MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil warns of “deterioration” of US relations with South America

Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim: who defines threats to democracy?

Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Celos Amorim warned that relations between United States and Latinamerica are deteriorating and called on President Barak Obama to begin a dialogue with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

”It’s possible that when President Obama concentrates on the region’s problems relations between United States and South America will have deteriorated, let’s us hope it does not happen”, said Amorim in a Sunday interview with Folha de Sao Paulo.

“Maybe Presdient Obama is too absorbed with Iraq and Afghanistan and that impedes him to concentrate in other issues”, added Amorim.

The Brazilian official insisted that the core issue of relations between the US and South America is the deployment of US forces in seven Colombian bases following on an agreement recently signed between the administration of President Obama and Colombian leader Alvaro Uribe.

“I believe the US should act with more frankness towards the region. President Lula da Silva proposed President Obama a meeting to address the issue (of US personnel in Colombian bases) but he did not accept”, said Amorim.

“These bases have triggered concern”, because the agreement “contains ambiguities, not only does it refer to combating the drugs trade, it also mentions threats to peace and democracy”, underlined Amorim who then asked, “who defines what are threats to democracy”.

Regarding Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez statements calling on the military and the civilian population to prepare for war with Colombia, Amorim argued that the Venezuelan leader “back stepped on the statement and one thing is to talk about war, a word which should not be used, and another is the practical and objective issue of the bases in Colombia”.

“Venezuela might have certain rivalry with Colombia, but Venezuela does not feel threatened by Colombia, but by United States”, said Amorim, so that is why “it is most recommended a direct dialogue between United States and Venezuela”, which will contribute to defuse tensions in the region.