What are the similarities and differences between the candidates for the Presidency of Brazil with regard to foreign policy and national defense? A newsroom brings a comparison of the projects of Fernando Haddad (PT) and Jair Bolsonaro (PSL) to this subject with analyzes of specialists in foreign policy and military strategy.
International relations
Fernando Hadad's Brazilian foreign policy project has as its main theme the resumption of diplomacy adopted by the government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, b eginning with the mention of the so-called "Alative and Active Foreign Policy", a term coined by then-Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and present in the Fernando Haddad program. Among the main points of this government plan, the focus is on multilateralism, reinforcing the relationship with the BRICS, South-South cooperation and Latin American integration.
"Brazil must resume and deepen the foreign policy of Latin American integration and South-South cooperation (especially with Africa), so as to support multilateralism, the search for solutions through dialogue and repudiation of The strengthening of the BRICS is another essential policy of a foreign policy that reinforces the presence of developing countries in the international agenda and proposes the development of new instruments for cooperation and reform in multilateral organizations, "says the plan. government of the presidential candidate.
Haddad's project also seeks to mirror the Lula administration's foreign policy in attempts to build peace by highlighting the signing of the Tehran Declaration to resolve the issue of Iran's nuclear program and the recognition of the State of Palestine as "the only possible path to peace in the Middle East".
Jair Bolsonaro's project for Brazilian diplomacy, entitled in his program as the "New Itamaraty", emphasizes the commitment to bilateral relations and agreements, and the deepening of ties with Latin American countries. The program also suggests an approach to countries like USA and Israel, rejecting a diplomacy driven by "ideological reasons".
"We will stop praising murderous dictatorships and despise or even attack important democracies like USA, Israel and Italy. We will no longer make spurious trade agreements or we will hand over the Brazilian people's patrimony to international dictators," says the Bolsonaro program.
"Countries that have sought to come closer but have been deprecated for ideological reasons, have much to offer Brazil in terms of trade, science, technology, innovation, education and culture," complements the PSL plan.
What the experts say
It is a consensus among International Relations experts that the government's foreign policy projects for the two candidates are not very thorough and provide only a few indications of what will be the direction of Brazilian diplomacy from 2019.
Paulo Velasco, a professor of International Relations at UERJ and a researcher at the Brazilian Center for International Relations, Paulo Velasco, told the editors that in the program of Fernando Haddad there is an attempt to reproduce the foreign policy of the past decade, "prioritizing relations with the countries of the so-called global, Brazil very attentive to forums such as the BRICS, very attentive to the logic of regional integration."
"Looking at PT candidate Fernando Haddad's program, it is very clear the attempt of that foreign policy more assertive than was the policy of Lula da Silva's government, an almost attempt to emulate and copy the guidelines that gave very right during the middle of the [...] Haddad affirms that the South American and Latin American space are a condition for Brazil's performance as an actor of major weight and scope in the scene and reaffirms the idea of an autonomous and sovereign Brazil in international relations without any subordination to the interests of external actors, "observes Velasco.
"The big question that remains in the air is whether there will be all this breath, all this commitment," he ponders.
Regarding Jair Bolsonaro's program, Paulo Velasco highlights the fact that the PSL candidate does not mention a foreign policy in his program, but speaks in a "New Itamaraty".
"Under this title he brings some ideas of what would be prioritized in his foreign policy." He agrees with Haddad in underscoring the importance of regional integration, which is a point of intersection between the two programs, even though the PSL program makes a in a way that would leave Venezuela already, and perhaps in an extensive interpretation of dictatorship, would leave out the Bolivian government of Morales, although in this case it would be absurd to characterize it as undemocratic, "he commented.
The expert adds that some of the points that appear in the PSL program are very similar to the points that were announced by former Foreign Minister José Serra at the beginning of the Temer government, who also said that he would seek a foreign policy less ideological, but attentive to partners and seeking bilateral trade agreements.
António Gelis, professor of International Geopolitical Strategy at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation in Sao Paulo, in an interview with the newsroom, agreed that Haddad's government program replicates PT's foreign policy of approaching the BRICS countries in Africa, but stresses that " we live today in a rapidly changing world, which means that candidates do not commit too much to foreign policy. "
"It's a complacent caution in both, knowing that this is a world that surprises have happened all the time," said the expert.
According to Gelis, the Bolsonaro project for International Relations points to a rapprochement with US President Donald Trump, although he emphasizes that his project in this area is generic.
"His points, not only written in himself, but throughout his speech, have a very great identification with the US government of President Donald Trump, and an attempt to replicate some positions, which is curious, because the government "So how much would that turn out to be a stable alliance for both Bolsonaro and Haddad, is very questionable at the moment," he said.
National defense
In the scope of the National Defense, the projects of the candidates for the Presidency coincide in valorizing the Armed Forces of Brazil, in spite of presenting different approaches to matters related to national sovereignty.
The plan of government of Jair Bolsonaro for Defense has as fundamental vector the valorization of the Brazilian Armed Forces in the "Guarantee of the Law and the Order" and in the "security of the borders". For this, the PSL project promotes "greater integration among other public security agencies".
"In the face of crises, our combatants need modern equipment, not just vehicles and weapons." Digital threats are already present, and our Armed Forces need to be prepared, through research and technological development, with the participation of military institutions in the In addition, in the role of national consolidation, we must remember the participation of the Armed Forces in the process of health care and education of the population, especially in remote areas of the country, "says the Bolsonaro government program.
Already the project of the PT candidate, Fernando Haddad, as well as in foreign policy, highlights a resumption of Lula and Dilma's government in relation to National Defense.
The Haddad plan says that "all legal measures will be taken to preserve national interests against the Government's illegitimate decision to deliver Embraer to Boeing, reinforcing it as a national instrument of great technological and strategic importance."
The expert's analysis
In an interview with the newsroom, Defense Specialist Roberto Godoy noted that it is difficult to determine similarities and differences between the programs of the two candidates in the Defense area.
"Neither of them has a well-defined and specific plan for the area of Defense. They have intentions," he said.
According to him, a convergent question among the candidates is the question of the reequipment of the Armed Forces, although there is, according to the expert, a lack of funding proposals to carry out the modernization of the troops.
"This is a chronic problem of the Brazilian forces. We can not forget that in 2016 a diagnosis by the Navy indicated that in 2023, if things happened as they were, there would be no money for the modernization of existing ships," recalls Godoy.
"In the case of Haddad, he promises to resume the programs, to invest in the forces, but there is one absolutely fundamental thing missing, which is summed up in a single word with a question mark: 'How?' Where will the money come from? "Brazil has never needed so much active, prepared, well-equipped Armed Forces as it is today," said the journalist.
In the Bolsonaro project, Roberto Godoy says that neither the strong connection that the PSL canidato has with the Army results in a more concrete proposal for the National Defense.
"What surprised even in the case of the candidate Bolsonaro, because he is an ex-serviceman. He has been away for a long time, but has always maintained connections, his advice is composed of some generals who were m of the high command. that he did not elaborate a little more the proposal, has also been in the territory of intentions, "he said.
According to him, in the case of Bolsonaro, what is concrete is a "clear intention to put a military college in each capital within a maximum period of 24 months from the possession, and an insinuation of this intention to maintain intervention in public safety in Rio de Janeiro for an indefinite period ".
