Brazil–Uruguay relations

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Brazil-Uruguay relations
Map indicating locations of Brazil and Uruguay

Brazil
Uruguay
Dilma Rousseff, then President of Brazil, José Mujica, then President of Uruguay, during Rousseff's state visit to Montevideo (2011).

Brazil–Uruguay relations encompass many complex relations over the span of three centuries, beginning in 1680 with the establishment of the

bilateral relationship between the two countries originates from a strong historical connection, as both countries having been territories of the Portuguese Empire and sharing the same language – marked by important events, such as the establishment of the Colónia do Sacramento in 1680, the invasion of the Banda Oriental by Brazil in 1815 and the subsequent creation of the Província Cisplatina, and Uruguay's independence from Brazil in 1828.[1] The bilateral relationship was further defined by the Uruguayan Civil War (1839–1851) and the Paraguayan War
(1864–1870).

Relations during the late-19th to late-20th centuries were overshadowed by

domestic politics and resulted in a period of distancing between the two countries. The signing of the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 initiated a period of closer political, economical and cultural ties. Today, the Brazilian government defines Uruguay as a strategic ally and places the bilateral relationship as a foreign policy priority.[2] This is met with reciprocity by Montevideo.[2] Uruguay has supported the Brazilian bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.[2]

History

Colonization

The

Treaty of Utrecht. Spain would try to regain the colony during the Spanish–Portuguese War of 1735. It kept changing hands from crown to crown due to treaties such as the Treaty of Madrid in 1750 and the Treaty of San Ildefonso
in 1777, until it remained with the Spanish.

Annexation and independence

The Battle of Juncal, during the Cisplatine War.

In 1811,

Liga Federal. In August 1816, forces from Brazil invaded the Banda Oriental (present-day Uruguay) with the intention of destroying the Liga Federal. The Brazilian forces, thanks to their numerical and material superiority, occupied Montevideo on January 20, 1817, and after struggling for three years in the countryside, defeated Artigas in the Battle of Tacuarembó
.

In 1821, the Banda Oriental, was annexed by Brazil under the name of

Treaty of Montevideo, fostered by the British Empire
, gave birth to Uruguay as an independent state.

Uruguayan civil war

Further information: Uruguayan Civil War

The political scene in Uruguay following its independence from Brazil became split between two parties, the rural-conservative Blancos and the urban-liberal Colorados. The Colorados were led by Fructuoso Rivera and represented the business interests of Montevideo; the Blancos were headed by Manuel Oribe, who looked after the agricultural interests of the countryside and promoted protectionism.

In 1838, the Kingdom of France started a naval blockade over the port of Buenos Aires, in support of the Peru–Bolivian Confederation, who had declared the War of the Confederation over the Argentine Confederation. Unable to deploy land troops, France sought allied forces to fight Juan Manuel de Rosas - the governor of the Argentine Confederation, on their behalf. For this purpose they helped Fructuoso Rivera to topple the Uruguayan president Manuel Oribe, who was staying in good terms with Rosas.[3] Oribe was exiled to Buenos Aires and Rivera assumed power in October 1838. Rosas did not recognize Rivera as a legitimate president, and sought to restore Oribe in power. Rivera and Juan Lavalle prepared troops to attack Buenos Aires. Both British and French troops intervened, initiating the Uruguayan Civil War, or Guerra Grande (Great War).

Manuel Oribe was eventually defeated in 1851, leaving the Colorados in full control of the country. Brazil followed up by intervening in Uruguay in May 1851, supporting the Colorados with financial and naval forces. In February 1852, Rosas resigned, and the pro-Colorado forces lifted the siege of Montevideo.

Lagoa Mirim and the Jaguarão River, the natural border between the countries.[4]

Paraguayan War

Further information: Paraguayan War

In 1855, new conflict broke out between the parties. It reached its high point during the

Francisco Solano López
. When Berro's government was overthrown in 1864 with Brazilian help, López used it as a pretext to declare war. The result was the Paraguayan War, a five-year conflict in which Uruguayan, Brazilian and Argentinian armies fought Paraguay, and which Flores finally won, but only after great loss of his own troops. Flores did not enjoy his militar success for long. In 1868, he was murdered on the same day as his rival Berro.

Both parties were weary of the chaos. In 1870, they came to an agreement to define spheres of influence: the Colorados would control Montevideo and the coastal region, the Blancos would rule the hinterland with its agricultural estates. In addition, the Blancos were paid half a million dollars to compensate them for the loss of their stake in Montevideo. But the caudillo mentality was difficult to erase from Uruguay and political feuding continued culminating in the Revolution of the Lances (Revolución de las Lanzas) (1870–1872), and later with the uprising of Aparicio Saravia, who was fatally injured at the Battle of Masoller (1904).

