Foreign Minister of Brazil, Ernesto Arazzo (Photo: Jose Cruz / Agocesia Brasil)
foreign Minister, Ernesto Arajo, Decided to resign from his post. The Chancellor himself informed his subordinates. According to Planalto sources, the Chancellor and the President will have another meeting at 5 pm. Ernesto told Bolsonaro that he does not want to be a problem for the government. Government officials expect that Arazo’s departure will be made official on this Monday (03/29).
With Arujo leaving, Planalto Palace intends to appoint another diplomat for the post. The most popular names are Nestor Forster, who represents Brazil in the United States, and Luis Fernando Serra, who is in France.
Considered the most highly rated for the post, the Brazilian ambassador to France is considered to be similar to Ernesto Araújo in the Congress and even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The assessment is that exchange will not necessarily mean a necessary change in foreign policy.
Serra Presidency general secretary is close to Onyx Lorenzoni, head of the secretariat and his performance as head of the embassy in Paris has pleased Bolsonaro. In September 2019, the ambassador canceled participation in an event with academics in the French capital that would pay tribute to Rio de Janeiro city councilman Mariel Franco, assassinated in 2018. In May last year, the ambassador appeared in Bolansaro’s defense and became an accused. The French newspaper Le Monde criticized the president for denying the severity of the epidemic and politicizing the health crisis after publishing an editorial daily to distort the facts. “Something is rotten in Brazil”.
An ambassador for Brazil in Washington (USA), Nestor Forster, is also an option who will have difficulties getting accepted by Parliament. The diplomat is aligned with Araujo and is close to Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PSL-SP). Forster is also close to right-wing guru Olavo de Carvalho, but he is considered more capable and efficient than the current chancellor.
Aides also suggested that Bolsonaro Ambassador Carlos Alberto Franco França, the current chief presidential thinker. Before taking up this role at the end of last year, he was head of ceremonies at Planalto Palace and became a reliable assistant to the president.
Admiral Flavio Rocha, Special Secretary for Strategic Affairs, is seen as a remote option. Although he has a good movement among ambassadors, it is still true that he is a military man. Rocha also took charge of this month’s Special Communications Secretariat (SECOM).
Agriculture Minister Tereza Christina delighted both MPs and ambassadors, but he repeatedly confirmed that he was not interested in changing the portfolio. Among the politicians are names of former President and Senator Fernando Kolar (PROS-AL) and Senator Nelsinho Trade (PSD-MS).
Arujo was questioned by the Congress. Last week, the president of the Chamber, Artur Lira, and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, pressured President Jair Boldonaro to dismiss the Chancellor. Lira went so far that Araujo lost the ability to negotiate with countries. For Centrão, the minister impedes the purchase of vaccines from China and India.
This Sunday, Araujo also declared that the Congress’ pressure was for interests related to 5G technology, not because of vaccines against Kovid-19. Senator Ketia Abreu (PP-TO), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Commission, reacted to the minister’s statement, saying that Brazil could no longer have “a frontier face” and pressured the minister’s exit.
Criticism of foreign policy and the strategies adopted by Arruzzo include the deterioration of relations with China, Brazil’s main trading partner since 2009. Now, Asian countries are also emerging as suppliers of inputs for the production of the Oxford / Astranesic vaccine, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FerroCruz), built together, and Coronavac, developed by Synovac Biotech in partnership with the Butanan Institute.
Change in foreign policy
GLOBO heard about the heritage of Araujo to 11 active diplomats serving in various countries in the US, Middle East and Asia. In their assessment, a complete reconstruction of Brazil’s foreign policy would be necessary, both in bilateral relations with key relations such as the United States, China, and Argentina, as well as with the European Union and multilateral organizations.
Diplomats defeated international organizations in Brazil’s recent elections as a sign of losing the country’s strength.
