Engel to Brazil: Is this thing with Iran a dance, or a marriage?

The Sao Paolo daily, O Estado, had a fascinating account Thursday of what appears to have been a less than happy encounter between U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Latin America subcommitttee, and the Brazilian ambassador.

The Representative, who is also [Co-]Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Brazil, met with the Brazilian Ambassador in Washington, Antonio Patriota, and conveyed his concern regarding [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad’s visit on November 23.  Patriota, according to a source present at the meeting, reacted brusquely, surprising Engel.  In an interview with Estado, in speaking about his meeting with Patriota, the Representative limited himself to saying: “I expressed my deep displeasure with Ahmadinejad’s visit, since I always speak openly in my meetings with ambassadors, and he (Patriota) defended his position”.

According to Estado, Engel’s unhappiness with how the meeting went led him to convene a meeting of his subcommittee on Iran’s efforts to spread its influence in Latin America, to take place Tuesday.

My understanding of this passage — a little convoluted, and I’m not sure if it’s the original Portuguese, or the translation provided to me by sources — is that Engel would not be unhappy if Brazil remained a conduit for dialogue with Iran, but is prepared to enact consequences if the relationship runs any deeper:

According to a source that observed these conversations, Engel would like to understand what the Brazilian position is- if it is, or is not, closing the channel for dialogue with Iran, a role that would be positive, or if the Brazilian Government will face Tehran as a strategic partner.

“It is clear that the visit of Ahmadinejad is causing a commotion, which is one of Engel’s reasons for organizing a hearing on the topic”, said a source.  “Receiving the President of Iran is not something trivial, and can, in the worst case, have repercussions for the trade relationship between Brazil and the United States.”

Full translation after the jump.

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O Estado de São Paulo
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Ahmadinejad’s Visit is ‘a disgrace’, Says American
Democrat Representative Criticizes Brazil for Receiving Iranian President

Patrícia Campos Mello
Correspondent
Washington

    Democrat Representative Eliot Engel, Chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, stated yesterday that the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Brazil is a “disgrace” and that it damages the country’s “standing” in the world.
    “I hope that the United States Government clearly tells President Lula that the visit of Ahmadinejad, a dictator that denies the Holocaust, is a mistake,” said Engel, who is of Jewish ancestry, “especially for a respected country like Brazil, that wants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council”, he added.  The Representative, who is also [Co-]Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Brazil, met with the Brazilian Ambassador in Washington, Antonio Patriota, and conveyed his concern regarding Ahmadinejad’s visit on November 23.  Patriota, according to a source present at the meeting, reacted brusquely, surprising Engel.  In an interview with Estado, in speaking about his meeting with Patriota, the Representative limited himself to saying: “I expressed my deep displeasure with Ahmadinejad’s visit, since I always speak openly in my meetings with ambassadors, and he (Patriota) defended his position”.
    According to the Brazilian Ambassador, he did nothing more than defend “the Brazilian position of plurality in its foreign relations, and constructive engagement in its bilateral relationships, such as that with Iran.”
    Concerned with Ahmadinejad’s visit to Brazil and with “the increasing influence of Iran” in South America, Engel called a Congressional hearing for Tuesday, [October 27].  The hearing, “Iran in the Western Hemisphere”, was organized jointly with the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade.  “Iran works tirelessly to increase its presence in South America, and many Iranians are coming to the region without proper verification- this can allow many terrorists to harbor in the region,” said Engel.
    According to a source that observed these conversations, Engel would like to understand what the Brazilian position is- if it is, or is not, closing the channel for dialogue with Iran, a role that would be positive, or if the Brazilian Government will face Tehran as a strategic partner.
    “It is clear that the visit of Ahmadinejad is causing a commotion, which is one of Engel’s reasons for organizing a hearing on the topic”, said a source.  “Receiving the President of Iran is not something trivial, and can, in the worst case, have repercussions for the trade relationship between Brazil and the United States.”