The election of Jair Bolsonaro as Brazilian president continues the
regional trend in Latin America that has seen the rise of a variety of
right-wing governments. As the world’s 4th largest democracy turns to
the extreme right, the European Union will be forced to review its
foreign policy towards Latin America.
Notably, it will have to adapt to the weakening of the region’s
cooperative projects and organisations. If the polarising discourse of
Bolsonaro and its campaign team shapes Brazilian foreign and domestic
policies over the next four years, the EU should expect a growing gap
regarding interests and values between both regions.
The EU’s multi-layered foreign policy towards Latin America has been
laid out in its 2016 Global Strategy which emphasises region-to-region
relations with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
(CELAC) – a consensus-based intergovernmental organisation of 33
sovereign members – as its counterpart.
The Global Strategy also mentions an approach that builds on
“competitive advantages” of various regional groupings, including the
current negotiations of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, as well as
an open relationship with Cuba and support for the implementation of
the peace agreement in Colombia.
Read more: As Brazil moves right, what is left for Europe in Latin America? – EURACTIV.com
