Letter from Minas Gerais

For his "spouse" of the day, on March 28, 2024, President Lula prepared a carefully thought-out gift. In Brazil's lavish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he welcomed his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron − a meeting of rare warmth, quickly dubbed a "marriage" by the press. Suddenly, the Brazilian advanced, a box in his arms. Inside, there was no Seleçao jersey or bottle of cachaça, but an unexpected assortment of five 100% Brazilian cheeses.

The ensemble was hastily assembled the day before by Rosanna Tarsitano. "The presidency called me in the morning and gave me just a few hours to finalize a list!" recalled the talkative founder of Brazil's Association of Cheesemakers. The challenge was significant: "We had to find award-winning products representing Brazil's diversity." In the end, six were chosen, from Minas Gerais, São Paulo and even the Amazon. "I am convinced Emmanuel Macron will appreciate it," Lula said, beaming.

"This event was a crowning achievement, the culmination of decades of efforts," said an emotional Tarsitano. Queijo brasileiro has been promoted as a tool of soft power − unprecedented, in a country whose image is more associated with soccer and music than with dairy products, and where raw milk cheese long had a bad reputation. "For decades, we lived in the shadows and [faced] prejudice," she recalled.

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