We’ve been following the circulation of news lately, which includes the confirmation of a meeting between Presidents Jair Bolsonaro and Joe Biden. It will be the first face-to-face contact between the two after a series of disagreements and mutual disturbances.
The event will take place June 6-10, when leaders of both countries will be in Los Angeles, United States, to attend the Summit of the Americas, a conference organized by the Organization of Americas from time to time. to bring together the continent’s heads of state to discuss issues concerning the region.
Relations with the Western Hemisphere have not long been a priority for the US government. Recent administrations in other parts of the world, such as the Middle East and Asia, and focusing on domestic issues, have maintained erratic policies towards the Americas, often emphasizing immigration or related issues commensurate with the perceptions of security risks they have set for themselves. for example in the fight against transnational crime. Under Biden, this was no different.
For the Brazilian government, relations with the United States are considered central and priority. Not surprisingly, Brazilian diplomacy has been working behind the scenes for months to make this meeting possible. In addition to objective national interests, “going into the picture” with Joe Biden is particularly appropriate for Bolsonaro’s government, as it allows the president to take the moment politically and challenge the narrative of Brazil’s international isolation in the pre-election context.
Convergence topics that could guide the meeting include promoting trade and investment between the two countries, discussions involving cooperation in the military and defense sector, and who knows, an agenda to balance and limit China’s presence in Latin America. Despite the numerous differences that leaders have among themselves, these are issues where the two administrations share their visions and have an open channel for dialogue.
On the other hand, we have problems in the field of divisions and possible noise, including the environment, democracy and the position of governments in relation to the current international crisis: the war between Russia and Ukraine. It would not be surprising if the US leader seizes the opportunity to increase the pressure and demands on Brazil in these areas.
Overall, the meeting is likely to be marked by a diplomatic tone, a speech based on the positive historical and strategic importance of bilateral relations. Many groups, including pro-business ones, will press delegations for a pro-continuity dialogue guided by pragmatic interests.
Also, in practice, it is expected that there will be no important decisions or commitments to be made from this meeting. While Americans welcomed the Bolsonaro government’s inclination to its agenda of alignment with the United States, they remained vigilant about the Brazilian government’s process of appealing to the institutions. In this sense, they tend to follow the next few months with relative care. The word is a “bain-marie” from the Brazilian election process to future definitions in the coming months.
source: Noticias
