Brazil adopts caution, but receives message from the US that relations will be normal even if Trump wins

BRASILIA (Reuters) – With the elections in the United States approaching, and with real chances of Republican Donald Trump returning to power, the Brazilian government has adopted a stance of waiting and watching from a distance, but has already received a message from North American diplomacy that nothing will change in the relations between the two countries, regardless of who wins the dispute, according to sources interviewed by Reuters.

“It’s still too early to look for contacts, we don’t know who will actually be in government. Whoever is there today may not be there in January. We have to wait and see,” said one of the sources.

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The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has a positive relationship with US President, Democrat Joe Biden. During the elections in Brazil, in 2022, the Biden government sent several messages to the then government of Jair Bolsonaro that it would not support any attempt at democratic rupture, at the same time that it spoke with Lula’s representatives even before the election.

Washington was one of Lula’s first trips abroad after being elected, back in March 2023 and, this year, Lula has already declared his support for Biden in these elections.

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During his term, Trump had a close relationship with Bolsonaro, which continued after he left the Presidency and continues now, with the son of former president Eduardo Bolsonaro having had more than one meeting with Trump in Florida.

Still, North American diplomats gave the Brazilian government the guarantee that the institutional relationship between the two countries will not change even if Trump is elected, two sources said. “The message that came to us is that there is a relationship between States that will not be affected,” said one of the sources.

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Some countries, such as Japan, Germany and Mexico, have already appointed emissaries to approach the Republican’s team, as shown by Reuters.

Brazil, on the contrary, should not try anything until the election is decided, the sources said. There is still a view that the American election is not defined, especially after recent polls showing a smaller difference between Biden and Trump.

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In the Brazilian case, said one of the sources, the decision to act and how to act will depend on President Lula. In an eventual Republican victory, Lula will set the pace for rapprochement with the new president, said one of the sources, but the institutional relationship will remain.