Non diplomacy

Texto de Mara Montezuma Assaf
Tradução Cynthia L. Schwarzenberg


Lately, being Brazilian hurts the soul due to sea of corruption threatening to engulf the nation as well as the rejection suffered when trying to enter a first-world country legally or illegally.
An unprecedent sense of shame wounds our native pride, our "Brasilianess".

A short time ago we witnessed the humiliation of Brazilians treated indiscriminatly as human refuse and undesirable, upon arriving at Barajas Airport in Spain - a gateway to the EU.

Now the problem is with England trying to defend itself from the influx of vast numbers of immigrants over the past decade by exacting stricter measures for Brazilians entering the country. Brazil is radically opposed to the measures and won´t accept them without lengthy negotiations. One of the conditions England wants to impose is that English police work in Brazilian airports with Brazilian police to screen people wanting to enter England, which is unacceptable. There are channels through diplomatic negotiations where where solutions can be found to satisfy both sides.

However, acting with immaturity and childish nationalism, Brazilian diplomats promise retaliation. Retaliate against what-if British tourist bring money to support our fledging tourist sector which is already in difficulty from the extreme violence rampant in this country?
We need them, they don´t need us.

Brazilian diplomacy, lately , doesn´t represent the voice of the Brazilian people, but the ideology of a populist party that is in power at the moment.
The world is in transition and both the US and Europe are seeking solutions for their own domestic troubles. If Brazilian diplomats don´t take this into consideration and stop sulking, they will leave us open to yet one more international embarassment.