The Brazilian President's UNGA 2016 Speech: Nuclear Threats

Brazil's President, Michel Temer, delivered a very interesting speech before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), last Tuesday. He started by addressing what seems to be this year's theme at the UN - diversity (read: racial, religious, cultural tolerance); then he sent the US a signal of rapprochement (by echoing past statements of Barack Obama) and made balanced criticisms of the UN's work thus far. However, President Temer's speech was also very ambitious as he wants Brazil to have more international prominence.

Michel Temer's speech was more realistic than President Dilma's, as he briefly discussed world matters, revealing thus that Brazil is following globe events closely (in this regard, President Dilma seemed more lost but it should be assumed she was more focused on domestic policy). However, what truly caught our attention was his appeal to the international community to fight organised crime that often serves as the foundation for international terrorism:

Manifold challenges transcend national borders. Among them is drugs and weapons trafficking, which is felt in our cities, in ours schools, and in our families. Fighting organised crime requires us to work hand in hand. The safety of our citizens depends on the quality of our collective action.

Unfortunately, Brazil also signalled last Tuesday that it does not intend to be proactive regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: it will continue to stick the head in the sand and repeat the worn-out mantra of the two-state solution and peace talks (even though the PLO is not interested in such a process). Yet, Brazil's position is understandable for it doesn't want to admit it openly aids and abets Global Jihad by allowing the PLO, and other Islamist groups, to operate freely in its territory.

Read: Brazil, Becoming a Major Jihadist Hub in Latin America and the Caribbean 

The most important mention in Michel Temer's speech was Brazil's nuclear concerns. Apparently, Brazilia is extremely concerned about North Korea's nuclear tests and about the “more than 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world (..) that amounts to more than 15,000 threats to international peace and security.”

Brazil started developing a nuclear programme during the military rule, in the 1960's. After the regime ended, the programme went dormant; however, when President Lula rose to power, he resuscitated it with French help.

"We seek nuclear propulsion only for defensive, never offensive, purposes." - Dilma Rousseff

A defensive nuclear weapon can easily become offensive under specific circumstances. Furthermore, given Brazil's dangerous political connections we do not have any guarantees that this country won't sell nuclear material to, and share its nuclear know-how with rogue states. Are we sure, in absolute terms, that President Lula didn't share technology and expertise to Iran when he was in power (given his close relationship with then President Ahmadinejad)?

In international relations, statements like the one quoted above serve to assure neighbouring countries that the state does not have belligerent intentions. But it does not hide the fact that Brazil is pursuing a military nuclear programme.

Brazil's neighborhood also includes our brothers and sisters from Africa, to whom we are tied by the Atlantic Ocean and by a long History. This year, we will host the Summit of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries. Out of the Community's nine members, six are Africans. Brazil looks towards Africa with friendship and respect, ready to undertake projects that will unite us even more.

Brazil makes a lot of money in Africa. Hence, this reference. But Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde question the amount of respect Brazil may have for Portuguese speaking African countries when it signed a bilateral agreement with Portugal to change the way Portuguese is written in both countries without consulting the African nations affected by such an accord. In my perspective, Brazil intends to dominate not only the former African countries (since it sees itself as more powerful than them – thanks to Goldman Sachs) but also the former metropolis.

President Michel Temer also spoke of development. That is funny, coming from one of the most deplorable countries when it comes to human development. Truth be told, it has come a long way on the surface, but in concrete terms misery still reigns in Brazil. Moreover, the fictitious middle class created by President Lula bore a huge cost to the country (both economical and politically – ask Ms Dilma Rousseff).

Impeaching a President is certainly not a trivial matter in a democratic regime. But there is no democracy without rule of law - without rules applicable to all, including the most powerful. This is what Brazil is showing the world. And this is being done in the midst of a cleansing process of its political system

Mr Temer sought to legitimise his position by explaining that he's in power because an independent judicial system prevailed, a crime was committed – not because he carried out a coup d'état.

The Brazilian President also mention the Olympics as having been a great success and example of peaceful coexistence – talking about being conveniently blind (e.g. some Muslim athletes, stemming from ME countries, either refused to play with Israelis or to board the same buses as they did – this is not a example of peaceful coexistence and it represented a violation of the Olympics Committee rules of mixing politics with sports. Were those athletes punished? No. Did this happen in London, 4 years ago? No. Draw your conclusions).

Conclusion

Brazil tried to position itself as a balanced country that can contribute immensely to the nuclear talks worldwide. It seeks to obtain international visibility with the North Korean nuclear issue, like in the past Pres. Lula sought the same vis-a-vis the Iranian nuclear issue.

But, unfortunately, Brazil is not learning the lessons: Temer signalled Israel he will not lead Brazil into a new diplomatic era and will continue to support the PLO. Ironic when the president suggested he wanted to fight the scourge of terrorism - an objective difficult to reach when countries keep supporting one of the main pillars of Global Jihad.

(Image: President Temer - 71th UNGA Session)

[The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dissecting Society]