Obama Wave Reaches Brazil

Both the Planalto Palace* and the Itamaraty** are visibly pulling for the victory of Barack Obama in the American elections. Brazil prefers the Democrat due to his multilateralism and also for the symbolism of having a black man as the president of the largest democracy on the planet.

The information comes from Eliane Cantanhêde, columnist for Folha and Folha Online, who says that the Obama “wave” has reached Brazil.

“President Lula himself has revealed his opinion. He said that Obama would be to the United States something like what Chavez was for Venezuela, what Lula himself, a union leader, was for Brazil, what the indigenous leader Evo Morales was for Bolivia and what the Bishop Lugo was for Paraguay. A great novelty. An extraordinary factor.”

Cantanhêde, affirms that the great fear is that a Democrat in the White House and a Democratic majority in Congress will transform the United States, especially in the midst of this crisis, into an excessively protectionist country.

According to the columnist, despite the preference for Obama, Brazil likes John McCain’s more open stance with regards to ethanol. “May the American people vote well, and may the best occur not only for the United States, but also for the world. A world that is in crisis,” she says.

*Seat of the Brazilian Government

** Headquarters of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs