Celso Amorim went to Russia to sell Lula's idea of a "peace club" to Putin to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine. The trip represented the most recent wave of Brazilian foreign policy, once again under Lula's leadership. The first hundred days of the new Itamaraty ( Ministry of Foreign Affairs) were marked by multiple nods in several directions. The challenge now is to clarify what will be a priority. With the hangover of Bolsonarism —a period that separated Brazil from China, its main economic partner, and almost turned the country into a pariah— the general climate regarding the foreign agenda headed by Lula, Chancellor Mauro Vieira, and Celso Amorim is one of optimism.
However, diplomats and academics point out that, from now on, it is necessary to measure the materiality of these proposals and, of course, which will come first. "When there is a multiplicity of priorities, one can incur errors in implementing and materializing some projects", says Hussein Kalout, a Harvard researcher and member of the Brazilian Center for International Relations (Cebri). In three months, the cabinet nodded to South America, the US, China —where Lula is traveling this week—, the European Union, the environmental agenda, gender equality, and the War in Ukraine.
It was also an initial period of a more ample agenda abroad. While Lula was in Portugal, even before his inauguration, in Argentina, Uruguay, and the USA, Vieira made, in addition to these, five other official trips —such as to Germany, for the Munich Security Conference, and to India, for a meeting of the G20. In all, according to a survey by Folha in partnership with the Itamaraty, there have been 65 bilateral meetings between Vieira and foreign ministers since January 1st. Six chancellors have already come to Brazil in these one hundred days — from Japan, Greece, France, Portugal, Uruguay, and Angola.
Individuals close to the main formulators of the current foreign policy argue that the multiplicity of nods is, in fact, the construction of bridges necessary to advance priority areas, such as the climate agenda, the fight against inequalities, and the mediation of peace and democracy ( in Ukraine and elsewhere, such as Venezuela, where Amorim was also sent by Lula).
Translated by Cassy Dias