Brazil–Guyana relations

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Brazil-Guyana relations
Map indicating locations of Brazil and Guyana

Brazil

Guyana

Brazil–Guyana relations have traditionally been close. Brazil has provided military assistance to Guyana in the form of warfare training and logistics. Bilateral relations between the countries have recently increased, as a result of Brazil's new South–South foreign policy aimed to strengthen South American integration.

During a state visit by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to Georgetown on 2 March 2007, the governments of Guyana and Brazil signed several cooperation agreements and announced plans to boost trade between the two countries.

History

The earliest diplomatic efforts between Guyana and Brazil were to establish the borders between the major colonial powers, in 1904 an arbitral decision divided disputed territorial claims between Brazil and Britain and 1936, the Tri-junction Point Agreement established the border between Brazil, Suriname and British Guiana.[1]

President Lula's official visit to Guyana, March 2007

After Guyanese independence in 1966 there was intense

Raul Leoni decreed "ownership" of a nine-mile strip of ocean off Guyana's three-mile territorial sea limits, the Brazilian government showed support to Guyana in the controversy with Venezuela.[citation needed
]

On 26 August 1968 Deputy

In 1975, the

drug traffickers. The Brazilian government did not confirm the story, but insisted that if it had been carried out it would have been done with Guyana's permission.[citation needed
]

Aerial view of the Guyanese-Brazilian border along the Rio Maú/Ireng River

Cooperation

Creating an overland link to the Caribbean has been a long-standing point of interest between both countries, Brazil wanting an overland link to the Caribbean and Guyana having easy access to Brazilian markets.[3] In 1982, an agreement was signed by President Forbes Burnham and his counterpart President João Figueiredo with the goal of linking Boa Vista and Georgetown. In 1989, Guyana's next president, Desmond Hoyte worked out financing with President José Sarney, using a Brazilian construction firm to build the highway. In 2003, another series of agreements were signed by President Bharrat Jagdeo also included a deep harbour project.[4]

In 2009, the

MERCOSUR as an Associate State; Brazil was already a full member.[1]

In 2016, during the commemorations of the 50th anniversary of Guyana's independence, the Brazilian government officially changed the way it spelled the name of its neighbouring country, from the colonial form Guiana, with an "i", to the post-independence, official form "Guyana".[5][failed verification]

The Brazil–Guyana Joint Commission for Infrastructure Development was created in 2017 during President David Granger's visit to Brazil.[2]

Festa Junina is hosted at the Brazilian embassy in Georgetown every year[6] with the Brazil–Guyana Cultural Centre which promotes Brazilian culture through Portuguese classes and other cultural activities.[7]

Resident diplomatic missions

  • Embassy of Guyana in Brasília
    Embassy of Guyana in Brasília

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Cooperative Republic of Guyana". Ministério das Relações Exteriores. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Stamp to mark 50th anniversary of Guyana/Brazil relations launched". Stabroek News. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Guyana - Relations with Brazil". Country Studies. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Guyana-Brazil road on packed agenda". Stabroek News. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  5. ^ "República Cooperativa da Guyana". Brazil: Ministry of External Relations. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  6. ^ "'Festa Junina' to attract thousands". Stabroek News. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Hundreds enjoyed Festa Junina". Stabroek News. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  8. ^ Embassy of Brazil in Georgetown
  9. ^ Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Brazil