Among other issues, both leaders shared concerns about deforestation in the Amazon. | Photo: @LulaOficial

Madrid, November 20 (RHC)-- The former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was received this Friday in Madrid by the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, a meeting in which they addressed the serious effects of the COVID-19 health crisis in that country and Latin America, in addition to the fight against climate change and the common concern about deforestation in the Amazon.

Sanchez told Lula that the fight against climate change is a priority for his government and said: "It is essential to implement rapid and effective actions to address this challenge."  In this regard, he expressed his specific concern about the increase in deforestation in the Amazon, after the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE) announced last Wednesday that logging in that region totaled 13,235 square kilometers in the period 2020-2021, marking the highest figure since 2006.

A few days ago, during a visit to Paris, Lula and French President Emmanuel Macron also discussed the devastation of this important natural reserve due to the policies promoted by the current Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro. 

In addition, the head of the Spanish government reiterated to Lula Spain's commitment and solidarity with the health recovery of Ibero-America, after the spread of the coronavirus.

He also stressed that sending medical material to Brazil, the second country in the world with the highest number of deaths due to the pandemic, has been part of this support and commitment. Mr. Sánchez also highlighted the strong permanent structural links shared by Spain and Brazil.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that Brazil has more than 611,000 deaths due to COVID-19, a figure surpassed only by the United States with 759,000.