Brazil's president hopes to revive ties with the U.S. during White House visit

Brazil's president hopes to revive ties with the U.S. during White House visit

Transcript¹

Brazil's new leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva meets Friday with President Biden. The two presidents have a lot in common — both Brazil and the U.S. suffered attacks by right-wing extremists.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is in Washington, D.C., to visit President Biden at the White House. The two presidents have a lot of common ground to draw on. Both have dealt with false claims of election fraud, and both took power as extremists storm their respective capitals. Here's NPR's Carrie Kahn.

CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE²: Today's brief visit is being billed as a show of commitment to democracy. President Biden's support of Brazil's democracy has been vital, says Celso Amorim, Lula's foreign affairs adviser³.

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CELSO AMORIM: (Speaking Portuguese).

KAHN: "Look, the U.S. is undeniably an important partner in helping⁴ Brazil through what are very dramatic times," says Amorim recently in a YouTube interview. Last month, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro ransacked⁵ Brazil's Congress, Supreme⁶ Court and presidential palace.

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AMORIM: (Speaking Portuguese).

KAHN: "Not only was Biden one of the first world leaders to congratulate Lula after narrowly beating Bolsonaro," says Amorim, "he also called immediately after the storming of Brazil's capital." Relations between Brazil and the U.S. were strained under Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist who was a close ally of former President Trump⁷. But Bruna Santos, a senior adviser at the Wilson Center's Brazil Institute, says Biden and Lula now have similar goals, including fighting extremism and climate change.

BRUNA SANTOS: But also, there are, like, significant change in the world that are happening and that are bringing more and more tension to Brazil and the U.S., especially when it comes to defending democracy.

KAHN: Looming⁸ over the two leaders' celebration of democracy is the continuous presence of former President Bolsonaro in Florida. He's been giving talks to Trump supporters and right-wing election deniers.

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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Ladies and gentlemen, get on your feet, and join me in welcoming President Bolsonaro.

(CHEERING)

KAHN: Investigators⁹ back in Brazil are looking into the former president's role in the storming of the capital. But it's unclear if Lula will bring up Bolsonaro's stay in the U.S. What he will be looking for is help for the Amazon Fund, which was halted under Bolsonaro. The $1.3 billion fund helps rainforest protection and sustainable development. In one of his first acts since taking office, Lula sent hundreds of federal officials into Brazil's largest Indigenous¹⁰ reserve to drive out illegal miners.

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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Speaking Portuguese).

KAHN: Videos like this one of a woman asking for help to leave the Yanomami reserve have been circulating on social media. Authorities say there are an estimated 20,000 illegal miners in the Indigenous area who have polluted the Yanomami's rivers and land. Thiago de Aragao, who runs a political risk consultancy firm in D.C. and Brasilia, says he doesn't expect major announcements from the visit.

THIAGO DE ARAGAO: It's much more symbolic¹¹ than policy generation.

KAHN: Particularly since there are many points on which the two leaders do not agree. Lula has made it clear he won't take sides in the Ukraine war. In fact, he has proposed brokering¹² peace alongside other nonaligned nations, including India. And de Aragao says Lula won't meddle¹³ in the U.S.'s escalating¹⁴ conflicts with China.

DE ARAGAO: He will not label China as an evil empire as something that is true. Finally, the U.S. and many European countries label it (ph).

KAHN: China is Brazil's No. 1 trading partner. Lula is planning a trip there next month. In D.C., he has no scheduled public appearances. He does plan to meet with a few Democratic lawmakers and then return home tomorrow.

Carrie Kahn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro.

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1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 ransacked   

v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺

参考例句：

• The house had been ransacked by burglars. 这房子遭到了盗贼的洗劫。
• The house had been ransacked of all that was worth anything. 屋子里所有值钱的东西都被抢去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

8 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

9 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

11 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

12 brokering   

v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的现在分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• Intertwined with these were rivalry, power brokering, and patronage. 然而也不乏有抗争、强权操纵与任命特权交织其中。 来自互联网
• Kingston Quest Can Assist Your Company In Negotiations, Brokering, Agency Services, Sourcing Factories Or Property. 金士顿追求，可帮助您的公司在谈判中，经纪，代理服务，货源工厂或财产。 来自互联网

13 meddle   

v.干预，干涉，插手

参考例句：

• I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
• Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。

14 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句