed not to take long distance trips, but can keep his other activities. Doctors Roberto Kalil and Ana Heleno Germoglio said they will regularly check on Lula’s recovery.

Brazil’s presidency said in a separate statement that Lula will take part in the summit by videoconference and will continue his work in capital Brasilia this week. It did not disclose details about what caused the president’s injury.

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The group comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa and has recently expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Russia next week to attend the 16th BRICS Summit.

Modi is also “expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from BRICS member countries and invited leaders,” the MEA said. However, it is not yet clear whether the PM will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines.

What is BRICS?

BRICS is an informal group comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In 2001, Jim O’Neill, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, coined the term BRIC to describe the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Embracing the term, the first BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on June 16, 2009.

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The group was formed to bring together the fastest-growing developing countries, to address their concerns and counter international institutions dominated by Western powers.

It became BRICS in 2010 with the joining of South Africa.

With inputs from agencies.