Brasília, September 26, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva lands in Havana (Cuba) at noon, initiating an official visit to that country. He will have lunch with Ambassador Tilden Santiago at the Brazilian Embassy, and, afterwards, he will participate in the official welcome ceremony, where he will be received by President Fidel Castro at the Palace of the Revolution.

At 3:20 P.M., the two Presidents will meet privately. At 6:50 P.M., in the same locale, Lula will participate in an ceremony to sign official acts. Later, at 9 P.M., the Brazilian President will attend a dinner offered in his honor by the President of Cuba, at the Palace of the Revolution.

On his journey to Cuba, Lula is accompanied by the Ministers of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan; Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim; Health, Humberto Costa; Sports, Agnelo Queiroz; Food Security and Hunger Alleviation, José Graziano; and the Presidential Civilian Advisory Staff, José Dirceu. (DAS)