Brazilian Ambassador to the United States Antonio Patriota spoke to a full Joukowsky Forum Friday, Feb. 15. Patriota emphasized the common policy efforts shared by Brazil and the U.S., especially on regional matters and the environment. At the same time, he underscored that Brazil expects to be a leader on the world stage, perhaps by taking a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, and that it does not support the Iraq war.
Patriota's visit joins this year's lineup of highly noted Latin American public officials, as seen by the recent visits of ambassadors from Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela, as well as an upcoming visit by Bolivian President Evo Morales on Feb. 26. This University focus on Latin America comes as the Center for Latin American Studies celebrates its 25th year as a department and 35th year as a concentration.
After an introduction by James Green, associate professor of history and the center's director, Patriota began his speech, entitled "Brazil-U.S. Relations: The Bilateral, Regional and Global Agendas," by noting three "myths" that he said he usually heard when others spoke of Latin America - that the U.S. fails to pay Latin America proper attention, that the U.S. may be "losing Latin America" because of that negligence and that there are two separate Latin Americas.
"I often hear that there is negligence of Brazil by the U.S., but my response to that is, 'It's not the quantity but the quality of attention that matters to us,'" Patriota said. "I also don't think Latin America was ever something to win or lose in the first place."
As for the case of there being "two Latin Americas," based in what some see as the opposing views of leaders in the region, Patriota said he disagrees.
"We are one region and should be seen as such. Let's not highlight the differences," he said.
Patriota then shed some light on two particular presidential meetings he was a part of in 2007. He said that in both instances, the leaders of the two countries found "new areas of convergence were appearing."
At these summits, Brazilian and U.S. executives discussed new environmental sustainability initiatives in Africa and Cuba and through the World Trade Organization, bilateral research and development, trilateral peace efforts in the region and immigration issues.
"It was surprising for me to see President Lula and Bush develop a good relationship despite their different socioeconomic backgrounds," Patriota said.
But he said despite overlapping agendas and increased communications between both countries, there is "no doubt areas of divergence and resentment" between the two, citing U.S. involvement in Iraq as an example.
"There is no sympathy" on the Iraq front, he said. "We don't necessarily see the U.S. in a positive light" in this respect.
He did say that Brazil is "willing to be a partner" with the U.S. "It's no longer a world of the Monroe Doctrine. The U.S. will no longer be able to do things on their own," he said.
After making it clear that Brazil had no plans of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which he said was suggested to him by the American ambassador to Brazil at an earlier date, Patriota said Brazil was interested in becoming a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.
"Among the non-permanent members of the Security Council, Brazil and China have been the only two to be sitting there two-thirds of its 63-year existence," he said. "And, if a Latin American country was chosen, Brazil would be the most obvious choice."
When Patriota focused on Brazil holistically, instead of on a regional level as he had been doing for much of his remarks, he listed off some of the country's best attributes: strong exports, growth in imports, diminishing inequality trends, partnerships with new countries and "a new generation of politicians that have very strong democratic notions."
For Brazil, "there hasn't been such a positive outlook in a long time. This is perhaps without precedent," Patriota said.
The second and final hour of the lecture was given to questions from the audience. Several attendees asked about a range of topics, ranging from deforestation in the Amazon and the transatlantic spread of evangelical Christianity to differences in the two countries' philosophies toward immigration and foreign policy.
Of those who asked questions, many were Brazilian themselves.
The lectures say "a lot about the great benefits of being a Brazilian at Brown," said Jorge Alves GS, a Brazilian who studies in the political science department. "We should not undermine the access that we have here at Brown to meet people such as Patriota, especially when we can be in such a close setting."
Another Brazilian student, Geraldo Guanaes '11, added to Alves' statement. "This is something we wouldn't have as Brazilian students in Brazil," he said.
Benjamin Brown '08, a concentrator in the Department of Portuguese and Brazilian Studies who helped organize the lecture, said Patriota spent time before the lecture meeting Brazilian students and Portuguese and Brazilian Studies concentrators. Brown also said that Patriota shared his views on how to expand the department's concentration to encompass more issues within the social sciences, humanities and diplomacy.
