BRASÍLIA Sent to Brazil by the government this week Joe BidenThe ambassador Brian A NicholsDeputy Minister for Western Hemisphere Affairs says that by the China around the world and especially in Latin America are “misleading”. In an exclusive interview with EstaoNichols said that the projects offered by Beijing Brazila way to benefit their economies and influence geopolitics bring no longterm benefits to partner countries and are often associated with corruption.
Nichols has been secondincommand to the top of US diplomacy in Brasilia since his return by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on a state trip to Chinain which O PT resumed strategic partnership with the Xi Jinping government. China is challenging the global leadership of the United States and has been Brazil’s top trading partner since 2009. As a former holder of the position, the US still sees an everincreasing investment approach: shares originating from the North Americans total $191 billion, while the Chinese have already reached $70 billion.
Speaking to the report, Nichols indicated that Joe Biden’s administration is ready to review further economic sanctions against Venezuela, as it did last year in the first steps of rapprochement between Washington and Caracas. The prerequisite for this is that Nicolás Maduro’s Chavista regime resumes dialogue with its opponents and campaigns for free elections in 2024. We are more than willing to change our policies in response to concrete progress towards free and fair elections,” he said.
Read below the key excerpts from the interview conducted at the US Embassy in Brasilia:
Brian A. Nichols, Deputy Secretary of the Americas, said in an interview with Estadão that doing business with China is misleading and will not benefit the countries in the long run. Photo: Wilton Júnior/Estadão
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China, Russia, the US and the European Union are vying for influence in emerging markets. Lula recently traveled to China, they offered the New Silk Road and infrastructure investments. How will the US react to Chinese influence in Latin America, what does it have to offer Brazil?
Countries are free to make their own decisions, and we deeply respect Brazil’s sovereignty and its ability to choose who to do business with. We want countries to be able to make this decision with open eyes and real alternatives.
The infrastructure deals that countries have with China have often proven to be misleading in terms of the financial terms that countries receive. The quality of the built projects was in many cases inferior. Although the actual costs were not disclosed, the costs were inflated and, quite frankly, with these projects we often saw corruption everywhere.
After five years, China’s investment projects bring no benefit to countries’ GDP. They usually provide a shortterm boost, but this has been measured scientifically after five years there is no longer any benefit at all. We need countries that understand exactly what they are getting when they make these deals.
I am incredibly optimistic that together the United States and Brazil have a great economic future that will foster good jobs, high growth and a clean economy going forward.
Brian Nichols, Deputy Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere
We must deliver fast, realistic and affordable solutions to the challenges countries face. When I travel and talk to foreign executives, they often say they don’t want to go to China but need options. We advocate that the United States give countries choices about how to meet their needs.
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The US private sector in Brazil represents onethird of the private sector value in this country and our companies look forward to continuing to work with Brazil to build a strong economy, invest and help Brazil develop a power generation economy. jobs and integrate better into the global economy and be a great partner in America. I am incredibly optimistic that together the United States and Brazil have a great economic future that will foster good jobs, high growth and a clean economy going forward.
I should note that Brazilian government agencies nevertheless favor partnering with China for the country’s reindustrialization. That was said on Lula’s trip to Beijing.
Brazil has so many talented specialists, engineers, architects and economists. Brazilian institutions will know how to evaluate these offers and decide if they are beneficial for that country or not.
Last year, the US sent delegations to Caracas and relaxed sanctions against Nicolás Maduro’s regime. What new developments in this relationship between countries can you share? Do you believe in free elections in Venezuela next year?
Time to prepare for an election in Venezuela is running out. We must act quickly and together. The process of preparing for this is a return to the negotiating platform in Mexico City so that the opposition and the Maduro regime can discuss how to proceed. We are happy to change our policies in response to concrete progress towards free and fair elections and to recognize the winner of an election that has been declared free and fair.
We want a Venezuela where the Venezuelan people enjoy the same democratic freedoms as people throughout our hemisphere. This means implementing a series of reforms that the international community has already called for. The report of the European Union Election Observation Mission suggests that Venezuela is committed to 23 different reforms in order to conduct free and fair elections.
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We are deeply concerned for the wellbeing of the Venezuelan people and that means ensuring they have economic opportunity, that they have access to health care and social services, that the dire humanitarian situation in Venezuela is causing an unprecedented influx of migrants throughout our hemisphere . Thank you Brazil for welcoming so many Venezuelans, Haitians and Afghans and for your generous work in opening its doors.
We are happy to change our policies in response to concrete progress towards free and fair elections and to recognize the winner of an election that has been declared free and fair.
Brian Nichols, Deputy Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere
Ambassador Nichols claims Joe Biden’s administration is ready to review sanctions policy on Venezuela but calls for progress in next year’s elections. Photo: Wilton Junior / Estadão
Brazil agrees to cooperate in Haiti but refuses to rejoin any new military operation in the country. Is it still possible to convince the Lula government otherwise?
Brazil has a long history of supporting the Haitian people and continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Haiti. We greatly value and respect our cooperation in support of the Haitian people and will continue these efforts together.
President Lula did not meet with Zelensky at the G7 summit over the weekend. They didn’t even say hello. Has Brazil made every effort to ensure that the dialogue between the heads of state and government can take place in Japan? How did Brazil come into the picture when it came to the war?
The decision to invite Lula to attend the G7 Summit was a recognition of Brazil’s global leadership and personal role. Brazil is currently an elected member of the United Nations Security Council and the United States supports expanding the council and Lula’s involvement at the head of the G20. Brazil is at a very important moment on the international stage. For the G7 and the international community, discussing the conflict in Ukraine is high on the agenda.
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The first and most important path to peace is for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and respect its sovereignty and borders.
