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Brazil's Role in the Fight Against Terrorism 'S Role In BRAZIL’S ROLE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM Delanne Novaes de Souza Abstract Although Brazil has accomplished all international obligations on terrorism, strategic and executive measures are still to take place. Diplomacy does not seem to be an insurance policy against terrorism. Brazilian foreign policy on terrorism is a necessary but not a sufficient tool against the threat. Additionally, domestic legislation does not guarantee institutional readiness. Resumo Embora o Brasil tenha cumprido todas as obrigações internacionais quanto à prevenção e ao combate ao terrorismo, medidas de cunho estratégico e institucional quanto à matéria são ainda necessárias ao País. O cumprimento de acordos diplomáticos não representa imunidade à ameaça terrorista. A política externa brasileira acerca do tema é instrumento necessário, mas não suficiente contra tal ameaça. Ademais, leis domésticas não garantem eficiência nem eficácia às instituições. 1 The perception of the threat in Brazil There is no empirical data concerning terrorism in Brazil’s territory. As a result, any attempt to analyze terrorism Brazilians in general, and even most strategically in Brazil is more related to Brazilian authorities, consider terrorism as policy-making per se than any other an exogenous threat. It is something approach taken by the US, the United distant from the Brazilian mindset. As Kingdom (UK) or Spain, countries that Salvador Raza (2006, p.61) argues, this were attacked by terrorism and, as a state of mind is not derived by specific consequence, have different and more government’s policies, but by national developed tools to face it. Certainly, Brazil 1 culture. Brazilians view terrorism as has a lot to learn from them. something intrinsically and geographically associated with the Middle East and, in Although international terrorism has not terms of its targets, with Israel and the taken place in Brazil, Brazilian citizens United States of America (US). have been indirect victims of it. Brazilians 1 In respect of terrorism, Raza relates this Brazilian cultural trait as a cognitive break. Revista Brasileira de Inteligência. Brasília: Abin, n. 5, out. 2009. 29 Delanne Novaes de Souza were among the victims of the World Trade In general, there is not much strategic Center (WTC) terrorist attacks in 2001;2 thinking on the subject in Brazil (SILVA, of the bombings of tourist sites in Bali in 2006). Despite the overall lack of 2002; of the United Nations (UN) office concern, it is worth mentioning the efforts 3 in Baghdad in 2003 , and of the bombings of the Committee on Monitoring and in Madrid in 2004. More recently, in July Institutional Studies (SAEI) and of the 2005, following the bus bombings in Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin), both London, a Brazilian, Jean Charles de subordinated to the Institutional Security Menezes, was mistakenly killed by a British Ministry (GSI) of the Presidency of counter-terrorism officer. No authority in Republic. The former promoted two the country, therefore, should ever consider terrorism as something distant meetings on terrorism. One took place in from Brazilian reality. July 2004, and the other in september 2005. More recently, on november, 30 Brazilian authorities are not totally and december, 1, 2006, Abin promoted unaware of the fact that no country is its Second Seminar on Intelligence (State, immune to the potential threat posed by Media and Terrorism).5 international terrorism.4 It is not, however, a perception shared by some of the highest At the Sixth Summit on National Strategic authorities in the government. This Studies (ENEE), held in Rio de Janeiro, at misperception reflects a pattern not only the Naval War School (EGN), from present in Brazil, but also in other Latin november 8 to november 10, 2006, Aldo American countries, if one takes the Rebelo, then president of the Câmara dos current threat posed by terrorism into Deputados of Brazil, the equivalent of the account. As Salvador Raza (2005) points US House of Representatives, addressed out, the recent terrorism is strategic, the interaction between the Legislative distinct from the conspirational terrorism Branch of the Federal Government and typical of the seventies and mostly the Armed Forces. He stated that Brazil associated with the leftist movements of is not a territory currently subject to that period. This work focuses on the former, not the latter. Based on two international terrorist acts. His opinion is hundred interviews made in Latin America, very significant due to two reasons: first, Raza (2006, p. 43) argues that Latin under the Federal Constitution, the American businessmen, students and President of the House of Deputies (Câ- politicians are not prepared to mara dos Deputados) assumes the comprehend the instrumental use of Presidency in the absence of the President violence, such as terrorism. and the Vice-President of the Republic; 2 One hundred and sixty citizens of thirty different countries lost their lives in the attacks against the WTC. 3 Sérgio Vieira de Mello, the UN Special Representative for Iraq, was killed in a bomb attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad in October, 2003. He was well-known for his work in East Timor. 