World

Lula concerned about Russian influence on Latin America

by Luiz Castro | September 20, 2008 at 11:12 am

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President Lula will complain to Chavez against the called “strategic alliance” between Venezuela and Russia over the next meeting of Unasur, next Thursday in New York. Lula is upset with the Venezuela position, he believes that Chavez is bringing a conflict that doesn’t belong to Latin America just to the heart of the continent, and he will express his dissatisfaction.

Lula administration has also expressed concerns that Bolivia is approaching Russia to help on narcotic production and traffic combat, Brazilian government believes that Russia has no experience on that issue and don’t see a reason for the proclaimed deal between these Countries.

Partial Free Translation from “O Estado de São Paulo”.

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A crescente articulação militar e diplomática entre os governos da Venezuela e da Rússia, a ponto de os dois países terem agendado para novembro um grande exercício aeronaval conjunto no Caribe, irritou o presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. O assunto foi discutido no Planalto com assessores, ficando decidido que a insatisfação brasileira será transmitida ao presidente venezuelano, Hugo Chávez, quinta-feira, em Nova York, na cúpula dos países da Unasul (União das Nações Sul-Americanas).

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Também incomodou o Brasil o fato de Chávez declarar-se "aliado estratégico" da Rússia. Outra preocupação: os russos também vão pôr um pé na Bolívia, o que já é do conhecimento do Itamaraty. Como o governo Evo Morales expulsou o embaixador dos EUA, La Paz vai perder, em dezembro, a preferência tarifária para exportações direcionadas ao mercado americano, assim como terá cortada a ajuda para o combate ao narcotráfico. A opção de Evo foi autorizar a ajuda do governo russo no combate ao narcotráfico, tarefa na qual Moscou tem pouca experiência.

Según fuentes diplomáticas, el próximo jueves Lula, que está “ molesto ” con el tema, se lo planteará a Chávez en la reunión de la Unión Sudamericana de Naciones (UNASUR) que se realizará en el marco de la Asamblea General de la ONU en Nueva York.

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rahul

at 08:34 on September 21st, 2008

Another point of view has been expressed by President Chavez today on Russian participation on Latin America. This story fails to address the fact that with the aid of Israeli money and technology, Brazil intends to reactivate its weapons industry. Thus, the Russian presence becomes rather threatenign to Brazilian arm sales in Latin America too.

Luiz Castro

at 09:34 on September 21st, 2008

Rahul,
I don't want to be offensive to your leader, I know how important is his opinion to you, but that is the most stupid statement that Chavez ever made, South America don't need neither Russians nor Americans patrolling our waters. I read about your Israeli thing and I really don't buy that. Brazil would redevelop a defense industry but not to compete with US or Russia, Brazilian technologic strategy has been always filling the gaps and searching for niches, Embraer is a good example of how that works.

The AMX Project is another example.

René

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 08:03 on September 22nd, 2008

I share your concerns. Russia is trying to muscle its way into our hemisphere. And the only thing they're good for is facilitating drug business not stopping it.