Brazil ignores US threats and decides to export Ethanol to Iran

According to the Ministry of International Relations in Brazil, the newly aproved sanctions against Iran don't prevent the exporting of ethanol to the persian country.

"We will export to wherever we want to, since it is our priority to open new markets for our ethanol production.", said a source from the government. "The new UN sanctions do not prohibit selling ethanol, so I don't see any problems with doing it. Brazil is not imposing on itself any voluntary sanctions.", the source afirms.

On the other hand, the same official source declares that the decision to export ethanol lies on the hands of the private sector, which decides to whom they want to sell and should be the ones measuring the risks to suffer retaliations from the US.

Brazilian ethanol producers, though, have no intentions of exporting ethanol to Iran. Adhemar Altieri, director of communications from UNICA, the entity that represents the Ethanol Industries in Brazil, said that there are no projects, either on short term or long term, to sell ethanol to Iran. "We have never sent one drop of ethanol to Iran.", he said. "We aim to export to bigger markets."

Last wednesday, june 9th, US said that it wouldn't be a good idea if Brazil sold ethanol to Iran. "That would be risky, since the UN aproved sanctions recognise a direct link between the energy sector in Iran and the nuclear proliferation activities", said a high ranking officer from the White House.

The above is a translation I have made from the source, which is in portuguese and goes to show what I have said in other threads. Brazil´s president, Lula, has a history of opposing against the US. Not that it angers me that he does so, but sometimes, like this, it´s ridiculous.

Why declaring intentions of selling Ethanol to Iran if you know it´s not gonna happen because the private sector has no intention of doing so? Lula just can't help it, it seems. He just likes confronting those who represent the ruling powers. Every time he sees a chance to undermine the US, he does so.

I really wish he would stay out of the iranian issue. It´s a dangerous game he is playing. He is being overtly criticized in our country for it, at least by the MSM. But hey, he is Lula. Probably the most powerful president we have ever had. After 8 years in power he still has almost 80% approval.
Link to source(it is in portuguese)



[edit on 16-6-2010 by henriquefd]

[edit on 16-6-2010 by henriquefd]

reply to post by henriquefd


Good on Brazil for challenging the west.

I have always liked Lula, he is by far the best president in the world today. And an 80% while 8 years into presidency is extraordinary, I doubt any future Brazilian president could fill his shoes. He has maintained a relationship with the west and the enemies of the west, has done social credit for his people to lift them out of poverty and has given Brazil an energetic economy, a robust middle class and a strong welfare state.

Could you really do any better than that? He never solved the crime problem which is huge but he could leave that for the next administration, he's probably wore out from these 8 years. I already told my family if anything bad happens I'm either moving to Canada, Norway of Brazil.

I admit I am not a big fan of Lula, but I have respect for how he managed to finally become president of Brazil.

For many, many years, he has always been a candidate and never stood a chance. But he never ave up. He doesn't come from the elite. He comes from the bottom of the pyramid of power.

That´s why he is so powerful. His power doesn't come from puppet masters, from banks, from corporations, or even from his political party. His power comes from his popularity. He has the people on his side. And that, my friend, is a power you can't fight against. Lula is untouchable.

Well done Brazil.. Good Show

today in the news it is being reported that
OSAMA bin LADIN
has been seen at Carnival in Brazil
we will shortly be invading that country as they have oil ( suntan)
and because they wear the skimpiest thongs and Bikinis at the beach,


i guess maybe they read the conspiracy forums too in brazil
and don't beleieve IRAN wants to blow uop the "FREE" world

Originally posted by henriquefd
The above is a translation I have made from the source, which is in portuguese and goes to show what I have said in other threads. Brazil´s president, Lula, has a history of opposing against the US. Not that it angers me that he does so, but sometimes, like this, it´s ridiculous.

Look buddy. No one cares about "angering the US" because the majority are not very smart and make statements like this.

We live in a world of global capitalism and free trade. If they want to sell ethanol, and Iran wants to buy it. What's the problem?

