Brasília, Brazil: Just weeks after taking office and the major violence that ensued in the capital Brasilia, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is making his first trip abroad Sunday (Monday in Manila), swiftly putting in action his plan to return Brazil to the international stage.

Lula will head to Argentina, the customary first stop for Brazilian presidents. Beyond tradition, however, the trip will also allow him to meet with a faithful ally, President Alberto Fernandez, as well as regional counterparts at the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).