Brazilian Minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, affirmed that the relation between Brazil and Bolivia is that of State politics. According to him, to Brazil, Bolivia is a strategic country, since it borders many Brazilian states.
Amorim said that there was never an idea that Brazil would relate only to leftist governments. "We will relate to all governments."
The Minister added that in spite of Bolivia’s instability, Brazil considers the integration with that country fundamental. "President Lula did not elect Evo Morales. Bolivian people did it, and we have to respect it."
Amorim explained, during a hearing at the Senate’s Commission on Foreign Relations and National Defense (CRE), everything Brazil has been doing after the decision of the Bolivian government to nationalize its oil and gas reserves.
One of the foreign companies affected by the measure was the Brazilian oil company, Petrobras.
ABr