With the arrival of 2019, Brazil’s new government starts its work, led by President Jair Bolsonaro, who took office on January 1. As is traditional, the new ministers were set to take their positions the following day, and the Foreign Affairs agenda is now led by Ernesto Fraga Araújo, a diplomat with almost 30 years of experience.
Prior to joining the Ministry, Ernesto Araújo was the director of the United States, Canada and Inter-American Affairs Department of Itamaraty. He also served as a diplomat in Germany, Canada and the United States.
The minister was announced on November 14 through Jair Bolsonaro’s Twitter.
A política externa brasileira deve ser parte do momento de regeneração que o Brasil vive hoje. Informo a todos a indicação do Embaixador Ernesto Araújo, diplomata há 29 anos e um brilhante intelectual, ao cargo de Ministro das Relações Exteriores.
— Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) November 14, 2018
“Brazilian foreign policy must be part of the moment of regeneration that Brazil is experiencing today. I would like to inform everyone of the appointment of Ambassador Ernesto Araújo, a diplomat for 29 years and a brilliant intellectual, to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs”, said the President
Ernesto replaces Aloysio Nunes as minister, who, at the time of the announcement, issued a note praising the new chancellor, “Ernesto Araújo has been an exemplary server and is more than skilled to serve Brazil in the high responsibilities entrusted to him now,” he said.
In texts published on his website, Ernesto Araújo has already expressed appreciation for the work of US President Donald Trump and is critical of what he calls globalism, which would be “an anti-human and anti-Christian system”.
In his speech, the minister said that Itamaraty has now a higher profile and is engaged in the promotion of agribusiness, trade, investment and technology, thus approaching the national productive sector.
“We have turned all bilateral and multilateral relations to generate concrete results for employment, wages and security for Brazilians. At the same time, bilateral relations can also be launched in the multilateral system, especially in the WTO, which is building a new and promising agenda in which Brazil is still outside, but it will soon be a part of it with all its relevance and creativity”, he argued.