Lisbon (Portugal), July 11, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva affirmed today, at the Portuguese Industrial Association (AIP), that it is time for Brazilian entrepreneurs to overcome their fears and become multinational entrepreneurs. He was referring to Brazil's small quantity of investments abroad, especially in Portugal, third in the ranking of foreign countries with investments in Brazil, with a total of US$ 15 billion. "There is room for Brazil to make reciprocal investments in countries that invest in Brazil, to establish relations of mutual trust," the President declared.

Lula is accompanied in Lisbon by a business mission that came to investigate possibilities to infuse dynamism in trade between Brazil and Portugal. He accepted an invitation from Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio to open the Brazil-Portugal business seminar. At the opening ceremony, the Brazilian president received the title of Honorary Citizen. (DAS)