US secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a note congratulating the people of Brazil for its independence from Portugal, which is celebrated on September 7. Brazil's Independence was assured by Dom Pedro I, the son of Portugal's king, Dom João VI.
Dom Pedro proclaimed Brazil independent from Portugal and became the new country's first emperor. He later went back to Portugal becoming king of that country for a brief period.
Clinton's greetings follow in their entirety:
On behalf of the people of the United States, I extend warm wishes and congratulations to the people of Brazil as they celebrate 187 years of independence. We value the bonds of friendship and mutual respect between our two nations.
The United States and Brazil are united by our commitment to democratic values, by our long history – I am proud that the United States was the first country to recognize Brazil as a sovereign nation – and by our shared hopes for a peaceful and prosperous future.
The partnership between the United States and Brazil is both durable and dynamic. Our governments are working together to meet the regional and global challenges of our times, from developing alternative energy sources and rebuilding the global economy to combating threats to public health and security.
On this historic occasion, I want to applaud Brazil's leadership in the Americas and around the world, and reaffirm the commitment of the United States to further strengthen and deepen our partnership.