Brazilian President meets WJC’s Latin American affiliate, says 'proud to be so close to the community'

São Paulo, Brazil - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro met with leaders of the Latin American Jewish Congress, an affiliate of the World Jewish Congress over lunch at the Israelite Hospital Albert Einstein on Wednesday.

 

The delegation included Latin American Jewish Congress President Adrian Werthein, LAJC Executive Director Claudio Epelman, Confederação Israelita do Brasil (CONIB) President Fernando Lottenberg and Dr. Claudio Lottenberg, an advisor of the LAJC. 

 

President Bolsanaro chose the Einstein Hospital as the location of the meeting as a gesture of gratitude to the Jewish community, as he was recently treated there for a procedure related to a stabbing during a September campaign rally.

 

Werthein described the meeting as “warm and positive”, adding that it was “an excellent opportunity to renew and deepen the link between Bolsonaro’s government and the Jewish community, a priority that stood out in his presidential campaign.”

 

Bolsonaro, for his part, said he was “so proud to be so close to the community, one that inspires and motivates me”.

 

Bolsanaro has proven to be a strong supporter of the State of Israel and said that he was planning to move his country’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. In late December, just before his inauguration, he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and spoke about their brotherhood. In a subsequent meeting with representatives of the Jewish community of Brazil, Netanyahu said that Bolsonaro had told him that the move of the Brazilian was a matter of when, not if.

 

Bolsonaro also took part in the World Jewish Congress' We Remember campaign in January, posting a video of himself while hospitalized at Einstein, sharing a message on the importance of Holocaust memory.