Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received the National Order of San Lorenzo from Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa tonight in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The medal is the oldest in the country, created in 1809.
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In his remarks, Pres. Correa remembered Lula’s origins and said he was one of the main protagonists of the changes that the Latin American continent has been undergoing. “Brazil is a giant country, where everything is counted in six or even seven digits and Lula knew how to count on his own heart to change the lives of millions of people,” Correa said.
Furthermore, Correa noted Lula merited the decoration for his efforts to promote democracy, on behalf of Latin American integration and to overcome poverty and forge closer ties and natural friendship between the Brazilian and Ecuadorian peoples.
