The Brazilian Election of Lula and the Return of Regional Integration
Tonight, Dr Guillaume Long joins Bringing Light Into Darkness. Guillaume is a senior policy analyst at the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) who prior to joining CEPR, held several cabinet positions in the government of Ecuador, under President Rafael Correa, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Culture, and Minister of Knowledge and Human Talent. Most recently, he served as Ecuador’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
Show Outline: BLID addresses and/or explicates the following:
1. We document the evidence that points towards the fact US foreign policy influence, consistently puts into power and seeks to keep in power governments and policies that promote greater wealth inequality that harm the quality of life for the majority populations by stunting the 21st century economic development and independence of Latin America economies. We give detailed evidentialry examples.
2. During Lula’s earlier 8yr presidency in Brazil he lifted close to 20% or 40 million Brazilians out of poverty, essentially eliminated hunger and provided access to higher education to the poor, in a country today which numbers some 215 million. This too is a government we sought to replace. Why?
3. Our guest defines the historical significance and connection of the Monroe Doctrine and Roosevelt Corollary vs Simon Bolivar’s attempts to unify the south and its relevance to the 21st century and the Cold War.
4. Our guest acknowledges positive outcomes of the ‘pink tide’ period regarding improved living conditions for majority populations but also is critical of their lack of focus on promoting diversity in their economies away from one or two main commodities centuries of colonialism and neocolonialism had shaped.
5. What is “lawfare” what prompted its evolution into a US foreign policy tool and how is this new US foreign policy intervention method used to continue the US inordinate influence on the governments that come to power in the nations of the south.
6. Our guest details how was it executed in Brazil & Ecuador and enabled Bolsanaro to come to power in 2018 following bogus corruption charges against Lulu and a show trial that led to his incarceration for 580 days and speculates on the US role.
7. Divide & Rule counterweight was the creation of regional representations in the form of ALBA and UNASUR which was created in 2009. Our guest explains the significance of the potential relaunch of UNASUR following Lula reelection.