The Brazilian president ignores France’s importance in the Brazilian economy and refrains from congratulating Emmanuel Macron after the French leader’s re-election for a new five-year term. Antonio Carlos Lessa, professor of International Relations at the University of Brasilia, says in an interview with RFI, that Marine Le Pen’s win will give an international impetus to the Bolsonarista discourse.
Supermarket chains, car manufacturers, building material stores and sporting goods companies are examples of industries where billions of dollars of French presence on Brazilian soil are strong. Data from the pre-pandemic federal government placed France at the top of the rankings for foreign job creation and direct investment in the country. Despite this, Brazil was one of the last G20 countries to raise its voice after confirming the re-election of Emmanuel Macron, a diplomatic post, in a brief memo from the State Department.
Bolsonaro’s silence in front of the French leader does not initiate anything new in the current government, as in the election of Joe Biden in the US he clarifies the changing menu of Brazilian diplomacy with different spots than Bolsonaro’s. When war broke out in Ukraine, travel to Russia for gross insults to Macron’s wife, including verbal confrontations with China.
According to Antonio Carlos Lessa, professor of International Relations at the University of Brasília, this behavior justifies the open support of international leaders from Brazil’s traditional partners against Bolsonaro in the October election. “All of this reinforces, we might say globally, this undisguised but obvious desire of many European leaders, as well as American diplomats, that the current government will soon be overthrown,” he observes. “The upcoming elections in Brazil are renewing that expectation,” Lessa adds.
The analyst says that Brazil’s position on the international stage raises doubts that jeopardize the country’s image, which is an important point in relations with other countries. “Brazil stands as a kind of point of uncertainty in the foreign policies of its traditional partners, whether in the United States or in Europe as a whole, in the particular case we’re talking about here, in France, but also in Germany, Spain, Italy and others”, he emphasizes. “These are criticisms that range from environmental policy to different aspects of foreign policy, such as Bolsonaro’s visit to Putin,” Lessa told RFI.
In the often conflicting views of Bolsonaro, senior officials and career diplomats from Itamaraty, in the diplomacy carried out by several hands in Brazil, the chancellor was careful to dose the praise, contenting herself with emphasizing the need for a partnership between the two countries. . “Brazil reaffirms its willingness to work to deepen the historic ties that unite the two countries and provide mutual benefits to Brazilians and the French people, and expresses its expectation to continue to implement the broad bilateral agenda,” Itamaraty said in a statement.
presidential candidates
While Bolsonaro, so adept at social media, remained silent in the face of Macron’s re-election, other Latino leaders such as Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Colombia took care to send congratulations online. In Brazil, presidential candidates also demonstrated, celebrating the defeat of Marine Le Pen. “I trust President Macron to contribute to global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, tackling inequality and building peace in Europe,” Lula (PT) said on social media. Said.
“It will always be a cause for joy to see the far right defeated,” said Ciro Gomes (PDT). João Dória (PSDB) stressed that “Macron’s victory is a victory for democracy”. “Brazil needs the same path,” said MDB presidential candidate Simone Tebet.
Brazilian elections
Bolsonaro’s opponents took to social media, although echoes of Macron’s victory in the Brazilian election dispute were not expected given each country’s unique challenges. However, there is an understanding in the political corridors that Le Pen’s victory will give Bolsonaro’s conservative rhetoric international strength.
“Marine Le Pen will be an important, powerful voice in reinforcing this ideological current that opposes globalization and presents itself as conservative,” said the professor from UnB. “Fortunately, that didn’t happen, and from my point of view it’s very good for France, and especially for the European Union, whose voice has been strengthened as a whole,” he analyzes.
Still, Lessa acknowledges that Le Pen’s performance poses greater challenges for Macron’s new government. “Marine Le Pen increased the vote and became a definite part of the landscape of the French political system,” he emphasizes. “It is an important political fact that points to this reality of the strength of a renewed far-right in the case of France,” concludes the International Relations expert.
source: Noticias
