A Quick Look at the Brazilian Press

Summary: Brazilian news media today reported on efforts by Iranian opposition members and dissidents to urge President Lula to condemn human rights violations during his visit to Tehran on May 15. Folha reported that the GoB will oppose the ACTA anti-piracy agreement, citing GoB sources who criticized the opacity of the agreement. Papers wrote that Lula received the “Champion against Hunger” award from the UN World Food Program for his efforts to fight world hunger. Valor also reports that a Brazilian aerospace company will develop a UAV for GoB use in border security. Editorials today wrote that the solidification of the BRIC group will be Lula’s biggest foreign policy accomplishment, and commented that Lula’s self-proclaimed “multi-ideology” is a justification for his many domestic political alliances.

“Brazil can’t ignore Iranian dissidents’ drama,” says Iranian dissident in exile – O Estado de S. Paulo A14: Washington correspondent Patricia Campos Mello interviews Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji, who says President Lula should condemn human rights violations during his visit to Tehran next week. “Leaders like Lula and others in the West cannot think only about economic benefits,” Ganji is quoted. He said he opposes UN action against Iran because it would only harm the Iranian people, not the regime. http://migre.me/DLx2

Iranian group asks for Brazil’s help to free Baha’is – O Estado de S. Paulo A14: On Monday representatives of the Front for Iran’s Freedom in Brazil handed to Human Rights Minister Paulo Vannuchi a document asking for the GoB to intervene in support of victims of human rights violations carried out by the Ahmadinejad regime. They are particularly concerned about the seven leaders of the Baha’i religious community jailed in Iran since 2008. http://migre.me/DLu6

GoB vows to oppose ACTA anti-piracy agreement – Folha de S. Paulo B5: Eliane Catanhede reports that Brazil’s Foreign Ministry has warned it will oppose any pressure to comply with new intellectual property standards that are reportedly being negotiated by Japan, the United States and the European Union through the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). “Their intention is to create [intellectual property] protection models and standards, then try to have others adhere to them, but none of this obliges Brazil to take action or adopt a new standard. For us, nothing changes,” Folha quotes Itamaraty Economic Department Director Carlos Marcio Cozendey. “ACTA has no legitimacy because it is taking place outside of the international forums that Brazil participates in and accepts [according to the story, the WTO and the WIPO].” Cozendey noted that ACTA has been nicknamed as “the secret treaty” because of the non-transparent way in which it has been negotiated. “Brazil has a leadership position in the WTO and in the WIPO. To the extent that they can’t impose their agenda [in those organizations], they are now trying to exclude us,” Cozendey is quoted. http://migre.me/DLgn

Lula receives UN award for fight against hunger – Jornal do Brasil A6/ O Estado de S. Paulo H10 / Folha de S. Paulo A8: Yesterday, President Lula received the award of “Champion against Hunger,” presented in Brasilia by UN World Food Program Director Josette Sheeran. She said that Lula has played an active role in supporting domestic programs to alleviate hunger, as well as similar efforts in third countries, especially Haiti. http://migre.me/DMsW and http://migre.me/DLEP

Op-ed (Josette Sheeran) – Brazil is a leader in fighting hunger, malnutrition – Valor Economico: Op-ed by the director of the UN World Food Program. http://migre.me/DMoF

No more visas between Brazil and Russia – O Globo 14: In a short note, columnist Ancelmo Gois mentions that during his trip to Moscow this week, President Lula and President Medvedev will announce that Russians will not require visas to travel to Brazil and vice-versa. [The columnist does not specify which types of visas will no longer be needed]

The “Sean Effect” seen in new U.S. visa forms – O Dia 3: Columnist Bruno Astuto reports that the new “extremely long” U.S. visa form includes new questions asking applicants if they intend to “kidnap or remove” an American child from the country.

Government and politics

Op-ed (Rubens Barbosa): BRICs, a new international player – O Estado de S. Paulo A2/ O Globo 7: President of FIESP’s Foreign Policy Council claims that “giving life to the BRIC acronym” was one of the few Brazilian foreign policy initiatives of the Lula administration that will be remembered in history as having contributed significantly to the national interest. Barbosa adds that including Brazil side by side with China, India and Russia may have been the most relevant factor to project Brazil onto the international stage and notes that the next administration will have to work to increase Brazil’s weight in the group. http://migre.me/DMjw

Op-ed (Antonio Jose Ferreira Simoes): South American political integration is a dream come true – Folha de S. Paulo A3: Itamaraty Undersecretary General for South America discusses Brazil’s successes in coordinating regional political dialogue through UNASUL. http://migre.me/DLzF

Editorial: Lula’s “multi-ideology” – O Estado de S. Paulo A3: Paper comments that President Lula’s interview to El Pais is a good indicator of his mentality. During the interview Lula called himself “multi-ideological,” which Estado says is a justification for the alliances he made in the domestic scenario with “whoever would agree to negotiate [political] support... independently of their historical background.” http://migre.me/DLuP

President Lula’s official agenda for today – Blog do Noblat: The president is scheduled to be in Brasilia all day today. http://migre.me/DL9R

Defense and security

Brazilian aerospace company AEL begins to develop UAV for FAB – Valor Economico B8: Virginia Silveira reports that Rio Grande do Sul-based aerospace company AEL-Aeroeletronica has begun the development of a Brazilian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). Meanwhile, AEL, which is controlled by Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems, will be testing the Israeli UAV Hermes 450 is a plan at no cost for a year. Story highlights that the Brazilian Armed Forces plan to use UAV’s for tactical reconnaissance and border surveillance. http://migre.me/DLCV