How a meat giant’s jet and a billionaire tied Brazil and the U. S. together

A private jet linked to the Batista family flew from Colorado to Washington on Wednesday, just one day before Brazil’s President Lula meets Donald Trump in the U. S. capital. The jet belongs to J&F, a holding company that runs JBS, one of the world’s biggest meat producers. While the plane’s movement caught attention, the bigger story is how business leaders like Batista are quietly shaping high-level diplomacy behind the scenes. This isn’t the first time the Batista brothers have been in the spotlight for international deal-making. Last year, the same plane reportedly flew to Venezuela, where speculation grew that they were pushing for political change. Earlier this year, Joesley Batista even met Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, around the same time he was talking to U. S. officials. His goal? To open Venezuela’s oil and gas sector to foreign investors. Now, he seems to be playing a role in arranging a meeting between two of the Americas’ most powerful leaders.The U. S. and Brazil have had a rocky relationship in recent years, especially under Trump’s administration. But after months of delays—including when the White House was focused on other crises—the two presidents finally have a chance to talk face-to-face. The meeting was only confirmed last week, showing how quickly plans can shift when political priorities change. What makes this situation interesting is how much influence business figures have in these talks. JBS, the company Batista controls, has deep ties in the U. S. through Pilgrim’s Pride, a poultry giant that donated $5 million to Trump’s 2025 inauguration. That makes the Batista family not just meat tycoons, but key players in transnational politics. Still, not everything is clear. The Batistas are in the U. S. , but details about their exact role in organizing the Lula-Trump meeting remain vague. One thing is sure, though: when billionaires start flying jets across borders, governments tend to listen.