Brazilian historian, Robson Arrais commented that the election results in Latin America should not alter Brazil’s relations with the countries in the region nor with the Mercosur.
In his view, the elections in the United States also will not have any immediate impact on Brazil.
Arrais argued that, historically, Brazil and the rest of Latin America possess very different realities.
“Brazil became a monarchy when everyone else became a republic. Brazil maintained the slave system and avoided war. The others had slightly more participation,” he explained.
The historian pointed out that Americans are interested in Latin American elections.
“In truth, they are interested in who wins, whether it is another leftist, populist phenomenon like Hugo Chavez,” he said.
Arrais underscored that the United States is Brazil’s most important trade partner.
For this reason, the American elections can produce minor commercial changes.
“When the Republicans win, it is the ‘big stick’ policy, with the generation of instability in the East and FTAA pressures on the Mercosur. When the Democrats win, it is the ‘little stick,’ ” he elucidated.
Agência Brasil
Translator: David Silberstein
