Last Wednesday, Celso Amorim, the new defense minister, while he was not yet Defense Minister, spoke of a withdrawal of the Brazilian military force in Haiti [2.160 military]. Appointed to this position last Thursday by the President Dilma Vana Rousseff, Celso Amorim took office this Monday, August 8.

Although he was the "artisan" of the participation of Brazil in the Minustah [UN Mission for Stabilization in Haiti], the Minister Celso Amorim, estimate today that the military mission of Brazilians coming to its end with the development of a democracy in Haiti. Recognizing that even if this country is not a haven of peace, Haiti now has a democratically elected president with the perspective that the institutions returns to normal operation.

Already in 2010, as Foreign Minister under the government Lula, Amorim expressed the necessity of replacing the military presence in Haiti by engineers and social workers to collaborate in the development and the economy of Haiti.

Internationally, the time is in military disengagement and of the economic point of view, Brazilian growth is faltering and the mission has already cost to the Brazilian taxpayers $1 billion BRL (1 BRL - ± 0.61 U.S. dollars). The end of Brazil's participation in the peacekeeping force in Haiti should be one of the first measures adopted by the new Minister.

At a meeting with military commanders last Saturday, Celso Amorim stated that it was time to think about a strategy of withdrawal. A withdrawal that he wishes progressive in order to prevent a "prejudice" to the security in Haiti.

However this decision is far from unanimous among experts.

HL/ HaitiLibre