Cooperação energética brasileira com países da América do Sul: análise dos acordos realizados durante os governos de FHC e Lula

Abstract

After the energy issues faced in the 1970s and 1980s, discussions about energy security have entered in the politics of countries around the world. Ensuring the supply of energy to local people and businesses is a key factor for the development of countries and for the proper functioning of a society. This affirmation was also important for the foreign policy held by Brazil during the administrations of Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Lula (1995-2010). When they came to power, both presidents developed diplomacies based on regional leadership with the intention of launching Brazil in a position of greater prominence in the International System. To achieve this goal, energy cooperation with the countries of South America seeking greater integration was an important factor in the foreign policy of the two former presidents. Besides that, there is a clear difference between the two governments in the way energy cooperation was viewed. While FHC pursued policies focused on fossil fuels and had Bolivia as an important partner, during the Lula administration cooperation on biofuels was more prominent, allowing new partners to obtain greater participation. Based on these considerations, the present study exposes an analysis of the energy agreements signed with the countries of South America, with the intention to identify the main partners of this cooperation, the energetic resources contemplated, the main policies defined among the States and, finally, identifying the ultimate goal of the two governments in signing these treaties: supply an internal demand for energy or use energy cooperation as a tool to achieve regional leadership.