Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he was speaking slowly and drinking tea to ease hoarseness during a livestream from Turkey. (Foto: Instagram)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday, Nov. 12, that he has been taking steps to protect his voice as he deals with hoarseness. The condition has persisted since the elections that returned him to office for a fourth term, and he began treatment after the vote.
Speaking during a livestream from Turkey, where he was attending the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP31, Lula said he had been speaking slowly and drinking tea to ease the hoarseness. He said it had lasted 15 days and was taking longer than expected to improve.
“I want you to understand that my voice is hoarse. It has been that way for 15 days. I’m drinking more tea than I ever have in my life, and the hoarseness is taking a while to go away,” Lula said. He added that he would speak slowly to avoid straining his voice because he still had a meeting with civil society, a trip to the Philippines and many speeches ahead.
Federal Deputy André Janones, who organizes the president’s livestreams, also took part in the broadcast. Lula’s voice problems affected his COP31 schedule as well: He had been expected to deliver prepared remarks alongside the conference’s hosts, the presidents of Australia and Turkey, but decided not to read the speech.
Environment Minister João Paulo Capobianco read Lula’s prepared remarks in his place.
