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Neves Win in Brazil Would End Alliances Built by Lula

By Charlie Devereux and Anatoly Kurmanaev

If Neves was to win Brazil’s presidential election, his government would seek to rekindle relations with the United States, comments AS/COA’s Christopher Sabatini.

The election of Aecio Neves as Brazil’s president would end a 12-year alliance uniting leaders from Venezuela to Bolivia on regional development and state intervention in the economy.

Neves, who came from behind to make the second-round vote on Oct. 26 against President Dilma Rousseff, has pledged to restore investor confidence in the economy, end “ideological” political alliances and negotiate new trade deals with or without the Mercosur trade bloc Brazil founded with Argentina in 1991. Polls show the two statistically tied.

Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, once a union leader who lost national elections three times before taking office in 2003, brokered deals and soothed tensions with leaders including Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, Argentina’s Nestor Kirchner and Bolivia’s Evo Morales....

Neves wouldn’t allow relations with Venezuela and Argentina to prevent Brazil from signing deals with other regions, his press office said in an e-mailed response to questions, adding he would maintain a good relationship with neighbors and bolster Mercosur. Brazil in recent years missed an opportunity to advance on a trade deal with the EU, according to the press office.

“Brazil has become the representative of the regional bloc and its distancing from market economies and the U.S.,” Sabatini said. “Brazil will always be an independent actor in foreign relations, but the very sharp, aggressive anti-Americanism and ideological projects will go with Dilma’s administration....”

Read the full article here.

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