(Reuters) – A comment by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about Brazil that offended President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was taken out of context, a German government spokesman said on Wednesday.
Merz, at a trade conference last week, described asking journalists who traveled with him to Brazil for the COP30 climate conference in Belém if they wanted to stay in the country.
‘No hands were raised. We were all happy to be back in Germany from that place,’ Merz told the audience.
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The comment adds to a list of gaffes Merz has made throughout his political career, such as calling children of Muslim parents ‘little pashas’ or insinuating that immigrants spoil the ‘urban landscape’ of German cities.
The statement made it clear at an event in northern Brazil on Tuesday that Merz was supposed to have gone dancing or to a bar while visiting the area around Belém earlier this month.
‘He would realize that Berlin does not offer him 10% of the quality that the State of Pará and the city of Belém offer,’ said Lula.
The spokesman said Merz’s comment was being presented in an ‘incriminating manner’ and was instead referring to the delegation’s fatigue.
‘The comment essentially referred to the delegation’s desire, after a very tiring overnight flight and a long day in Belém, to also begin the journey back,’ said the spokesperson, adding that Brazil is Germany’s most important partner in Latin America and that no damage was caused to the relationship between them as a result of the statements.
‘The chancellor’s impression of this trip to Latin America, this very short trip to Latin America, was quite positive.’
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