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Jamil Chad Evangelicals pressure Lula not to leave ultra-conservative alliance 19.11.2022 04h00

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The evangelical tribune in Congress and the leaders of some neo-Pentecostal movements want Brazil not to abandon the Geneva Accords, an ultra-conservative bloc that advocates resistance to any reference to sexual education and reproductive rights on the international agenda of the UN and WHO. The flag of the alliance is still the fight against abortion.

The UOL learned that members of the transition team were pressured, even though the main figures designing Brazil’s new foreign policy had internally declared that they were in favor of the immediate abandonment of the initiative by the Lula government.

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Evangelicals, however, want to convince the next-term president that it would not be fruitful to break away from the alliance now, as a decision in this sense could be seen as removing Lula from these groups.

If the option is to withdraw from the bloc, it is tried not to be done so as not to disturb the first day of Lula’s government.

Conservative leaders fear that the next president will repeat the gesture of Joe Biden, who ordered American diplomacy to remove him from the alliance in the early hours of his term. More recently, after assuming the presidency of Colombia, a similar decision was taken by the government of Gustavo Petro.

What is certain is that before the end of the year the Brazilian government will no longer command the alliance. Asa will travel to Hungary under the command of far-right leader Viktor Orban.

When contacted by the report, Itamaraty did not respond about this transition and whether it was foreseen before Bolsonaro lost the election.

The alliance was formed by the governments of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, with Damares Alves, then Minister of Human Rights, and then-Chancellor Ernesto Araújo. The aim of the group, called the Geneva Consensus, was to prevent or even prohibit any reference to reproductive rights and access to sexual health for girls and women in international organizations.

Officially, the aim was to fight against the so-called agenda of international organizations to promote abortion. Organizations such as the WHO and other UN agencies insist not on abortion but on defending women’s lives, decriminalizing acts and respecting national constitutions.

But the alliance has brought together governments that have seen bad results in advocating for women, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The bloc still has far-right governments from Hungary and Poland.

Members of the Donald Trump administration, defeated in the polls, continued their activism to preserve the group’s existence. Under-Secretary for Family Affairs Valerie Huber has become a constant figure in debates between far-right parties and movements around the world.

But before he left office, he sent an email to his supporters around the world, urging the agenda not to be abandoned, advising everyone to contact the Brazilian embassy in Washington, who will be the focal point of the alliance.

It is no accident that news of a possible departure from Brazil has caused alliance members to worry about the group’s ability to maintain relevance. For Alliance diplomats, using Itamaraty’s professionalism to promote ultra-conservative agendas has had a real impact.

In addition, the bloc had the parallel diplomacy of the Bolsonarists, traveling around the world supporting the agenda. Ângela Gandra, secretary of the Family in the portfolio led by Damares Alves, also served as a bridge between ultra-conservative groups from different countries and the Bolsonaro government.

At the UN, Lula’s victory was celebrated as a sign of the weakening of the agenda that seeks to undermine fundamental rights.

Camilla Asano, Conectas director of Human Rights programs, also advocates for Brazil’s repositioning. “With the change of government, one of the key points is for Brazil to gain a respected and consistent position in the international arena.” she said.

Recalling that both the Constitution and Lula’s election campaign focused on human rights, he argues that the new government “must comprehensively review the foreign policy laws that have left Brazil in such an isolated and prestige position.”

According to Camila Asano, one of them is the Geneva Consensus. “It represents an alliance of far-right governments and other democratically minded governments that have come to replace these extremist leaders who have since withdrawn,” he said, referring to the presidents of the United States and Colombia.

“It is natural to expect that this government, which took office in January, will be urgently reviewed on how to articulate the far-right and join alliances established as a way to regain prestige and international prestige. It is a notable point in Brazilian history and has suffered in recent years,” he said.

REPORT

19.11.2022 04:00

source: Noticias

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