Brazilian President Lula Denies Phone Call with French Leader, Mongabay Reports
- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's office confirmed that he had direct communication with French President Emmanuel Macron before a key vote at the 2025 Convention on...
- The confirmation came after Lula's office had initially denied to Mongabay in early 2026 that such a call had taken place regarding efforts to ease proposed trade restrictions...
- The CITES meeting in question was held five months prior to the confirmation, taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s office confirmed that he had direct communication with French President Emmanuel Macron before a key vote at the 2025 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) meeting, following a Freedom of Information Act request by Mongabay.
The confirmation came after Lula’s office had initially denied to Mongabay in early 2026 that such a call had taken place regarding efforts to ease proposed trade restrictions on Brazil’s endangered national tree, Brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata).
The CITES meeting in question was held five months prior to the confirmation, taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. At that summit, Brazil had sought the highest level of international trade protections for Brazilwood to prevent all commercial trade of the species.