Obama Exalts Brazil as Economic and Democratic Model

Published in La Cronica de Hoy
(Mexico) on 21 March 2011
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Brandee Bilotta. Edited by Jade Moyano.
The United States President Barack Obama ended his two day visit to Brazil yesterday. He landed Saturday in Brasilia, where he was received with pomp by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, and left yesterday after giving a speech in the Municipal Theater in Rio de Janeiro, during which he exalted Brazil as an example of transition between dictatorship and a prosperous democracy.

In the Brazilian capital, Obama met with Rousseff, with whom he analyzed political and economic affairs of bilateral and global interest, and later made a joint press statement.

At that appearance, Obama affirmed that he “enthusiastically” supports Brazil's economic growth, while Rousseff signaled that to have “more fairness and balanced trade relations” it is necessary to “eliminate barriers that have arisen against our products” like ethanol, beef, cotton, orange juice and steel.

Obama does not commit. Rousseff insisted on a U.N. Security Council reform that would include Brazil as a permanent member, an aspiration that was only recorded generally in the joint communiqué of the meeting in which Obama expressed his “appreciation”.

Later, the head of the White House addressed the participants at a business forum, whom he told that the “future has arrived” for Brazil and that the country “has stepped onto the world stage as a major financial and economic power.”

The president stressed the oil wealth that Brazil has discovered in the deep waters of the Atlantic, known as pre-salt reservoirs. Pretobras estimates the reserves to be close to 80 million barrels.

“We want to help with technology and support to develop these oil reserves safely, and when you’re ready to start selling, we want to be one of your best customers,” he said.

“Like India or China”. The importance that Obama places upon the South American giant remained corroborated when he affirmed that “it’s time for the United States to treat our engagement with Brazil on economic issues as seriously as we do with nations like China and India.”

The president then traveled to Rio de Janeiro, where he had a more informal agenda.

First he went to the City of God, which up until two years ago was under the control of drug traffickers, and where he attended a display of samba, maracatu, funk and capoeira by young people of the neighborhood with his wife, Michelle, and two daughters.


El presidente estadounidense, Barack Obama, concluyó ayer una visita de dos días a Brasil. Comenzó su visita el sábado en Brasilia, donde fue recibido con pompa por la presidenta brasileña, Dilma Rousseff, y la cerró ayer en Río de Janeiro con un discurso en el Teatro Municipal, en el que exaltó a Brasil como “ejemplo” de transición entre la dictadura y una democracia próspera.

En la capital brasileña, Obama se entrevistó con Rousseff, con quien analizó asuntos políticos y económicos de interés bilateral y mundial y posteriormente, hicieron una declaración conjunta a la prensa.

En esa comparecencia, Obama afirmó que apoya “con entusiasmo” el crecimiento económico de Brasil, mientras que Rousseff señaló que para tener “relaciones económicas más justas y equilibradas” es necesario “que se derriben barreras levantadas” a productos brasileños como el etanol, la carne bovina, algodón, el jugo de naranja y el acero.

Obama no se compromete. Rousseff insistió en una reforma del Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU que incluya a Brasil como miembro permanente, aspiración que sólo quedó consignada de manera general en el comunicado conjunto de la reunión y por la que Obama expresó su “apreciación”.

Posteriormente, el jefe de la Casa Blanca se dirigió a los participantes en un foro empresarial, a quienes dijo que para Brasil el “futuro ha llegado” y que el país ocupa un “lugar prominente en el mundo como gran potencia económica y financiera”.

El presidente enfatizó la riqueza petrolera que Brasil ha descubierto en aguas profundas del Atlántico, en los yacimientos conocidos como presal, en los que la estatal Petrobras calcula que existen reservas cercanas a los 80 mil millones de barriles.

“Queremos ayudarlos con tecnología y apoyo para explotar estas reservas petrolíferas de manera segura y, cuando estén listos para comenzar a vender, queremos ser uno de sus mejores clientes”, dijo.

“Como India o China”. La importancia que Obama da al gigante suramericano quedó corroborada cuando afirmó que “es hora de que Estados Unidos trate sus operaciones económicas en Brasil con la misma seriedad de sus tratos con India o China”.

El presidente se trasladó luego a Río de Janeiro, donde hoy tuvo una agenda mas informal.

En primer lugar, fue a la favela Cidade de Deus, hasta hace dos años en poder de los narcotraficantes, donde asistió con su esposa Michelle y sus dos hijas a una exhibición de samba, maracatú, funk y capoeira por parte de jóvenes de esa barriada.
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