The candidate also criticized Lula da Silva’s close links with dictators
Brazil’s presidential opposition candidate Jose Serra promised substantial changes to the country’s foreign policy if elected next Sunday. He specifically mentioned Brazil’s lobbying for a seat at the UN Security Council, the functioning of Mercosur and relations with Cuba and Iran.
“Mercosur impedes Brazil from advancing in free trade agreements with third parties because any unilateral negotiation is conditioned to the other members”, said Serra who also was ironic about the recent agreement reached with Israel.
“If we are elected, we are going to implement a trade policy which Brazil lacks. There have been too many trips overseas. The world reached many trade agreements in the last eight years, and Brazil only managed a very small one with Israel”, added the opposition candidate who is several points behind the ruling coalition candidate Dilma Rousseff in public opinion polls.
“This government only managed a limited agreement with Israel that is not even worth the Israeli oranges since they come from settlements that are considered disputed Palestinian territory. What a success”, said Serra ironically.
Regarding relations with Cuba and Iran, the national broadcaster O’Globo quoted Serra saying that “I survived thanks to groups who fought for human rights when I was arrested in Chile following the military coup of Pinochet in 1973. I personally value and have great respect for human rights and those who are committed to them. As a country you can have relations with a nation ruled by a dictator, but you can be sure I will not express admiration or cultivate friendship with a dictator”.
Brazilian president Lula da Silva has been severely criticized for his close relations sometimes described in the local press as “cosy” with Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Finally Serra criticized the current Lula da Silva administration approach and strategy to have the UN reviewed and a permanent seat for Brazil in the Security Council. (more…)
Brazil's presidential candidate for the Workers' Party Dilma Rousseff delivers a speech.
In a week’s time, Brazil’s 136 million voters will decide their next president: the former right-hand woman of outgoing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, or an efficient ex-governor of Sao Paulo state.
The polls point to a likely victory for Lula’s choice: Dilma Rousseff, his 62-year-old former chief minister who narrowly missed out on outright victory in an October 3 first round of the presidential elections.
Jose Serra, the 68-year-old self-proclaimed technocrat who faces her in next week’s runoff, trails by a significant margin.
To get a shot at a possible upset, he has to snatch almost all the 19 million votes that went to a defeated Greens Party candidate in the first round, Marina Silva — an unlikely feat, analysts say.
But both Serra and Rousseff are doing all they can to sway Silva’s support base, most notably by wooing evangelical voters who flocked to her because of a perception that Rousseff would legislate the ruling Workers’ Party opposition to Brazil’s ban on abortion.
Rousseff’s advantage is clear, recent polls show.
On Thursday, the Ibope firm put Rouseff ahead with 51 per cent of voter intentions, against 40 per cent for Serra. (more…)