4 Therefore, the Federal government, under the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Chamber (CREDEN), elected terrorism as one of the most prominent issue on its agenda. 5 Several officials and experts participated in the Seminar. Among them, Israeli and American Intelligence officials, diplomat Carol Fuller, Secretary of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism of the Organization of the American States (CICTE) and Steven Monblatt, former Secretary of CICTE, Professors Daniel Pipes and Thomas Bruneau. 30 Revista Brasileira de Inteligência. Brasília: Abin, n. 5, out. 2009. Brazil’s role in the fight against terrorism therefore, Rebelo was at the time one of specific aspects: first, a minor perception the highest authorities in the country6; of interstate threat since the settlement of and, second, he is a politician not out of all disputes on international borders8 and the circle of national strategic thinking. For the development of confidence-building instance, his very participation in the event and a strategic alliance with Argentina, mentioned above and his writings on through several mechanisms, such as the security and defense prove the opposite.7 Brazilian-Argentine Agency for He is not only a high political (legislative Accounting and Control of Nuclear and potential executive) authority, but Materials (ABACC) and the Common someone whose ideas are accepted by Market of the South (Mercosur)9, and, scholars and experts in international second, the potential spillage over relations, security and defense studies. Brazilian territory of the conflict between Moreover, Aldo Rebelo seems not to the Colombian Armed Forces and the agree with the ideas of imbalance Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces underlined in this work. Asked about (FARC)10, which could ultimately represent Brazilian intelligence and defense a threat to Brazilian territorial integrity and capabilities to fight terrorism, he does not institutional stability. Due to the potential notice any discrepancy or gap between threat posed by FARC and mainly by the Brazil’s international obligations and great strategic relevance to Brazil, the accomplishments, and its institutional major Brazilian strategic vulnerability is the capabilities. Amazon (VIDIGAL, 2004, v.2, p.25). The implementation of the Surveillance System Even when security and defense are taken of the Amazon (SIVAM)11 and of the into consideration in a broad, strategic Destructive Shooting Law (BRASIL, perspective, most Brazilian civil and 2004), nicknamed ‘Lei do Abate’ is a military strategic thinkers contemplate a result of this threat perception. general strategic approach to security and defense, related to the classic guarantee Two arguments serve the interests of those of national sovereignty and multilateralism. who perceive the country out of the reach This approach can be associated with two of international terrorism: first, the general 6 The current President of the House of Deputies was Arnaldo Chinaglia, a member of the same Party of President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, the Worker’s Party. 7 See Rebelo (2003, 2004); see also SEMINÁRIO DE POLÍTICA... (2003). 8 In this sense, for over 100 years Brazil has considered itself a ‘geopolitically satisfied’ country. See Lima & Hirst (2006, p. 21-40); see also Vizentini (2007) and Cervo (2002). Particularly regarding the Baron of Rio Branco and his role on Brazilian foreign policy, especially in respect of Brazil’s peaceful settlement of its borders, see Lins (1995) and Ricupero (2000). 9 Currently, the Mercosur is comprised of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Venezuela was accepted by the other members as a full member of the Bloc, though it still awaits the ratification of its membership by the Brazilian and Paraguayan Parliaments. Bolivia, Chile and Peru are associate members of the Bloc; Mexico is an observer. In respect of the perspectives of Brazil and Argentina concerning nuclear weapons, see the Treaty of Tlatelolco (1967), which established the region as a nuclear-free zone. For a brief history of Argentine-Brazilian relations, that comes back to the Portuguese and Spanish Empires in South America, see Jaguaribe (2005, p. 42-52). 10 For security and defense issues, see Vidigal (2004, v.2, p.13-36). For an overview of security in South America, see Rojas Aravena (2005, p. 53-77). 11 A project developed by Raytheon, worth of US$ 1.7 bi. Revista Brasileira de Inteligência. Brasília: Abin, n. 5, out. 2009. 31 Delanne Novaes de Souza and traditional perception that Brazil is a (DINIZ, 2004, p.30). For instance, in peaceful, hospitable, tolerant, happy and 1998, when a suicide bombing of the US united country.12 The second is the very Embassy took place, was Tanzania a par- nature of Brazilian foreign policy,13 a product ticular target of terrorist acts? It does not of the values and principles of Brazilian seem so.
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