A MINUSTAH e a política externa brasileira: motivações e consequências

Abstract

The present work aims to analyze the motivations and consequences of brazilian participation in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). It intends, through an outlook of Haiti s recent history and the analysis of the decision-making process that led Brazil to integrate the UN s Mission, to outline some considerations regarding Brazil s foreign policy, as well as the unfoldings of its presence in Haiti. After centuries of dictatorships, political struggles and social-economic crisis, the situation of the first black republic of the Americas (Haiti) grew worse, in 2004, with the resignation of president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Generalized chaos and the imminence of a civil war urged for the mobilization of international community. United Nations Security Council established a Multinational Interim Force, to avoid the rising of a civil war, while structuring a peacekeeping operation. In April 30th of the same year, Res. n. 1542 created MINUSTAH, which mail goals were: the establishment of a safe and stable environment; the protection of human rights; and the holding of peaceful and democratic elections. Attending the call of the UN, Brazil accepted to participate in the Mission, by sending 1200 troops and the force commander. The decision reflects characteristics, principles and goals of Brazil s current foreign policy. The justifications presented and even the decision-making process, characterized as a presidential diplomacy action, are argued by politics, diplomats, academics and militaries, as well as by the media and public opinion. Either material or abstract, the possible reasons for brazilian participation in the MINUSTAH include multilateralism, with the search for a permanent seat at the UN s Security Council, to the new principiology of Brazil s foreign policy, based on the non-indifference and solidary diplomacy. The influence of brazilian leading is shown on the successful strategies of the military command and on the humanitarian actions that unite the military force and civil workers and organizations, in a multinational mostly latin-american operation. The Mission has achieved many important outcomes in Haiti. However, the country still needs development projects and an institutional structure that make social-economic growth and political stability possible. This extends the commitment of international community, which has no forecast of withdrawing the troops. For Brazil, the participation in MINUSTAH results in the training and improvement of the Armed Forces, besides of the experiences that can be used in national scope or in other peacekeeping operations. Concerning foreign policy, the Mission provides a closer relation with Haiti; the deepening and enlargement of the relations with other latin-american countries, and a more assertive insertion in the international scenery. The research was developed primarily on a dialectic-inductive approach, based on a historical analysis of primary and secondary sources, national and foreign documents, books, thesis, articles, official reports , news articles and official websites of interest. The main contribution was interviews and statements of important actors of MINUSTAH, and of professionals of several fields that deal with the issue (military, academic, political, diplomatic).