"The opening of a Latvian embassy in Brazil and a Brazilian embassy in Latvia would definitely promote and strengthen mutual cooperation in economy, culture and education, the Latvian Foreign Minister asserted," according to a press release.
The Minister also recognised how both countries are brought closer by Brazil’s Latvian community, the largest for Latvia in Latin America. There are plans to open a Latvian Cultural Centre in Nova Odessa to foster links between people in Latvia and the Latvian community in Brazil.
Currently the Ambassador of Brazil to Latvia is Marcos Pinta Gama, residing in Stockholm.
Brazil has a relatively large Latvian community – approximately 20,000 people. There are also several museums maintained by Latvians in Brazil and offering a unique perspective of the life, work and traditions of the first Latvian immigrants in Brazil in the early 20th century.
One of the first Latvian colonies, “Vārpa”, was established in the state of Sao Paolo in 1922. The location still bears landmarks of Latvian presence including the Latvian language, well-tended Latvian cemeteries and churches.
Rinkevics also met with Canadian officials and asked them to speed up certification of Latvian canned fish.
