Brasilia
 
December 31 •    Arrival at the Brasilia air base.  Signing of the visitor’s book.
•    Exchange with Ruiz Cazaes, chief of ceremonial proceedings of the Brazilian Chancellery at Brasilia’s air base.
•    Meeting with Frei Betto, Brazilian writer and religious personality, and other members of his family at the Naum Hotel.
 
January 1st
•    Inauguration of  Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Ministries Esplanade.
•    Joint meeting of the two chambers proclaiming the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil at the Congress headquarters.
•    Ceremony of transfer of the presidential sash from Fernando Henrique Cardoso to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, at the Square of the Three Powers, in the Planalto Palace.
•    Fidel attended the ceremony where delegations saluted the outgoing president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
•    Mezzanine of the Itamaraty Palace, at the Chancellery headquarters.
•    Brief interview granted to the press at the Naum Hotel.
•    Conversation with Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela.
 
January 2
•    Meeting with Humberto Costa, Minister of Health; Jose Graciano, Minister for Food Security (director of the ‘Zero Hunger’ program, and Cristovam Buarque, Minister of Education.
•    Fidel attended the ceremony of transfer of power of the Ministry of Education at the headquarters of the ministry.
•    Interview granted to the daily newspaper ‘O Estado de Sao Paulo’.
•    Conversation with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, at the presidencial residence of ‘Granja do Torto’.
•    Dinner hosted in his honor by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, at the presidential residence of Granja do Torto.