Watch: Biden exits stage without shaking hands with Brazil’s Lula in awkward moment

US President Joe Biden, who is infamous for his gaffes and awkward moments before cameras, had yet another such incident with Brazilian President Lula da Silva in New York.

He apparently ended up frustrating his Brazilian counterpart after he exited the stage even as Lula came for a handshake.

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Before snubbing Lula, Biden also looked confused about whether to salute the audience or give a thumbs up.

However, a clarification issued by the office of the Brazilian president later claimed that the two leaders "were not supposed to shake hands." In a statement to WION, an official said, "They were never supposed to shake hands. The protocol was each one would leave the stage to opposite sides after greeting the host."

Flagpole incident

Before the meeting began, Biden also almost toppled a flagpole bearing the Brazilian flag as he made his way towards the stage.

Even during the meeting, it took him a minute or two to resolve an issue he encountered with his earpiece for translation.

WATCH:G20 Summit 2023: Indian PM Modi hands over G20 Presidency to Brazil Prez Lula Da Silva

There were also other mishaps in his 26-minute-long speech. He said, “Nowhere is that more critical than accelerating the climate crisis.” In an attempt to correct himself, the 80-year-old president said: “Than the accelerating climate crisis.”

Biden-Lula meeting highlights

Biden and Lula, speaking before a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the high-level United Nations General Assembly, highlighted the importance of decent jobs, good wages and ensuring that workers benefit from the digital and green energy transition underway broadly in society.

"The two largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere are standing up for human rights around the world and the hemisphere, and that includes workers' rights," Biden told Lula.

"Let me be clear, whether it's the autoworkers union or any other union worker, record corporation profits should mean record contracts for union workers," Biden said at a separate event launching the new initiative.

Biden said that the partnership between the US and Brazil over workers’ rights was a bilateral initiative for now but other nations and organisations are also welcome to join.

Lula said that in the wake of increasing threats to democracies worldwide, it was important to uphold the rights of workers and help working families.

"It's more than just another bilateral. It's a faith relationship that we are building here and a new era for US-Brazilian relations amongst equal partners," he said, adding, "poverty and inequality is not in the interest of anybody."

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