VZCZCXRO0099
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #1568/01 2261849
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141849Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9745
INFO RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 7047
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 0618
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 4950
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4954
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 6994
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6249
RUEHSGAMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 6383
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001568 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON BR XR
SUBJECT:  Key Brazilin Senator Voices Concern over Venezuelan 
Influene, Democracy 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  During a lunchAmbassador Sobel gave on August 8 
as part of a boader outreach to Brazilian senators (septel), the 
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and Natonal Defense 
Committee, Heraclito Fortes, expresed concerns about threats to 
democracy from Venezela and Bolivia.  A member of the principal 
oppoition party, Senator Fortes said the fact that Chaez and 
Morales are working together to spread thir ideology is worrisome, 
and that Mercosul is rght to create barriers against the accession 
of sates that are not committed to safeguarding democrcy.  He said 
the Brazilian Senate faces two altenatives: approve Venezuelan 
accession to Mercosu and thereby place squarely on Chavez the 
burdenof complying with Mercosul's accession terms, or dey 
accession, which Chavez could use to make himslf a victim and 
martyr.  Fortes seemed to be leaning toward the first option, which 
would hand Chavez a problem to resolve.  The new chairman of the 
Agriculture committee said that in spite of criticism of Brazil's 
biofuels program by Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, Brazil will 
continue along the current path.  End summary. 
 
Concern for Democracy on the Continent 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Senator Fortes (Democrat, from Piaui state), chairman of 
the Senate Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee, over 
lunch with the Ambassador and three staffers from the House Foreign 
Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs on August 8, said 
he has concerns about threats to democracy on the South American 
continent.  Twenty-five years ago there were many dictatorships, 
some stronger, some weaker.  Now, the continent is ruled by 
democratic governments, some stronger, some weaker, he explained. 
The continent cannot afford to go back to dictatorship, which is why 
he calls for greater understanding of the importance of defending 
democracy.  He stressed that Mercosul, a bloc whose purpose is in 
part to safeguard democracy, is right to create barriers to entry 
into it by states that would not safeguard democracy, adding that he 
did not see how Mercosul could be considered a threat to anyone. 
(Fortes repeated comments along these lines in brief remarks at a 
dinner with the Ambassador and nine other senators, septel). 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Ambassador Sobel said the USG is very supportive of any 
organization that can bring the region together and we are also 
supportive of any organization that can bring the hemisphere 
together. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  In response to a question from a House WHA Subcommittee 
staffer, Senator Fortes expressed strong concerns about Hugo 
Chavez's government.  He recalled that Chavez had initially taken 
steps against the judiciary and legislature in Venezuela, and had 
increasingly taken away freedom of the press.  He said that Chavez 
alone did not constitute a threat to regional stability, but in 
concert with Evo Morales of Bolivia and their attempts to expand 
their ideology in the region, the situation is worrisome.  He said 
he understood that Hugo Chavez is supporting and financing a 
candidate for president of Paraguay who would, if elected, deport 
Brazilian nationals working in agriculture areas in Paraguay. 
Chavez has not changed social conditions in Venezuela, Sen. Fortes 
continued, but what he is doing is an international "blocking" 
effort for his own benefit. 
 
Venezuelan Accession to Mercosul 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Chavez had been irritated by the Brazilian Senate's 
resolution on the RCTV matter, and because he has an "explosive" 
nature, Fortes said, Chavez had made a commitment to win entry to 
Mercosul within 60 days.  But there are two clauses in the Mercosul 
Charter that could block Venezuelans accession, Fortes said, one on 
taxes, the other concerning democracy.  So Chavez threw the problem 
on Brazil, which leaves Brazil with two alternatives, Fortes said. 
The first alternative is to have Congress approve Venezuela's full 
accession then let accession itself be Chavez's problem, including 
coming into compliance with all the requirements for full accession. 
 The other is to deny Venezuelan accession and make Chavez a victim 
and martyr.  Fortes seemed to favor approving Venezuelan accession, 
thereby handing Chavez a big problem to resolve.  He said the Senate 
still must debate the bill on Venezuelan accession to Mercosul. 
(Note: In a session with the House WHA Subcommittee staffers later 
that afternoon, Ministry of External Relations staff expressed no 
similar qualms regarding Venezuelan accession, saying that in 
inviting Venezuela to join, member governments have effectively 
approved accession.  End note.) 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Fortes added that, in his view, Chavez has become a 
 
 
*********************** 
* Missing Section 002 * 
***********************