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Written by Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was severely criticised on Brazilian social media for saying during her official visit to Brazil that poor mothers in the Latin American country do not care about international conflicts because they focus “on the price of rice and beans in the supermarket.”
During her speech at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation in São Paulo, Baerbock suggested that low-income Brazilians would not be concerned about international events as they were focused on guaranteeing their subsistence.
“I would like to say clearly: I fully understand that you here in Latin America perceive the threat of this war differently than we do in Europe, but also question, ‘Where is Ukraine again?’ I fully understand that a mother from Itaquera or Campinas says: ‘For me, the price of rice and beans in the supermarket this week is more important than what happens in a country 11,000 kilometres away’,” said Baerbock.
The reaction was immediate on social media and YouTube channels, with Brazilians applauding the mothers of Itaquera and Campinas for focusing on maintaining life and not sending weapons to sow death.
An article in Folha de São Paulo, in turn, questioned the European commitment to Latin America:
“Funny that Europe remembers that Latin America exists only when they are roasting from global warming or are at war. Apart from that, we know very well how they see us.”
Robinson Farinazzo, a Reserve officer of the Brazilian Navy, joined the outrage on his Arte da Guerra channel. He criticised the German minister’s attempt to commit Brazil to the European conflict.
“The West invested $124 billion and gathered a coalition of 28 countries against Russia, sending all kinds of weapons, mercenaries, satellites and, even so, they do not solve the problem. And now they are trying to push the problem to Brazil? Have pity,” said Farinazzo.
“Europe’s problems are not the world’s problems. These stuck-up people, with their noses in the air, have to understand that,” he added.
The reserve officer also noted that Baerbock “left Brazil empty-handed” since she was not even received by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva or Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, who was on an official trip to France.
Baerbock fulfilled her agenda in São Paulo and Brasília by meeting with the Secretary General of the Itamaraty (Brazilian Foreign Ministry), Maria Laura da Rocha. The Itamaraty published a joint communiqué expressing commitment to bilateral cooperation and the fight against climate change, demonstrating that Baerbock could not win any concessions from Brazil regarding Ukraine.
During the trip, the German foreign minister called on Brazil to align with Western countries on geopolitical matters, particularly the Ukraine war and China. In return, a closer relationship with Europe was offered. However, this blackmailing is useless since China, and not Germany, is Brazil’s leading trade partner.
“Security and development are not opposites. They depend on each other,” Baerbock said at the Digital Democracy Festival in São Paulo, pointing to the global impact of rising food prices due to the war.
“Let’s reach out and shape a future together that all of us can benefit from,” she added.
The EU-Mercosur trade deal has not been ratified despite being in the works since 1999. Baerbock said at the festival that the main keys to the rapprochement of “like-minded democratic states” would “make it clear that democracies when they work together, can solve global challenges.”
A summit of European, Latin American, and Caribbean leaders on July 17 could invigorate the fruition of the EU-Mercosur trade deal, and it is clear that Baerbock is attempting to leverage this against Brazil so it capitulates and provides aid to Ukraine. However, Brazil is unlikely to be pressured into changing its foreign policy course.
The EU- Mercosur agreement is expected to be signed by the end of this year, whether Baerbock attempts to add unofficial clauses or not. This was effectively confirmed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her meeting with Lula in Brasília on June 12.
During this meeting, Lula drew attention to the fact that Europe has adopted unilateral laws and rules to establish sanctions on international trade without considering previously established strategic partnerships, as in the case of Brazil. Von der Leyen sidestepped this point and praised Lula, saying he “brought Brazil back to where it belongs – a major global player, a leader in the democratic world.”
In any case, Lula and Brazil do not need platitudes from Germany and the EU. Brazil will instead steer its course without being beholden to any power. This will frustrate the West, but as Latin America’s biggest power, Brazil is responsible for leading by serving its interests first and not the West’s. For this reason, Brasília’s relations with Moscow and Beijing will remain strong despite constant Western pressure.
the arrogant, condescending, “my scheisse does not stink”, nazi whore needs to be raped doggy-style by a jewish bum.
in the past 2 days alone, ukraine lost more manpower than what the us was losing in vietnam per month. is this the reason the paid trolls and butthurt belters are so active on sf rn😃😃😃?
would that be kosher? not sure who’d be the victim in this scenario…
this beerbuck chick is one odious cunnt.
anal-lenna is typical wef alumni installment, not chosen because of her intelligence and wisdom, but because she is aggresive, unquestioning party line orwellian official programmed, not educated. such characters are easy to recognize: very narrow mindset and total absence of humor or wit. she is morelike a robot than human being. and, being a lowlife she is absolutely unable to comprehend that whatever you do brings concequences.
i’ve also noticed that great number of german women are like her, desperately trying to be more menlike than men, narrowminded “me, myself and i types” and are he main reason many german men go and marry women from thailand, phillipines or slavic women. deeply imbued in sheere materialism and cynism.
funding nato is like hiring your own hitman.
quella ricca puttana niente-facente di politica tedesca di annalena baerbck vive nel lusso sfrenato ed è pagata decine di migliaia di euro al mese dal regime fascista dittatoriale tedesco fantoccio degli filo-usa per fare pubblicità alla guerra contro la russia ! vivendo nel lusso sfrenato la ministra parassita tedesca non può capire che miliardi di esseri umani vivono in povertà perciò non hanno soldi da buttar via nelle guerre volute dagli usa !
she is a great example for other low iq persons, by showing a lack of intelligence doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t reach positions of influence. so even for the retarded pro-war trolls there is still hope.
the stupid are easy to control and manipulate.
she disrespected brazilians, that’s why she should be declared persona non grata. kick the nazi schlampe raus!
fighting climate change :: shadow boxing of the morons
the arrogant filha da puta nazista
always the climate change, if these power hungry capitalists don’t take every freedom from every individual they won’t relax.
trebuie calmata printr un nou front deschis in europa. asa va sta acasa.
masters of the universe, taking statistics and perception of brazil, just like during the dictatorship where brazil were ocupied and controlled by the masters of the universe. will brazil wake up from their sleep. but masters of the universe are so clever afterall or they wont be the masters of the universe.
dumber than a box of rocks , this air head isn’t even attractive.
if brasil do not cooperate for global peace, it will be exposed to sanctions and be cornered in the international community.
brasil can stick to their bananas, samba bamba and coconuts, but everybody must pay a price for global peace if they dont pay to play in the international community.
one way or the other brasil will suffer if they are not doing it.