October 23, 2025 | 04:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto made a lighthearted remark about presidential term limits during a joint statement with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
Prabowo opened his remarks by expressing admiration for his counterpart, noting Lula da Silva's extended service: "I admit that I am an admirer of Lula da Silva. Lula has served longer than I have. Lula has been president three times," he said.
He then highlighted the disparity in electoral law, noting that Brazilian regulations allow a president to serve three terms, a contrast to Indonesia's strict two-term limit. "They are allowed three times by their law, whereas we are not," Prabowo joked, referencing Indonesia's two-term limit.
In addition, Prabowo noted that he and Lula da Silva share the same "lucky number," which is 8. Both leaders were born in October, with Prabowo's birthday on the 17th and Lula da Silva's on the 27th.
Prabowo playfully invited the Brazilian President to celebrate their birthdays together that evening: "So, actually, we will celebrate our birthdays together tonight, if allowed by the First Lady of Brazil, if she permits us to celebrate later tonight," he quipped.
Prabowo felt a deep connection with the Brazilian leader, believing their meeting was destined. "Maybe we were destined to work together now, both to defend and advance our people," he added.
The joint statement followed the leaders witnessing the signing of eight Indonesia-Brazil Cooperation Agreements. One of the key agreements was the Exchange of Memoranda of Understanding between the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Federative Republic of Brazil regarding Energy and Mining Cooperation.
Prabowo Subianto welcomed President Lula da Silva to the Merdeka Palace on Thursday morning, October 23, 2025. Lula da Silva had arrived the previous evening, Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at around 5:45 p.m. at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base.
The Presidential Secretariat reported that President Lula da Silva's visit to Indonesia was a return visit following President Prabowo Subianto's state visit to Brasilia in July 2025. "This visit is also expected to strengthen the strategic cooperation between the two countries in various fields," the Secretariat stated.
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