Brazil welcomes Iran's Ahmadinejad

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who in the old Brazilian capital of Sao Paulo began his tour of South America on November 23. The Iranian president will then go to visit fellow energy producers Bolivia and Venezuela. Ahmadinejad arrived from Senegal and met with Lula da Silva at the Itamaraty Palace where they were joined by 300 business people from both countries. A few dozen protesters, in favor of or against the Iranian’s visit, were evident outside of the palace where they were met by impressive security.

Before receiving Ahmadinejad, Lula spoke to the nation via his weekly radio program to defend the decision to receive the Iranian delegation. Lula said “There are a number of countries who will not talk with Iran, but it serves no purpose to leave Iran isolated” given that that Iran is “important actor” in the Middle East. Lula has received President Shimon Peres of Israel and Mahmud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority within the last ten days. The Brazilian chief of state said that he will visit Israel, Palestine and Jordan in March 2010, putting into play what he calls “Brazil’s ability for conversation that it currently has” in the service of peace in the Middle East.

According to Iranian sources, Ahmadinejad plans to speak with Lula about controversial issues such as possible cooperation on nuclear energy, and a future diplomatic accord that would obviate the need for visas for travelers going to or from Iran. For now, due to possible “consequences” expressed by President Obama, it appears likely that Iran will not export enriched uranium. An Iranian official has said that Iran hopes to increase trade with Brazil from $2 billion to $15 billion in the field of petrochemicals, agriculture, and medicine.
The United States has not been pleased by Ahmadinejad’s ventures in the Western Hemisphere, especially in Venezuela where significant military and commercial accords are now in force. Since 2005, Ahmadinejad’s Iran has opened new embassies in Colombia, Nicaragua, Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador, and Bolivia – and added ones to Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Venezuela.

Ahmadinejad’s visit put on display the power that Brazilians of Iranian nationality and Shiite Muslim faith now enjoy in one of the world’s largest democracies. At a demonstration in support of Ahmadinejad, women in chadors and headscarves – in Brazil’s tropical heat – were evident along with placards and signs denouncing Israel and the United States. This is a significant population of Shiite Muslims living in Sao Paulo and the state of Parana.

Even so, homosexuals, Jews and Christians, as well as Holocaust survivors, protested against the representative of the Islamic Revolution who has spoken of wiping Israel off the map, questioned the historicity of the Holocaust, and whose government countenances oppression of Jews and Christians, as well as the public hanging of homosexuals.