There are 12 names of future Brazilian ambassadors to diplomatically important countries and one for a position at the UN
poll for Power360 shows that Itamaraty consulted and received the agrément i.e. the agreement with the Brazilian ambassador election from the United States, France, Israel, the United Kingdom, Romania, Australia, the Vatican, Peru, Egypt, Cuba, Argentina and Slovakia has. The nominations were published in the Official Journal of the Union on Tuesday (03/21/2023) and require the approval of the Senate.
The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has already sent 7 names to the senators, 6 for countries and 1 for the UN (United Nations Organization), Sérgio França Danese.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Renan Calheiros (MDBAL) said Power360 Last week it looks like 18 total.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) appointed and the Senate approved 140 ambassadors over the 4 years of government (20192022). In the first year of office there were 34 countries with appointed ambassadors. Read the full list.
So far, Lula has wanted to change agencies in 9 countries that already had someone in office. Only 2 who have already given the nominees an agrément from the government were without ambassadors France and Cuba.
The movement shows the President’s interest in changing the profile of foreign policy. It makes sense that the government would be in a rush to select new ambassadors. The contrast to the Bolsonaro government is unprecedented.
The transition from Fernando Henrique Cardoso (PSDB) to Lula in 2003, or even from Michel Temer (MDB) to Bolsonaro in 2019, did not have such an obvious ideological break. In these cases, it was possible to work with the previous administrative decisions for some time.
Nestor Forster in Washington, for example, has a great affinity for Bolsonaro. He didn’t even take part in Lula’s trip to the US capital. I was on vacation at the time.
Forster and other ambassadors were selected in 2019 by Chancellor Ernesto Araújo, who pursued a foreign policy with a strong ideological character.
Carlos França changed Itamaraty’s line from 2021, returning to a leadership model that could have been that of several other governments.
Aside from the inconvenience of working with ambassadors close to Bolsonaro, this hampers the government’s goal of putting its stamp on foreign policy. It’s one of the areas in which Lula has been most active over the past two terms, and he intends to do so again.
Renan Calheiros should help by quickly arranging hearings in the Foreign Affairs Committee.
It’s usually not difficult to approve the names, but nothing is taken for granted. If he struggles with that himself, it will be a sign that there is a lack of support in the Senate for any other issue.