The new US ambassador arrives in Brazil focused on the fight against COVID-19
The new US ambassador to Brazil, Todd C. Chapman, arrived in Brasilia on Sunday to take office with the "immediate" focus on helping to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far left 136 deaths and 4,256 infected in the South American country.
"My immediate focus will be to assist the Brazilian Government, the Brazilian people and the 260,000 Americans residing in Brazil in their response to the health emergency caused by COVID-19," Chapman said in a statement.
Chapman, appointed by Trump in October 2019 and confirmed by the Senate in late February, will meet "virtually" this Monday with Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo to present his credentials.
The diplomat stressed that the US "He is committed" to promoting a "broad agenda with Brazil," as outlined by US President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro.
Since assuming power on January 1, 2019, Bolsonaro, leader of the Brazilian extreme right, has tried to strengthen ties with the Trump government, of which he declares himself an admirer and with whom he says he has a very good relationship.
In March of last year, he made an official visit to the White House. Earlier this month he met the US president again, but in Florida, on an eventful four-day visit, which included a dinner at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, where Trump has his residence. private.
About twenty people who accompanied Bolsonaro on that trip tested positive for coronavirus, although, in his case and after two tests carried out, the result was negative, as announced by the ruler himself on his social networks.
Trump also had tests to find out if he was infected with the pathogen and, like Bolsonaro, tested negative.
