VZCZCXRO0109
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0271 0591758
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281758Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1080
INFO RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE PRIORITY 7727
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 5826
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 1649
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000271 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/BSC, DRL, AND IO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL EXPECTS TO SIGN JOINT ACTION PLAN AGAINST 
RACISM DURING SECSTATE VISIT 
 
REF: BRASILIA 00245 
 
¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request, please see 
paragraph 7. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary:  Although the new Racial Equality Minister 
Edson Santos was just confirmed on February 20, President 
Lula's administration is working hard to have the bilateral 
Joint Action Plan against Racism signed during Secretary 
Rice's visit to Salvador (evening March 13 or morning March 
14).  The GOB expects Minister Santos to sign the plan with 
the Secretary at a well-publicized press event.  With the 
Lula Administration's support for measures to promote racial 
equality, the signing of this agreement will not only give 
the GOB's racial equality policy a shot in the arm, but it 
will also be a positive step for U.S.-Brazil relations on an 
important human rights issue.  End summary. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On February 26, Ministry of External Relations (MRE) 
Human Rights Division Chief Marcia Adorno confirmed that the 
GOB has been working inter-ministerially on the plan.  The 
plan is viewed by MRE and other ministries as an extremely 
positive agreement between our two countries, particularly 
because the nature of most U.S./Brazil interaction on human 
rights is negative in focus and tends to highlight 
differences in policy. 
 
¶4. (SBU) On February 27, Racial Equality Secretariat (SEPPIR) 
International Advisor Magali Naves said that Minister Santos 
is extremely enthusiastic about signing the agreement with 
Secretary Rice because it would be an opportunity for the 
 
SIPDIS 
U.S. to show its support for the GOB's efforts to establish 
equal rights.  She indicated that the GOB will be ready to 
react to any USG re-writes or amendments in a timely way so 
that the agreement can be signed on March 14.  She said that 
this will be an important event for Minister Santos who has 
said that this signing is one of his two top priorities in 
his new position.  She stressed that the GOB believes that 
Salvador as Brazil's historic Afro-Brazilian capitol is the 
ideal location to sign this agreement. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Racial equality is a new focus of the Lula 
administration, and the President has recently commented that 
the GOB must do more for its minorities.  He also said that 
the Racial Equality Statute must be passed (reftel).  (Note: 
the statute is currently held up in the Chamber of Deputies, 
but has already been approved by the Senate.  End Note.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  The GOB's new focus on race issues has 
been surprising, given its contentiousness among Brazilians. 
However it is consistent with the Lula administration's 
ideological position on social issues.  Concluding this 
agreement during Secretary Rice's visit would not only 
provide a boost for the GOB's approach to promoting equal 
rights, but, as a less contentious bilateral issue, might 
also have significant potential to improve good-will between 
our two governments.  End Comment. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Action Request:  Post requests that the Department 
confirm if it will be able to clear on the text of the 
proposed action plan in time for a meeting with Secretary 
Rice in Salvador on March 13 or 14. 
SOBEL