WASHINGTON – El Senador Bob Menéndez (D-N.J.), Presidente del Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado, hoy fue acompañado por los Senadores Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) y Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), en expresar su preocupación por la posición del Presidente brasileño Jair Bolsonaro ante el respeto a las normas democráticas de su país. Los frecuentes desafíos al estado de derecho de Bolsonaro, sus promesas de ignorar decisiones judiciales de la Corte Suprema de Brasil, entre otras posiciones típicas de Caudillos, representan una amenaza a la orden constitucional en vísperas de las elecciones generales de Brasil del 2022. En una carta al Secretario de Estado Antony Blinken, los senadores le pidieron a la administración Biden que robustezca el apoyo de EE.UU. a las instituciones democráticas de Brasil frente a las proclividades antidemocráticas de Bolsonaro. También instaron a la Administración a que deje en claro que la base de la relación entre Estados Unidos y Brasil está en juego si los ataques a la democracias de Brasil continúan.
“En varias ocasiones, el Presidente Bolsonaro ha reiterado que sólo pondrá fin a su actual mandato al ser ‘encarcelado, asesinado o victorioso.’ Este tipo de lenguaje imprudente es peligroso en cualquier democracia, pero es especialmente injusto en una democracia del calibre de Brasil, que durante décadas ha demostrado ser más que capaz de sostener transferencias de poder pacíficas”, escribieron los senadores. “[Bolsonaro] ha insistido repetidamente en que se negará a conceder las elecciones si es derrotado. También afirma, sin pruebas, que estas elecciones constituirán una farsa empañada por fraude si el sistema electoral no es reformado. De hecho, el sistema electoral de Brasil se considera uno de los más seguros del mundo”.
Instando al Secretario Blinken a que priorice la situación política de Brasil como parte de las iniciativas diplomáticas de la administración Biden para defender los principios democráticos en el Hemisferio Occidental, los senadores agregaron: “Nuestra relación con Brasil debe ser un bastión contra actores antidemocráticos, desde China y Rusia hasta Cuba y Venezuela, que buscan socavar la estabilidad democrática en nuestro hemisferio. De hecho, a medida que el hemisferio lidia con el impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 y el cambio climático, Estados Unidos se beneficiará ahora más que nunca de una relación vigorosa con Brasil”.
Encuentra una copia de la carta AQUÍ y a continuación.
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Top Senate Democrats Sound Alarm on Brazil’s Democratic Decline and Creeping Authoritarianism under President Bolsonaro
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today was joined by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) to register their growing concerns over Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s defiance of basic democratic norms. His repeated challenges to the rule of law and promises to disregard rulings of his country’s Supreme Court, among other hallmarks of Caudillos, threaten a rupture with constitutional order in advance of Brazil’s 2022 general elections. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the senators called on the Biden administration to bolster U.S. support for Brazil’s democratic institutions in the face of Bolsonaro’s undemocratic proclivities. They also call on the Administration make clear that further attacks on the country’s democracy will jeopardize the underpinnings of the U.S.-Brazil relationship.
“On several occasions, President Bolsonaro has reiterated that he will only end his current tenure in office by being ‘jailed, killed, or victorious.’ This type of reckless language is dangerous in any democracy, but it is especially unmerited in a democracy of Brazil’s caliber, which for decades has shown itself capable of facilitating peaceful transfers of power,” wrote the Senators. “[Bolsonaro] has repeatedly insisted that he will refuse to concede the elections if he loses. He also claims, without evidence, that these elections will constitute a farce marred by fraud barring a substantial reform to the voting system. In fact, Brazil’s electoral system is regarded as one of the world’s most secure.”
In urging Secretary Blinken to prioritize Brazil’s political situation as part of the Biden administration’s diplomatic initiatives to uphold democratic principles in the Western Hemisphere, the Senators added: “Our partnership with Brazil should be a bulwark against undemocratic actors, from China and Russia to Cuba and Venezuela, which seek to undermine democratic stability in our hemisphere. Indeed, as the hemisphere contends with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the United States stands to benefit now more than ever from a strong partnership with Brazil.”
Find a copy of the letter HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Blinken:
We write to express our concern regarding attacks on Brazil’s independent democratic institutions. In recent months, President Jair Bolsonaro has made repeated statements defying basic democratic norms, challenging the rule of law, and threatening a rupture with Brazil’s constitutional order. Given Brazil’s status as one of the world’s largest democracies and economies and a principal U.S. ally in the region, the deterioration of Brazilian democracy carries implications throughout our hemisphere and beyond. We urge you to make clear that the United States supports Brazil’s democratic institutions, and that any undemocratic break with the current constitutional order will have serious consequences.
President Bolsonaro has made a series of increasingly dangerous statements regarding Brazil’s 2022 general elections, in which he plans to run for reelection. He has repeatedly insisted that he will refuse to concede the elections if he loses. He also claims, without evidence, that these elections will constitute a farce marred by fraud barring a substantial reform to the voting system. In fact, Brazil’s electoral system is regarded as one of the world’s most secure. On several occasions, President Bolsonaro has reiterated that he will only end his current tenure in office by being “jailed, killed, or victorious.” This type of reckless language is dangerous in any democracy, but it is especially unmerited in a democracy of Brazil’s caliber, which for decades has shown itself capable of facilitating peaceful transfers of power.
Just as concerning, President Bolsonaro has engaged in personal attacks against members of Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal and Supreme Court, and has stated he is willing to resort to unconstitutional maneuvers to prevent these institutions from exercising their legally-mandated authorities. If President Bolsonaro follows through with his promises to openly disregard rulings of the Supreme Court, it would set a dangerous precedent for further attempts to undermine rule of law by Bolsonaro or any future president of Brazil.
Brazilian civil society leaders from across the political spectrum have spoken out clearly against such unconstitutional measures. On August 5, a diverse group of business leaders, politicians, and academics published an open letter proclaiming, “Brazilian society is guarantor of the constitution and will not accept authoritarian adventures.” The United States should be equally clear that we support Brazil’s democratic system, which has long empowered the Brazilian people to freely and independently choose their leaders.
As two of the hemisphere’s largest democracies, the United States and Brazil maintain widespread cooperation on security, economic, and diplomatic matters. Moreover, our partnership with Brazil should be a bulwark against undemocratic actors, from China and Russia to Cuba and Venezuela, which seek to undermine democratic stability in our hemisphere. Indeed, as the hemisphere contends with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the United States stands to benefit now more than ever from a strong partnership with Brazil. A disruption of Brazil’s constitutional order would jeopardize the very foundation of this bilateral relationship. As democracies around the globe grapple with unprecedented challenges, we urge you to make support for Brazilian democracy a top diplomatic priority, including in bilateral discussions related to Brazilian membership in organizations such as the OECD and NATO.
We strongly support the Biden Administration’s defense and promotion of democracy, as demonstrated by the planned Summit for Democracy, which makes these issues even more crucial. Please count on our support for your efforts to strengthen our regional partnerships and uphold democratic principles in the hemisphere.
Sincerely,
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