Bolsonaro hails US move to designate Brazil non-NATO ally

President Jair Bolsonaro today (Aug 1) talked about Brazil’s designation as a preferential military ally of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO. The topic had been raised with President Donald Trump during his US visit, Bolsonaro said.

“This participation as a non-NATO ally is welcome, and makes a lot of things easier. The most important thing is defense—the purchase of weaponry, and some technology. There’s always something advantageous for us. As a rule, once a NATO country is attacked, every one’s in together,” Bolsonaro said today while leaving the Alvorada Palace, the president’s residence.

The announcement, made on Wednesday evening (Jul 31), makes Brazil the second Latin American country to receive the special status (after Argentina), which is expected to deepen military cooperation. Sixteen other countries have been declared non-NATO allies by the US government.

Trump had signaled he was planning on making this decision when Bolsonaro visited the White House.

Preferential buyer

The move gives Brazil the right to become a preferential buyer of US military equipment and technology and to participate in auctions held by the Pentagon. The measure also paves the way for collaboration in defense and efforts to boost military exchange between the Armed Forces in both countries.

The Brazilian Foreign Ministry declared that the classification builds a framework of long-term cooperation with the US, facilitating access to defense products to equip the Armed Forces and preferential and strategic cooperation with the US.

“The designation will help deepen bilateral ties in defense, bringing the Brazilian Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense closer together, especially with respect to the access to technology and projects and their development, as well as greater integration in the production chain in defense for both nations,” the official note from the ministry reads.