The absence of a de facto US ambassador in Brazil does not show Washington’s disinterest, but the difficulty of articulating it in President Joe Biden’s Congress, in the view of Anthony Harrington, who held that same post between 1999 and 2001.
The position has been vacant since July last year. Biden’s nominee, Elizabeth Bagley, was barred from the Senate and the interim position is Douglas Koneff, Chargé d’Affaires.
Chairman of the board of directors of consultancy Albright Stonebridge, Harrington asks not to comment on specific candidates in the Brazilian elections – the first round will be held on Sunday (2) -, but says that President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) is “very pro-US” .
Which does not mean that an eventual election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) will change the scenario between the countries. The PT, according to his assessment, “is an internationalist and would be more active in foreign policy.”
What assessment do you make of the elections in Brazil? It’s worrying. There is polarization, also present in the US and neighboring Latin American countries. But so far, the performance of Brazilian institutions, especially the Federal Supreme Court and the Superior Electoral Court, has responded to the challenges, and Congress is in line with democracy. From the outside, it seems that the institutions are working the way one would imagine in a country the size of Brazil. At the same time, the private sector and civil society organizations took the initiative to stand up for democracy. All this is very encouraging. Polls show that most Brazilians trust the electoral system.
We have seen movement by sectors of the left in the US Congress, and the Biden administration has also made public demonstrations demonstrating confidence in the electoral process. Is this type of manifestation effective? The US government does well? Yup. The government has its foreign policy. Secretary Lloyd Austin [Defesa] went to Brazil and spoke in defense of the democratic process. Under Secretary Victoria Nuland [chefe de assuntos polÃticos no Departamento de Estado] was also in BrasÃlia and showed confidence in the Brazilian system. What I don’t think we need is threats about what might happen [em caso de golpe]. We need diplomacy.
Do you believe that an eventual election of Lula will change relations between countries? Former President Lula is an internationalist. From the experience we saw during his government, he traveled the world, established very good bilateral relations, especially south-south. I believe he would be more active in foreign policy than the current administration. I think this will open up a lot of space. He has a team that knows the US very well; there will be a greater focus on the international scene, but there will also be room for the US.
like mr. compares Brazil-US relations today and in the period when he was ambassador? It’s almost unfair to compare. The relationship was extraordinarily positive. Fernando Henrique Cardoso and his family were close friends of the presidential family [dos Estados Unidos, com Bill Clinton no governo]. This made the relationship easier.
On the other hand, President Jair Bolsonaro was, from the beginning, very pro-US and interested in expanding this relationship. But the two governments are now more concerned with their own needs. When I was in Brazil, there was no pandemic, we hadn’t yet realized the existential threat of the climate crisis, we didn’t have the polarization and autocratic leaders we have now.
But Brazil and the US are the two largest democracies in the hemisphere, they cooperate on multiple fronts — military, in the area of ​​health. I have been involved in US investment projects in Brazilian hospitals, pharmaceuticals, public-private partnerships. There is an agreement to explore the unique positioning in Brazil in the launch of satellites [no Maranhão]. I am optimistic that we will be able to maintain or even strengthen a positive relationship in the midst of today’s global challenges.
At the same time, the post of ambassador to Brazil is still vacant. Doesn’t this show that the country is less important today? We have the same situation in a number of countries. It is a sign of problems in moving the agenda in Congress. I know Elizabeth Bagley well. She was ambassador to Portugal, she has the advantage of speaking Portuguese and has a long and respected experience. Not receiving confirmation is more a factor of dynamics in Congress than it is itself. She has the ability, and if for some reason it doesn’t happen [sua nomeação] I hope the government appoints someone else soon. We have a great charge d’affaires, anyway.
x-ray | Anthony Harrington
US Ambassador to Brazil between 1999 and 2001, he is head of the Board of Directors of Albright Stonebridge Group, a consultancy for corporations with investments abroad
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