The USA is just as bound and obligated by this system as everyone else. And just because someone in any of the 190 odd countries and 6.3 billion people that don't live in the US does something you don't approve of doesn't mean they're "opposing the US"

Unless you freely admit you're actually trying to impose your will on other countries and not actually representing any sort of freedom or free trade at all. Which is well known outside the USA.

What do you propose? War against Brazil for selling dangerous weapons like alternative fuel sources?

[edit on 16-6-2010 by belial259]

Originally posted by belial259
Look buddy. No one cares about "angering the US" because the majority are not very smart and make statements like this.

We live in a world of global capitalism and free trade. If they want to sell ethanol, and Iran wants to buy it. What's the problem?

The USA is just as bound and obligated by this system as everyone else. And just because someone in any of the 190 odd countries and 6.3 billion people that don't live in the US does something you don't approve of doesn't mean they're "opposing the US"

Unless you freely admit you're actually trying to impose your will on other countries and not actually representing any sort of freedom or free trade at all. Which is well known outside the USA.

What do you propose? War against Brazil for selling dangerous weapons like alternative fuel sources?

[edit on 16-6-2010 by belial259]

Maybe you didn't understand the OP. This is not something coming out of my crazy mind. I am just translating the news to you. New sanctions have been approved last week, at UN´s security council, against Iran. There is no point in having sanctions if you say "Hey, there is Free Trade so everyone can sell anything to anyone." That is not how it works and today the US has asked Brazil and Turkey, one more time, to follow the sanctions imposed by the UN.

As for Lula, maybe you have not been following his political career, but to anyone who does, it is obvious that he does oppose the US every now and then. But he doesn't do that out of pride, or hate. He has his own agenda and if he does so, he expects to gain something from it. Lula knows that among developing countries, he is one of the most influential leaders and he uses his position of representative of the developing countries, by opposing developed countries whenever he sees fit.

I'm brazilian, I live in Brazil. Of course I don't want war. I am here to offer a brazilian perspective to Brazil´s actions in global matters. It´s my wish to help the ATS community to understand our actions and to criticise or support my country accordingly.

IMHO, Lula is being confrontational on purpose. Brazilian ethanol producers never intended to sell ethanol to Iran, specially because the US could retaliate, making it impossible to sell our ethanol in competitive prices in US soil. Lula's actions have nothing to do with protecting our right to sell our ethanol to any country we want. It´s way beyond that.

Originally posted by henriquefd
There is no point in having sanctions if you say "Hey, there is Free Trade so everyone can sell anything to anyone." That is not how it works and today the US has asked Brazil and Turkey, one more time, to follow the sanctions imposed by the UN.

Do the sanctions against Iran cover ethanol? Which is mostly used when combined with petrol? The sanctions basically make Iran a new market for things like that because of their lack of refining capacity. And they'll probably pay well for it. So I can't really see a problem with a powerful industrial nation like Brazil expanding into those markets.

BRIC is becoming very powerful now and the USA is not in much of a position to dictate to other trading blocks how they can operate. They were lucky enough to even get support for limited sanctions.

Who does the USA thinks it is that it can just constantly dictate to others what they can do and in what manner, when it does whatever it wants and doesn't answer to anyone for anything?

especially because the US could retaliate, making it impossible to sell our ethanol in competitive prices in US soil.

Don't see how they could considering what ethanol is made of. The US can make as much noise as it wants about it but it will only hurt them. They don't have much sugar, and they need ethanol because it's cheaper than pure petrol. Without the ethanol mix US petrol consumption could go up another 10-15%

And it's just going to make them look even more hypocritical. They're saying the world needs to use alternative energy sources and fight "global warming". But Iran might be trying to "MAKE THE BOMB" by having nuclear energy, even though dozens of other nations in the NPT do. They say the same about ethanol now too? maybe it's a new type of WMD?

When Brazil and Turkey and Iran already did a deal to enrich uranium the US slaps them in the face for it, after asking them to do it in the first place. Lula's actions aren't out of place at all.

I notice the USA don't seem to have an issue with anyone buying oil from Iran.