Mauro Vieira takes over Itamaraty and reinforces the speech of rebuilding Brazilian diplomacy

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Diplomat Mauro Vieira took office as Chancellor of the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government last Monday night (2nd), in a ceremony at the Itamaraty Palace.

In his speech, Vieira thanked former president Dilma Rousseff, under whom he was also Minister of Foreign Affairs, until the opening of the impeachment process against the PT candidate. The new chancellor also spoke of “rebuilding the diplomatic heritage” and bringing Brazil back “to the great stage of international relations

Unlike most office handover ceremonies, government minister Jair Bolsonaro (PL), Carlos França, was present at the act.

Vieira is a career diplomat, with extensive experience commanding Brazil’s main posts abroad. He was ambassador to Argentina and the United States, for example.

Sponsored by Celso Amorim, the PT’s main reference in foreign affairs and to whom he also thanked, he has exposed as one of his priorities the strengthening of ties with Latin America, particularly in the context of international forums that were despised by the Bolsonaro administration, such as Unasur and CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States).

He was chosen chancellor for Dilma’s second government and left office only with impeachment. At the time, he was heavily criticized by PT politicians for having organized and participated in the inauguration ceremony of José Serra (PSDB), his replacement, chosen by Michel Temer (MDB) for the position. That’s because PT supporters defended and still defend the thesis that Dilma was the victim of a coup led by her former deputy.

The criticisms were reinforced because Vieira then took over as Brazil’s ambassador to the Brazilian delegation to the United Nations in New York —a highlight of his career—, which signaled that he would not fall into ostracism or become a victim of persecution, as happened to other PT supporters in other posts on the Esplanada dos Ministérios.

Already in the Bolsonaro administration, however, Vieira’s next position was as ambassador of Brazil in Croatia, this is indeed a position of little prominence.

Also present at the ceremony this Monday, the now ex-chancellor Carlos França defended his administration and avoided dealing with the international isolationism adopted by the last government. He said that, after a conversation with the former representative, three “urgencies” were established that were faced: health, linked to the Covid pandemic; the economic; and the climate.

France highlighted the role of the last government’s diplomacy in the purchase of vaccines against the coronavirus, despite the criticism that fell on Bolsonaro for delaying the purchase of immunizers.

Initially scheduled for 7 pm (Brasília time), Vieira’s inauguration ceremony was delayed because President Lula met with heads of government and state who traveled to Brazil to honor the PT.

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