Recent years

On 30 July 2010, President

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Uruguays' José Mujica signed cooperation agreements on defence, science, technology, energy, river transportation and fishing with the hope of accelerating political and economic integration between these two neighbouring countries.[6]

In February 2021, The new President of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, made his first presidential trip overseas to meet with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.[7] On 1 March 2020, Bolsonaro had attended the inauguration ceremony of Luis Lacalle Pou in Uruguayan capital, Montevideo.[8]

Cross-border region

The Brazil–Uruguay border extends 1,068 kilometres (664 mi).

twin cities".[10] These cities usually share close demographic, economic, and political bonds. The following are twin cities:[10]

Brazil Brazilian City Population Border type Uruguay Uruguayan City Population
Chuí 6,564 land (avenue) Chuy 10,401
Jaguarão 58,855 river (international bridge) Río Branco 13,456
Aceguá 5,538 land (avenue) Aceguá 4,578
Santana do Livramento 97,488 land (plaza) Rivera 64,326
Quaraí 25,044 river (international bridge) Artigas 41,687
Barra do Quaraí 4,578 river (international bridge) Bella Unión 13,187

Border disputes

A longstanding border dispute involving territory in the vicinity of Masoller exists between Uruguay and Brazil, although this has not harmed close diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries. The disputed area is called Rincón de Artigas (Portuguese: Rincão de Artigas, Location -31.00, -55.95), and the dispute arises from the fact that the treaty that delimited the Brazil-Uruguay border in 1861 determined that the border in that area would be a creek called Arroyo de la Invernada (Portuguese: Arroio da Invernada), but the two countries disagree on which actual stream is the so-named one.[11]

Another disputed territory is Brazilian Island at the confluence of the Quaraí River and the Uruguay River.[12]

Trade and investment

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Brazil Brazilian exports to Uruguay $1 billion $1.2 billion $1.6 billion $1.4 billion $1.5 billion $2 billion
Uruguay Uruguayan exports to Brazil $0.6 billion $0.8 billion $1 billion $1.2 billion $1.6 billion $1.7 billion
Total trade $1.6 billion $2 billion $2.6 billion $2.6 billion $3.1 billion $3.7 billion
Note: All values are in U.S. dollars. Source: SECEX.[13]

Resident diplomatic missions

Embassy of Brazil in Montevideo
of Brazil
of Uruguay

See also

References

  1. ^ Relaciones Bilaterales Embaixada do Brasil em Montevideo. Retrieved on 2011-12-24. (in Spanish).
  2. ^ a b c Atos assinados por ocasião da visita da Presidenta Dilma Rousseff ao Uruguai - Montevidéu, 30 de maio de 2011 Archived April 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Ministério das Relações Exteriores. Retrieved on 2011-12-24. (in Portuguese).
  3. ^ Garibaldi in Uruguay: A Reputation Reconsidered.
  4. ^ a b The Great War, 1843–52. Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2011-12-25.
  5. ^ José M. Olivero Oreechia, "Chronology of the Uruguayan Army in the War of the Triple Alliance," Military Collector and Historian, Winter 2007, Vol. 59 Issue 4, pp 269-276
  6. ^ Brazil and Uruguay step closer to integration American Express Travel. Retrieved on 2011-12-24.
  7. ^ "Lacalle Pou agreed with Bolsonaro in Brasilia to make Mercosur more flexible". MercoPress. 4 February 2021.
  8. ^ Petrov, Arkady (2 March 2020). "Bolsonaro in Montevideo to Attend New Uruguayan President's Inauguration". The Rio Times.
  9. ^ Fronteira Brasil/Uruguai Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica. Retrieved on 2011-12-24. (in Portuguese).
  10. ^ a b Relações Brasil-Uruguai: A Nova Agenda para a Cooperação e o Desenvolvimento Fronteiriço Archived May 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Aveiro, Thais Mere. University of Brasília. Retrieved on 2011-12-24. (in Portuguese).
  11. ^ Griswold, Clark (2013-03-10). "The current territorial disputes of Brazil". Férias do Clark (personal blog) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  12. ^ Borders and Limits of Brazil: Ilha Brasileira Archived March 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Wilson R.M. Krukoski, LNCC. Retrieved on 2009-06-23. (in Portuguese).
  13. ^ Intercâmbio Comercial - Uruguai Archived 2011-11-29 at the Wayback Machine SECEX. Retrieved on 2011-12-24. (in Portuguese).

External links

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