A plane carrying Brazil President Lula lands safely at Mexico City airport after circling for hours

Associated Press

ZUMPANGO, Mexico (AP) — An airplane carrying Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva back to Brasilia landed safely on Tuesday at Mexico City’s Felipe Angeles airport after circling for hours due to a technical problem. Brazil’s air force confirmed the safe landing of the aircraft, an Airbus A319, at 7:16 p.m. local time after four hours circling the airport. “We landed and everyone is well,” Brazil’s press secretary José Chrispiniano told The Associated Press on the phone. A source who was traveling in the plane said Lula was calm but worried throughout the flight, which was carrying 16 people, including first lady Rosângela Lula da Silva, members of the Cabinet, lawmakers and crew.