BRAZIL AS AN EMERGING POWER: THE VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES

The United States has increasingly recognized Brazil as a significant regional and global power due to its economic growth, leadership in biofuels, and role in multilateral forums like the G20. While there is mutual interest in cooperating on climate change, energy, and global financial stability, the document argues that a 'special relationship' is hindered by divergent priorities in security, trade disputes over agricultural subsidies and industrial protection, and a lack of dedicated Brazil expertise within the US policy community.

• The US perception of Brazil has shifted from viewing it as a non-serious country to recognizing it as a vital player in global politics, driven by Brazil's economic strength and its role in the G20, which shifted the center of global financial agreements from the G8.
• Brazil is viewed as a global leader in alternative energy and climate change mitigation, possessing one of the world's most eco-friendly energy matrices with 46% of primary energy from renewable sources, compared to a global average of 8%.
• The Brazilian biofuel industry, specifically sugar cane ethanol and flex-fuel vehicle technology, is identified as a primary area for bilateral cooperation with global impact.
• Significant policy divergences exist in security and counter-narcotics; the US prioritizes counterterrorism and military responses, whereas Brazil emphasizes policing and law enforcement solutions.
• Trade remains a major point of contention, with Brazil seeking the removal of US agricultural subsidies and tariffs on ethanol, while the US criticizes Brazil's industrial protection and intellectual property rights regime.
• The ability of the US to maintain a consistent policy toward Brazil is limited by a lack of Portuguese language skills and a shortage of dedicated Brazil experts within the US-Latin America policy community.

APA

O’Neil, S. (2010). BRAZIL AS AN EMERGING POWER: THE VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Policy-Briefing-16.pdf

Chicago

O’Neil, Shannon. BRAZIL AS AN EMERGING POWER: THE VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2010. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Policy-Briefing-16.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=O’Neil |first1=Shannon |title=BRAZIL AS AN EMERGING POWER: THE VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=16 February 2010 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Policy-Briefing-16.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{oneil2010brazil, author = {O’Neil, Shannon}, title = {{BRAZIL AS AN EMERGING POWER: THE VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2010}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Policy-Briefing-16.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }