Is Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva making a mistake cozying up to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the expense of Brazil’s relations with the United States? In this latest of a series of articles we’ve translated about the wisdom of Lula’s ambitious profile on the global stage, Sergio Malbergier of Brazil’s Folha newspaper warns President Lula that he could be taking his nation down the wrong path.
For Folha, Sergio Malbergier writes in part:
The clandestine Iranian nuclear program has become Brazil’s international workhorse. It’s an issue that undoubtedly projects us around the world. And this projection benefits the country, the aspirations of which to have a greater voice on the global scene isn’t only justified, it adds value and strengthens the Brazil brand. But is the defense of Iran the best way to do so? The downside of this alignment with Tehran is great.
Because of our defense of positions of a despotic regime, which is cruel in its persecution of minorities and its opposition, we have picked a fight with one of our most important global partners, the United States – which remains by far the greatest power on earth. And the same can be said of other traditional and important Brazil allies, such as France and Germany, which are both very engaged in the Iranian issue.
We would gain much if this relationship with the U.S. matured and transformed itself, adapting to the new realities in both countries. However much we may deny it, we share important common values with the United States.
It would be much better to see Lula shaking hands with Obama than with Ahmadinejad.
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