MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian diplomacy looks to a post G7 multilateral world

Celso Amorim, heavy weight of one of the world’s most effective diplomacies.

The naming of Antonio Patriota, former Brazilian ambassador in United States as his Deputy, further strengthens the influence of Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim in the country’s foreign policy elaboration, according to reports in the Sao Paulo press.

Patriota who was ambassador in Washington since early 2007 is considered a man extremely close to Amorim who with his nomination confirms the minister’s grip in Itamaraty, points out Estado de Sao Paulo.

Amorim was named Foreign Affairs minister in January 2003 when the first mandate of President Lula da Silva and later ratified when the re-election of the most popular Brazilian leader in recent history, in January 2007.

Only two weeks ago Mr. Amorim announced he had affiliated to Lula da Silva’s Workers Party, an unusual step for Brazilian diplomats.

There are speculations he might be running for a Congressional bench in 2010.

Meanwhile the next ambassador in Washington, --considered Brazil’s most important overseas legation--, Mauro Vieira was also cabinet chief of Amorim and is seen as one of his most trusted aides, points out the Sao Paulo newspaper.

Vieira previously held the embassy in Argentina, another clue post for Brazilian diplomacy. The next Brazilian ambassador in Buenos Aires is Enio Cordeiro who until recently was deputy chief of South America Affairs in Itamaraty.

Cordeiro has shown “efficiency” in solving controversies with Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay and more recently Colombia, adds the usually well informed newspaper.

Finally the daily says that it’s almost certain that President Lula da Silva will nominate diplomat Samuel Pinheiro Guimaraes, currently Amorim’s Deputy, as Minister of Strategic Affairs.

Pinheiro Guimaraes is described by the Sao Paulo daily as a controversial diplomat openly identified with the “Latinamerican inclined” foreign policy in the framework of the south/south axis.

The dumping of regional minded diplomats for more global minded professionals could be indicating that President Lula da Silva and Mr. Amorim are preparing to play a more global role in a post G-7 multilateral world.

President Lula da Silva and Minister Amorim in the last seven years have successfully steered Brazil as leader of Latinamerica to play a crucial role in global politics.

“The most famous world politician” in US president Obama’s words and champion (hopefully) of multilateralism for the Norwegian Academy.