Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday said that it is not Brazil’s government or the Parliament but its judiciary that will decide whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would be arrested if he attends next year’s G20 summit in Rio De Janeiro.
Addressing a press conference here today, Lula da Silva who attended this year’s G20 that was held over the weekend expressed hope that the Russia-Ukraine conflict would have ended by the time of the G20 Summit next year.
President Lula expressed hope that all the members of the G20 group participate in the Summit which will be hosted under Brazil’s Presidency next year.
“I want to study ICC issue because the US did not sign the ICC treaty and Russia did not sign the ICC treaty. So, I want to know why Brazil became the signatory……India is not signatory of the ICC treaty. So I think it is the emerging countries that have signed the treaty. These are the things that cause damage to the developing countries,” Brazilian President said.
“It is not the government or the Parliament it is the Brazilian judiciary system who should make that decision on whether he should be arrested in Brazil,” he said.
“ICC should review that and that ICC will revise that so that we can go back to normal ties,” he added.
Putin did not attend the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia and at the Delhi Summit, Russia was represented by its foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.
In March this year, the International Criminal Court put out an arrest warrant for Putin accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine as part of a global effort to hold the Russian president and the Russian Federation accountable for atrocities beginning with the full-scale February 2022 invasion.
Brazilian President Lula hailed India for holding the “exceptionally well-organised” Summit. He said that world leaders received great warmth in India.
India hosted the G20 Summit under its Presidency on September 9-10. World leaders, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived in India to participate in the G20 Summit.
Addressing the press conference, Brazil’s President said that world leaders will be treated well in Brazil. He said his country has the conditions to host the G20 Summit with great tranquillity. He noted that women will be empowered during the G20 Summit in Brazil.
Responding to a question regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping not participating in the G20 Summit in India and how he hopes to bring these leaders to the table, Lula said, “I believe that from the viewpoint of Brazil, we have a joyful people. We’re going to treat people very well in Brazil. And Brazil has the conditions to host, to be the host country with such of an event, with great tranquillity, we’ll organize that…. It’s going to be the first event where women will be empowered in equal terms to participate in the group.”
