MINUSTAH IN THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES: THE PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSION ON THE SENDING OF BRAZILIAN TROOPS TO HAITI

A DISCUSSÃO PARLAMENTAR SOBRE O ENVIO DE TROPAS BRASILEIRAS AO HAITI

Abstract

This work seeks to elucidate the discussion in the Chamber of Deputies about Brazilian participation in the United Nations Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti (MINUSTAH), between February and May 2004, during the second year of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's first term. It starts with the change in Brazil's actions on the international scene, which adapted the principle of Non-intervention in the internal affairs of different States to the idea of ​​non-indifference in crisis situations. This change occurred so that Brazil could assume a leading position in international politics, considering the objective of gaining a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. In this sense, the article seeks to answer the following questions: who are the deputies who participated most actively in the discussions? What are the main arguments presented? What are the differences between President Lula's allies and the opposition? In the Chamber of Deputies, situationist and opposition parliamentarians differed on key points of the Haitian issue, such as the origin of the crisis and the objectives of MINUSTAH. Also, as an argument, the deputies opposed to participating in the mission claimed that the public security situation in Brazil would be in conditions similar to those in the Caribbean country.