Brazilian president cancels trip to G20 summit

BRASILIA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva has scrapped his travel to the G20 summit scheduled in Canada's Toronto this weekend due to heavy floods in northeastern Brazil, a government spokesman said Friday.

Lula flew over the flooded areas Thursday and found the disaster was more serious than previously estimated, so he cancelled the summit trip to focus on handling the disaster, the Brazilian spokesman said.

Brazilian Economy Minister Guido Mantega would fly to the summit instead.

The summit will seek consensus on how to cut government deficits and strengthen banks so they can withstand any new downturn.

The continuous heavy rain and floods in northeastern Brazil have killed at least 44 people and made tens of thousands homeless.

๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑๑۩۞۩๑

Sphere: Related Content