Earth Science News
TRADE WARS
G20 tests Brazil's clout in Lula 3.0 era
G20 tests Brazil's clout in Lula 3.0 era
By Luc�a LACURCIA with Ramon SAHMKOW in Brasilia
Rio De Janeiro (AFP) Nov 17, 2024

The G20 summit will be a diplomatic test for veteran President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who has boosted Brazil's global standing since returning to power but drawn fire for his positions on Ukraine and Gaza.

"Brazil is back!" Lula announced triumphantly two years ago after he unseated far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, who had turned his country into a pariah, to secure a third term as Brazilian president.

The Rio meeting starting Monday is the first of several high-level gatherings that will showcase Brazil's ambition to take a prominent role on everything from climate change to the war in Ukraine. Among them: annual UN climate talks next year which will take place in the Amazon.

Here is a brief look at the diplomatic highs and lows of Lula 3.0 so far:

- Leader on climate -

Lula's biggest diplomatic success has been his leadership in the fight against climate change by overseeing a slowdown in deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon, analysts say.

The annualized rate has fallen to its lowest level in nine years as of end-July 2024, according to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE).

Lula's government has also announced accelerated plans to cut carbon emissions and put forward proposals for a global fund to conserve forests.

The environment is where "has made the most progress," Roberto Goulart Menezes, deputy director of the Institute of International Relations at Brasilia University, told AFP.

Lula's leadership role would likely be strengthened if US President-elect Donald Trump makes good on his vow to again pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement on reducing emissions.

- Bridge-builder -

Lula has long sought to be a builder of bridges between the West and the Global South, earning him the title in 2009 as "the most popular politician on Earth" from then-US president Barack Obama.

His comeback has returned Brazil "to its traditional role, as a trustworthy partner of the international community and a builder of consensus," Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told AFP.

Part of Lula's pursuit of a multipolar world has boosted Brazil's ties with China -- its biggest trading partner.

A German government source commented that while Lula clearly "represents the interests of emerging markets," he also tries to find common ground with rich countries.

- Prone to 'missteps' -

"It is hard to deny that 'Brazil is back' when compared to the previous administration," Michael Shifter, an expert at the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue think tank, told AFP.

But Lula has made "some missteps and has been less surefooted in global affairs than he was during his two previous terms in the 2000s," Shifter noted.

Lula drew particular criticism in May 2022 for declaring that Ukraine and Russia shared responsibility for Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor launched three months earlier.

The following year he attempted "damage control" by condemning the violation of Ukraine's territory, Shifter said.

But Lula was again accused of pro-Russian bias when China and Brazil in August this year presented a joint roadmap for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine that did not require Russia to surrender Ukrainian territory.

Former Brazilian diplomat Paulo de Almeida said Lula's "anti-Americanism" in part explained his stance on Ukraine as well as his position on Israel's war against Hamas.

Lula has accused Israel of "genocide" in the Gaza -- a position shared by South Africa, among other southern continent heavyweights -- and likened it to the Holocaust. Israel and Brazil have withdrawn their respective ambassadors.

- Eye off Venezuela -

Venezuela is the other weak spot in Lula's diplomacy, experts say.

Lula has taken a tough stance on President Nicolas Maduro, refusing to recognize his widely-rejected claim to have won a third term in July elections. And he has blocked Venezuela's bid to join the BRICS grouping of emerging economies.

But he has not backed the Venezuelan opposition's claim of election fraud nor made strenuous efforts to mediate.

"Venezuela is a lost opportunity for Lula," Shifter said, adding that he "failed to mount a strategy to push for a democratic transition" in the country.

Vieira defended Lula's handling of the crisis, saying "neither Brazil nor the president promise to carry out miracles."

Related Links
Global Trade News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TRADE WARS
South Korea's LG to pump extra $1 bn into Vietnam plant
Hanoi (AFP) Nov 15, 2024
South Korea's LG Display will inject another $1 billion into its factory in Vietnam, local authorities said Friday, pushing the firm's total investment in the country to more than $5.5 billion. The announcement comes as Vietnam looks to boost its appeal as an investment destination for international companies. A ceremony for a licence to increase capital for LG - whose products include TV, mobile and automotive displays - was held in the northern port city of Hai Phong on Thursday, a local off ... read more

TRADE WARS
Keeping global consumption within planetary boundaries

China snuffs out memorials to victims of deadly car ramming attack

Climate crisis worsening already 'hellish' refugee situation: UN

Spain PM accused of 'blackmail' by tying budget to flood aid; Royals return to flood zone

TRADE WARS
British Museum secures record 1bn donation of Chinese ceramics

Dating apps move to friend zone in search of profits

Scientists show how a laser beam can cast a shadow

MIT engineers make converting CO2 into useful products more practical

TRADE WARS
Will living by the sea remain viable?

Drinking water outage hits half of France's Mayotte

US hopes river pact with Mexico will reduce water scarcity

Curtin and NASA unlock ocean secrets from space

TRADE WARS
U.S., Finland and Canada agree to icebreaker collaboration pact

Was Snowball Earth truly a global event? new study provides strongest evidence yet

Measurements from Lost Seaglider reveal impact of warm ocean water on Antarctic ice

Deep ocean study offers new insights into ancient ice age shift

TRADE WARS
White truffles, Italy's gold, menaced by climate change

Scientists harvest nutrient-rich rice grown in space

Cracked earth in Greece's saffron heartland as drought takes toll

More than 33 million Nigerians face hunger next year: report

TRADE WARS
Airlines around Asia ground Bali flights after volcano erupts

Evacuations, call for aid as Typhoon Usagi approaches Philippines

Schools shut as flood-hit Spain braces for more torrential rain

Fifth storm in under a month bears down on Philippines

TRADE WARS
Madagascar riverbank landslide hits boat, killing 16

Rwandan soldier kills five in bar shooting

Mali detains CEO of gold mining firm Resolute

What Trump's re-election could mean for Africa

TRADE WARS
Chimpanzees show improved performance on difficult computer tasks with an audience

New findings on Denisovans reveal their role in shaping early human genetics

Memories extend beyond the brain in new NYU study

Human culture's distinctiveness lies in its open-ended nature

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.