Brian Nichols, Deputy Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere
Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, a peaceful neighboring country with which it signed a treaty pledging to respect territorial sovereignty when nuclear weapons were withdrawn at the end of the Soviet Union, shocked the international community. In the headlines today we see the incredible devastation the Russians wreaked in Bakenmut. We must remember: this conflict is taking place exclusively within Ukrainian borders. This is not a conflict in Russia, but within Ukraine. The first step to ending the war is for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine.
We cannot expect the Ukrainian people to agree to anything without consulting them. Talking to Ukraine about ways to end the war is crucial. President Zelenskyy has presented very convincingly the challenges and threats he faces. We encourage peace efforts, but the first and most important path to peace is for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and respect its sovereignty and borders.
I would like to be more specific. Lula said he tried to meet a request from Ukraine, but Zelenskyy did not show up. He now insists not to go to Kiev, as neither side wants to talk about peace at the moment. He’s right?
I am not planning any meetings between Lulas and Zelenskyy, but I can say that talking to the parties is important for those who want to understand the conflict and find a solution to the war. I haven’t been to Hiroshima, I’ve been to this side of the world, I don’t know what happened.
President Lula criticized Biden’s speech at the G7 summit calling on Russia to pull out of Ukraine. Lula claims it doesn’t help right now. Lula had previously said that by supporting Ukraine’s counteroffensive, the US encouraged the continuation of the war. Brazil calls for a ceasefire. Is this the best way to get to a peace deal?
A solution can be found if Russia withdraws its troops from Ukrainian territory. It will be the end, the war will be over. President Biden reiterates the facts: a country invaded another country without provocation and continues to fight inside that other country. In America, we respect international borders. No country invades the other. These values are deeply rooted throughout America, in the Caribbean, in South America and in North America. We don’t resolve our differences by ambushing each other. The people of Ukraine deserve equal rights and benefits.
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Why did the US decide to allow the Ukrainian armed forces to train and operate F16 fighter jets now? Can it be guaranteed that the fighters will only be used to defend Ukrainian territory, to prevent them from being sent across the Russian border?
The decision to grant Ukraine a weapons system is based on the military national security assessment of their requests and the efforts of the international community to enable Ukraine to exercise its right to selfdefense. A year after the conflict, we recognize that the confrontation continues and that Ukraine’s survival and sovereignty depend on being provided with the tools it needs to defend itself against this unprovoked aggression. That’s what we do. The Ukrainian authorities have been very reluctant to use the other tools at their disposal, trying to evict intruders from their territory without going beyond what is necessary to persuade them to back down.
The international community must speak very clearly to the only part of the war that has nuclear weapons, which opposes this horrific escalation and calls for the war to end.
Brian Nichols, Deputy Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere
Is there really a danger of the war escalating and of the use of nuclear weapons?
We must be very careful in trying to contain this conflict. The international community must speak out unequivocally about the only part of the war that has nuclear weapons, that would oppose this horrific escalation, and that calls for an end to the war. And again, only the attacker has nuclear weapons.
According to Brian Nichols, the US will help countries fight clandestine activities across the Amazon. Photo: Wilton Junior/Estadão
In the last few days we have witnessed an internal dispute within the Brazilian government. Petrobras wants to explore for oil at the mouth of the Amazon, and the environmental agency Ibama has refused permission. Congress, with the backing of members of Lula’s ministry, is threatening to change departmental allocations for Indigenous Peoples and the Environment. Doesn’t Brazil contradict the global climate efforts to eliminate this type of energy and with this internal dispute?
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One of Brazil’s great assets is that it is a country with strong institutions and a proven commitment to addressing the challenges of climate change. I deeply respect this commitment. The transition to renewable energy sources and Brazil is a leader in green and clean energy is vital, but I wouldn’t dare dictate to Brazil how to deal with this particular issue. Unfortunately, we are unable to make the immediate transition to a completely hydrocarbonfree world and economy. We need to manage this transition as quickly as possible, in the most aggressive and creative way.
President Biden’s efforts under the Inflation Reduction Act are leading to profound and rapid change through the use of renewable energy sources, the development of new technologies, more efficient vehicles and zeroemission electric vehicles. We look forward to working with countries around the world to help replicate this progress, and Brazil is obviously a leader on climate change and we want to work closely with Brazil.
Hundreds of US companies in Brazil are working on various elements of these challenges of transitioning to a greener economy, as well as the partnership between our private sector, our governments and our civil society, the President’s $500 million pledge to the Amazon Fund. This is how we support these efforts in Brazil and around the world.
We are doing everything we can to promote clean alternative development opportunities that do not harm the Amazon.
Brian Nichols, Deputy Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere
The $500 million pledge is far less than the $20 billion Biden pledged during the campaign. Are new contributions to be expected? Could the eventual change in ministry allocations affect the actual payment to the Amazon Fund?
At the Summit of the Americas last year, we discussed providing $50 billion in climate finance to multilateral development banks over five years. We work with law enforcement cooperation programs against illegal logging and illegal gold mining in the Amazon, not just in Brazil but in all countries of the Amazon region.
We are doing everything we can to promote clean alternative development opportunities that do not impact the Amazon, be it the forest or the rivers that make up the Amazon Basin, through the United States Agency for International Development. Our agricultural experts share best farming practices that are less damaging to the environment, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA provide key data on deforestation and climate change.
President Biden is committed to providing the resources we need to do our part. The Inflation Reduction Act bill in Congress was the largest single investment by a country in clean energy and combating climate change in world history. That’s the kind of commitment this government has. Biden will continue to push.
It’s not just about the US government and civil society. It’s the academia, the private sector, the Multilateral Development Bank. We are all working together to find solutions and I am very optimistic that we will succeed.