"
Globalisation is here to stay. You cannot, however, look at it as a natural phenomenon on which you have no influence- it's not like a typhoon or a cyclone. It's a process- and a process on which you can have influence.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
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If you see less poor people in the streets, and abandoned children, it makes you feel better- and that helps us to build a more independent attitude in foreign policy. That, again, has feedback in Brazil- making people more confident feeling that we don't always have to say yes to whatever is presented.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
It is this sense of democracy which empowers us, the people of Brazil, to elect someone like Lula who- in turn- uses that same democratic power to pursue policies to successfully combat inequality. This then reflects on the psychology of the people of our nation.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
In the case of Brazil, one of the most important things is the huge ethnic and cultural mixture which makes us a country with dynamism, vibrancy, and the ability to understand the psychology of other nations. We have problems, of course, but this is one of our huge strengths, and a huge foreign policy asset.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
One thing that really helped us was NOT following the IMF prescription, and hence I think the fact that we insisted on having growth (alongside stability) was something that made for a big change in Brazil.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
You have to understand, for instance, that in my lifetime until I was fifty or so- I had not witnessed any period without inflation of twenty or thirty percent, and sometimes one hundred percent.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
In the case of Brazil, one of the most important things is the huge ethnic and cultural mixture which makes us a country with dynamism, vibrancy, and the ability to understand the psychology of other nations.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
First and foremost was the consolidation of democracy. Second was the stabilisation of the economy. Thirdly- and probably most importantly- was the ability of Brazil to deal with a problem we inherited from colonial times- inequality.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
One thing that really helped us was NOT following the IMF prescription, and hence I think the fact that we insisted on having growth (alongside stability) was something that made for a big change in Brazil.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency
"
Probably most importantly was the ability of Brazil to deal with a problem we inherited from colonial times- inequality.
— Celso Amorim
Brazilian Diplomat & Foreign Minister under Lula's Presidency