When the economist Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs Group, created the term BRIC to describe the four major emerging countries in the world, he was making only a series of projections for the future, imagining what it would feel like the world in 2050, economicaly speaking.

However, the media appropriated itself of this term and currently the acronym is widely used to refer to Brazil, Russia, India and China. Although these countries have much in common, like the fact they have large populations and large territories, they are very different, with very different interests and often conflicting.

In this article I’ll try to explain some conflicts that exist between those countries. To be more specific, conflicts that exist between Brazil and Russia. In other articles I will discuss the relationship between Brazil-India and Brazil-China.

Brazil and Russia

Relations between Brazil and Russia are evolving rapidly since the 90s. Currently, bilateral relations between the two countries are marked by the establishment of a privileged mechanism for dialogue, something that Russia has with countries like France, the United States and China.

Trade between the countries, although it is still unsatisfactory (considering the size of both markets), grows rapidly. The main products traded between those countries are meat, wheat and military technology.

But the rapprochement of Russia with other countries of South America is starting to become a source of concern for the Brazilian government. By checking strong presence in Latin America, Russia undoubtedly puts the American hegemony in the region in a delicate situation, but the problem is that American hegemony is being gradually overcome by the Brazilian hegemony in the last 14 years.

Leaders of countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay and sometimes even Venezuela (Chavez and Lula have a good relationship) try to counter an external “enemy”, in a typical populist move that often do not distinguish the United States of Brazil (for them, both Brazil and the United States may be used as a “symbolic” or real enemy). Thus, the arms race in the region fueled by Russia can make Brazil become a military power in a short term.

It’s always good explain that Brazil is not a military power (though possessed resources and even nuclear technology) because there is no neighbor here in South America that can be seen as a real threat to the sovereignty of the Brazilian territory.

But the regional balance is essential to ensure that peace is preserved and accordingly Brazil favors dialogue between nations, but if there is a radicalization on the part of any country, certainly the Brazilian government will be obliged to be more hard and do what is necessary to preserve the balance of forces in the region. Specially because in recent years a xenophobic movement against Brazilians is gaining strength in some countries in the region.

I’m not saying that other countries can not acquire military technology to protect their territory, but that Russia should sell consciously such equipments not to harm its diplomatic relations and trade with Brazil.

Provoke the United States is one thing, but creating problems for Brazil is another.