OBAMA TO VISIT BRAZIL

Obama to Visit Brazil in March
By Nestor Bailly, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Early last week it was released that in March, U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Brazil on his first trip to South America. The announcement comes shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s attendance at Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s inauguration, and the trip is widely viewed as a rejuvenation for U.S.-Brazilian relations.


U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Brazil in March 2011, photo by Steve Jurvetson/Wikimedia Creative Commons License.

Specifically mentioned in the U.S. Presidential State of the Union address last week, the trip takes the Obama to Chile, Brazil, and El Salvador to “forge new alliances across the Americas.”

For Brazil, this means reinforcing the bilateral relationship after some rifts following former president Lula’s foray into the Middle East peace process and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Another point of conflict was the near trade war over illegal U.S. cotton subsidies, which effected Brazil’s ability to compete in the market. A deal was announced on April 6th, one day before Brazil would have begun implementing retaliatory sanctions worth US$830 million.

President Rousseff’s new administration has sent numerous signals that it wants to improve ties with the U.S., most significantly by distancing itself from Lula’s Iran policies. Diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks show that since 2009 there has been a strong desire to rebuild relations, marked by high-level visits, between the two most populous and powerful nations in the western hemisphere.

“[Antonio] Patriota [then Secretary-General of the Ministry of External Relations] said the high-level visits are important for the tone of the relationship with Latin America as a whole, and Brazil in particular,” a cable from Brasilia reads. “They will allow our differences to be seen within a larger, and overall, positive context.”

President Obama’s upcoming trip is meant to do just that. Focusing on areas of mutual interest, the President is expected to push for greater trade and investment, especially in Brazil’s world-class clean energy industry. The U.S. is currently without a formal trade agreement with Brazil, the world’s eighth largest economy.


President Dilma previously met President Obama in the White House in 2009, before she was elected, photo by Agência Brasil.

Obama will also offer U.S. expertise with civil security in anticipation of the upcoming 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics, and assistance in intelligence and organizational coordination aimed at tackling Brazil’s narcotics trade is expected to be a top priority.

A looming issue remains unanswered with Brazil’s FX2 jet fighter procurement, a long-delayed multi-billion dollar defense contract aimed at purchasing 36 jets from France, the U.S., or Sweden. Former president Lula deferred the decision to his successor, Rousseff, who has not made any commitment yet.

Many analysts see Obama courting Brazil and its markets to counteract Chinese influence in the region. With Brazil’s huge oil and gas reserves, unneeded for its domestic market as Brazil is energy self-sufficient, Chinese state-owned companies are investing heavily in Brazilian mineral and energy infrastructure. However many in the Brazilian government are as critical of China’s trade and financial practices as the U.S. is.

The U.S. presidential visit to Brazil is a clear effort to align with Brazil’s emerging world power status and high rate of growth. The U.S. and Brazil have a lot in common, much more so than with China, and both countries are keen to open up the hugely profitable potential in the U.S.-Brazil relationship.

MY OUT LOOK ON BRAZIL by M.J.

That is a nice video of Kelly. The others, well, they speak for themselves. Tourism was actually up 11 percent in 2010. They had 680 Thousands tourist to come to Rio De janerio in the month of December alone. Those are stats from the Federal Police and all of Brazil had over 86 percent occupancy on Rental units. In rio, over 90 percent of all the rental units and hotels were filled with Tourist. That is tremendous growth. However, you are correct. Sex tourism is down. That way, maybe, the quality speaks for itself. The ones that want to be spoon fed will miss help. However, if you think back, help was dead 6 months before it actually closed.. Especially after the last entry fee increase. I went in several times in there were not 75 people, including employees in the place. So, the writing was on the wall. All good things must come to an end. Inflation is eating up the Real buying power. The increase in wages, fees, food cost have only allowed the buying power to equal 1996 buying power, even with the brazilian population moving up to 50.2 Middle class and up. However, like any civilize nation, the less educated will suffer and the lack of skills, training in a labor intense society will keep them in menial jobs- which a lot are comfortable having these entry level positions, simply to support their family. Brazil is a very dynamic and exciting place. I think we judge brazil simply by the going and comings of Copacabana. However, I will honestly say, Several other states are more fluid and dynamic than Rio. We must move beyond the comforts of Zone Sul and realize the vastness of Brazil. Rio is very expense ( zona sul) and overpriced. I find the true Carioca attitude to be quite different from other Brazilians. I will say, if we evaluate the contacts we have made over the last 7 years. we will realize the true Cutie's were not from Rio. They were simply visiting from some other state. We need to go to the source and find them. especially now, since there is a drought in the Star quality program in Rio. yes, if they were horses, we will say they are long in the tooth. This garota do programmer game is a young woman game. If they are 30 + they are closer to Dinosaurs then stars. Think, If they are 30+ and have been working 7-12 years, that is over 2100 different men easily in that small time frame. That is over use and leads to an academy award performance or basically poor service for a substantial price. My rule of thumb, if some one wants an exorbitant price, they usually are not good performs. That is my small observation- not scientific.  I enjoy traveling around Brazil. I will suggest Vitoria and North Brazil for a change of pace. I am not sure about the availibility of programmers here but there are a lot of normal women that would love to meet you guys.We all enjoy the weather and those of us , who really try to assimilate in the culture, have a true appreciation and respect for the country. We love the madness and we love the tranquility.

M.J.