In all, 223 people went to Japan and Vietnam in March; was the largest entourage to accompany the president on an international trip on the 3rd term
The entourage of ministers, congressmen, advisors and entrepreneurs who accompanied the president (PT) on the trip to Japan and Vietnam in March 2025 cost about R$ 5.467.389,22 to the public coffers.
Travel spending include daily rates used abroad and airline tickets. To the 223 people who joined the entourage make up the largest group that has ever accompanied Lula on an international trip in the 3rd term.
On his way to Asia, the petista was accompanied by the presidents of the Chamber (Republicans-PB), and the Senate, (Brazil-AP Union). Also on the trip were the allied and unionist party leaders of the president’s support base.
The government agencies that spent the most with daily and air tickets were the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs. They are mainly responsible for the preparation of travel schedules and security operations to receive the president.
Part of the entourage used commercial flights on the journey that departed from Brasilia, underwent connections on other continents, and landed in Japan. The Lula administration R $ 2.15 billion in 2024 with daily rates of 9% compared to 2023. It is the highest value since 2014 in the Government (PT).
Methodology
The survey of Poder360 was carried out based on the data of civil servants available on the Transparency Portal, the Travel Panel and the DOU (Official Gazette of the Union).
Even after 1 month of the trip to Asia, data on public spending is still updated, so numbers can change.
This digital newspaper sought Secom (Secretariat of Communication) to detail the list of names of the entourage, but there was no return until the publication of this report.
Regarding the names of technical and support employees, reports on national and international travel are classified as “Degree of confidentiality reserved, based on Article 25, VIII, of Decree No. 7,724, of May 16, 2012”, According to the GSI (Institutional Security Office). Therefore, there is the prerogative for confidentiality of these documents for 5 years, as seen in cases in the governments of former presidents (MDB) and (PL).
Cunning
The first lady Janja da Silva said she traveled, before Lula, with the presidency recognition team to Tokyo (Japan).
The Planalto Palace stated that the trip to the government. She flew on a plane from FAB (Brazilian Air Force) and was staying at the official residence of Brazil in Tokyo, according to the Federal Administration.
Janja repeated the feat on Russia in May, this time, with the justification that he had universities commitments in Moscow and events at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.
In March, the trip of Lula’s wife to Paris (France) cost R$ 158.802,13 –Soma value of the daily available on the Transparency Portal with airline tickets published in the Travel Panel, administered by the Ministry of Planning. Took the following advisors:
- Edson Antonio Moura Pinto – Special advisor to the aid of orders of the Personal Cabinet of the President of the Republic;
- Julia Camilo Fernandes Silva – Special advisor to the Personal Office of the President of the Republic;
- Taynara Pretto Tenório da Cunha – Special advisor to the Personal Office of the President of the Republic;
- Cláudio Adão dos Santos Souza – Director at the Secretariat of Production and Disclosure of Secom Audiovisual Content.
In an interview, Janja stated that she was staying at the residence of the Brazilian ambassador in Paris, stating that “There was never a lack of transparency” in their public spending and commitments.
Lula in Asia
During the visit of the petista, Brazil and Japan expanded relationships in areas such as energy transition, science, technology, aviation, agriculture and livestock, as well as education and health. The purchase of 15 Embraer jets by the All Nippon Airways was announced in an estimated business in R $ 10 billion.
One of the main reasons for Lula to go to the Asian country was to insert Brazilian products into the Japan and Vietnam beef import market. Lula’s attempt was seen by the government as successful.
The president said that the impediments for the sale of national products “They will be resolved in 2025 ″. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said that “Go, as soon as possible”send specialists to analyze the Brazilian herd.
This report was written by Journalism intern Davi Alencar under the supervision of Assistant Isadora Albernaz.
