Rio de Janeiro: – Comments from Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro that he would be open to the United States operating a military base on Brazilian soil have not been well received by the country's armed forces, a senior army officer told Reuters on Saturday.
Bolsonaro, who took office on January 1, said in a television interview on Thursday he might be willing to allow a US base in Brazil as a way to counter Russian influence in Venezuela, a move that would mark a sharp shift in direction for Brazilian foreign policy.
Brazil’s new first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, pictured with husband Jair Bolsonaro, gives a military salute from the Planalto Presidential palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, on January 1.Credit:AP
"The president has not discussed this with the defence minister," said Major Sylvia Martins, a spokeswoman for the ministry.
Bolsonaro, an admirer of US President Donald Trump, has quickly moved to align Brazil more closely with the Trump administration, which was represented by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his swearing in on Tuesday.
Pompeo said on Wednesday that the United States and Brazil had "an opportunity to work alongside each other against authoritarian regimes" in the region, naming Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo confirmed Bolsonaro's willingness to allow a US base in comments to reporters in Lima on Friday during a meeting of the Lima Group of 13 countries monitoring Venezuela's political and economic crisis.
Araújo said Bolsonaro would discuss the base offer with Trump during an expected visit to Washington in March, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro pictured with Army officers in December. Bolsonaro is a former Army captain.Credit:AP
The Lima Group of Latin American nations plus Canada said on Friday that last year's elections in Venezuela were not democratic and they would not recognise the legitimacy of leftist President Nicolas Maduro's new term starting January 10.
Bolsonaro said in the television interview that he is worried about Russia's closeness with Maduro, the most significant US foe in Latin America.
A visit to Venezuela by two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers in December angered the US government.
Reuters
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