President Joe Biden promises to touch on the theme of the election in Brazil during his meeting with President Jair Bolsonaro in the coming days. The two leaders never spoke, despite the Planalto Palace’s repeated requests for rapprochement. But to ensure that the Summit of the Americas did not fail, Biden offered to meet with Bolsonaro.
According to US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the meeting between the two presidents promises to address important issues. According to him, Biden will discuss “democratic, transparent and open elections” with Bolsonaro. The statement was made on the plane carrying the White House delegation to Los Angeles, where the summit took place, and was reported by agencies such as Reuters.
Last month, another American envoy traveled to Brasilia to send a very clear message that the Biden administration does not welcome Bolsonaro’s attempt to question Brazil’s voting system. The tone used in Brasilia was interpreted as a warning that the White House would not approve of a political break in the country.
Bolsonaro has raised international concerns over his threats that he will not accept eventual defeat. Personalities like Harvard University’s Steve Levitsky have gone so far as to show that Brazilian democracy is in a threatening moment.
Another issue in the meeting of the two leaders will be the climate issue. But Sullivan said he doesn’t know yet if Biden will be talking about the disappearance of Briton Dom Phillips and native Bruno Pereira on the Amazon this week. According to him, the issue has not been overlooked, and if President Biden’s team believes it can help, the issue may come up.
This week, Biden’s climate ambassador, John Kerry, said he would follow up with the case after meeting with indigenous leader Sonia Guajajara.
Despite word from the White House, the meeting is viewed with skepticism by some of America’s highest voices. US human rights activist Kenneth Roth questioned President Joe Biden’s behavior in welcoming Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday.
Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, called for Biden to make an important statement in front of a leader he says threatens democracy. “The Biden administration has two mindsets about human rights. Sometimes they stand up for human rights. Sometimes they fall short,” Roth told an event in Geneva on Wednesday.
“I want to see what Biden has to say in my meeting with Bolsonaro. Unfortunately, Biden has a tendency to meet with leaders who abuse human rights and say that they are just discussing human rights without doing anything else. And that’s pointless. The people of that country don’t know,” he criticized. .
“There’s a very developed civil society in Brazil. Strong press and activists. The judiciary and Congress work significantly and constrain Bolsonaro’s actions,” he said. “So Biden’s public comments are very important,” he insisted.
According to Roth, Biden will “show whether he is on the side of the Brazilian people or in a “Trump project” that threatens to undermine the next election. The activist recalls how Bolsonaro began to anticipate another election fraud before it even happened.
Roth’s warning came a day after Biden received a letter from more than 70 Brazilian organizations urging Americans to use meeting with Bolsonaro to demand respect for democracy and demand fair elections.
The letter requesting the American president was signed by more than 70 organizations, including the Articulation of Brazilian Indigenous Peoples, Article 19, the Arns Commission, Conectas Human Rights, Greenpeace Brazil, the Vladimir Herzog Institute, the Homeless Workers Movement, and Washington. Brazilian Office. UOL was informed that the document had reached Biden’s team.
“We understand your goals of bringing the Americas together through the Summit, especially in the face of the crisis in Europe. But we send this letter to you during your meeting to urge you to resolutely defend democracy, free and fair elections, climate action and fundamental protection of the rainforest, if Brazilian democracy collapses, Mr. All your efforts to “build a sustainable, resilient and equitable future” will be futile, the President states at the Americas Summit.
“As Brazilian NGOs, we are concerned that President Jair Bolsonaro will use his meeting with you to argue that your administration supports your attacks on democracy, free and fair elections, the environment, science, fundamental human rights and human rights. The Amazon rainforest,” they warn. .
source: Noticias
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