Brazil cautiously received former president George Bush's proposal and Clinton's new impulse on FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas). Due to the weakening of an internal development pattern based on import substitution, Collor de Mello's government put forward a recomposition foreign policy according to a new project, since 1990. Hence, a slow opening to the internal market began. This was accompanied by an import increase, which surpassed exports. Framed within this context, Brazil held the liberalization of international trade with reciprocal bases. This research work exhibits an approach substantiated on the FTAA project. Brazilian positions towards the matter proved to be both supportive and opposite to the approach; thus generating a series of debates in order to defend Brazilian national interests. Should FTAA be favoured? Should Mercosur be priviliged? Should bilateral agreements negotiation prevail? Should a Mercosur partnership in accord with 4+1 agreement pervade? Should there be a Mercosur re-founding with concrete terms with the European Community or should the government seek new partnerships in the international system? The government's attitude towards these issues during Fernando Collor de Mello, Itamar Franco and Fernando Henrique Cardoso's administrations are being dealt with in this work. Finally, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's position as regards the continental integration project in the first eleven months of his administration (January-December 2003) is also being considered.
Brazilian Foreign Policy; Integration; FTAA; Mercosur