Wednesday, June 4, 2025

LatAm in Focus: What's Behind Brazil's International Game?

By Luisa Leme

The Igarapé Institute’s Laura Trajber Waisbich outlines the country’s proactive approach to foreign policy in an increasingly tense global context.

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The G20 Summit last November, an upcoming BRICS summit in July, followed by this November’s COP30. It has been Brazil’s year to welcome the world to its doorstep. And it is by design.

Laura Trajber Waisbich

“There is a combination of proactive engagements to reassert Brazilian identity and its role in international affairs … and reinserting Brazil in global conversations,” explains Laura Trajber Waisbich, Deputy Director of Programs at the Igarapé Institute. In conversation with Latin America in Focus’ Luisa Leme, the international relations expert explores how Brazil brandishes its diplomatic credibility within and beyond Latin America to spur global action on climate policy and more.

Key to this credibility, Waisbich notes, is Brazil’s willingness to forge alliances with a range of actors in the global arena. “This is not about ‘either/or,’ this is about ‘and’,” she emphasized, highlighting Brazil’s relationship not only with both sides of the United States–China contest and its leadership in Mercosur–EU trade negotiations, but also its push to drive South–South cooperation. President Lula da Silva has leveraged these partnerships to put the needs of the Global South on the agenda, calling for reforms within the UN system and at international financial institutions, while creating forums to address hunger, poverty, and environmental preservation, among other issues.

Explainer: What Are the BRICS?

Brazil continues to be a central member of the bloc of emerging economies that seeks to push for a more multipolar world.

That doesn’t mean the strategy is not risky. Brazil’s hosting of the BRICS summit in July and engagement with leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin have taken on different optics in a year of political divide. “[T]here are liabilities, but also opportunities belonging to this group. It opens doors not only in terms of deepening relations with parts of the world there are far away, but also geopolitically very important, including China and India.”

As the region’s largest country and with a longstanding role in international policy, leadership at this level is not an unfamiliar role for Brazil. “Brazil has historically been a driving force of regional integration,” said Waisbich, and with increasingly divisive global politics, “the fact that Brazil is willing to build something with the region is a good sign.”

LatAm in Focus: Lula, Sheinbaum, and Milei on a Shifting Global Stage

Three experts from the Latin American members of the G20 discuss how leaders are navigating Trump’s return and U.S.-China competition in the region.

This podcast was produced by Luisa Leme, host and executive producer for the show, with support from Chase Harrison, Gladys Gerbaud, and Khalea Robertson.

The music in this episode is “Acaçá” composed by the Brazilian giant Dorival Caymmi and performed by Ternoar for Americas Society's “En Casa” concert series. Find out about upcoming concerts at: musicoftheamericas.org and share your love for Latin America by joining Americas Society. Becoming a member gives you preferential access to music performances, art gallery, book events, our magazine Americas Quarterly, and more.

Send us feedback at: latamfocus@as-coa.org

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Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.

Latin America in Focus Podcast

Subscribe to Latin America in Focus, AS/COA's podcast focusing on the latest trends in politics, economics, and culture throughout the Americas.

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LatAm in Focus: What's Behind Brazil's International Game?

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