Integração regional na América do Sul: uma análise da política externa brasileira durante o governo Lula a partir do conceito de diplomacia presidencial

Abstract

The main objective of this dissertation is the analysis of the Brazilian foreign policy making towards regional integration in South America during Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’ government under the concept of presidential diplomacy, taking presidential pronunciations as basic research sources. Using the content analysis method, as well scientific literature review about the period, is shown that the presidential leading actions affected foreign policy not just in a protocol performance but mostly by defining the main strategies related to neighbor States in South America. Even though considering that the results from this individual level are not clear according to what was said on speech or according to what is expected by different society groups, political, business and social groups, what is understood here is that the presidential active foreign policy actions put the leader in highlighted position at this scene, as opposed to the traditional Ministério das Relações Exteriores’s delegation. The point of view of the dissertation is that better negotiation skills related to developed countries were aimed by Brazilian presidential diplomacy through priority on integration in South America and international leadership regarding the underdevelopment States groups, called South-South relations, trying to achieve political power in the region and in the international scene. This priority could be perceived by analyzing the presidential political speeches that were spread during the period, as well as his decision group speeches. However, these two objectives of foreign policy making –integration in South America and leadership in South-South relations – are not seen as convergent as said in the speech. The existence of different overlapping integration and/or cooperation projects make a diffuse understanding plan to South America. Considering this point of view the regional integration in South America lacks importance as long as the global plan seems to overlaps the region during the course of the period.