Autonomy within Borders: Brazilian-U.S. Relations in Transition in the Mid-Twentieth Century

Post World War II presented new challenges and opportunities for Latin America. The experiences of the Good Neighbor Policy fostered a sense that further cooperation with the Colossus of the North could be sustained. This expectation was to be dashed once the United States switches its focus from the region to new geopolitical commitments outside the Western hemisphere and Latin America takes a backseat in the North American list of global priorities. In Brazil, this context would motivate different segments of the national elites to pursue alternatives paths towards the goal of strengthening the industrial growth achieved during the war. In particular, during the 1950s the country witnessed high rates of economic growth and there was a growing sense that a new historical course of national development could be pursued.

Within this general national political scenario, which role should the traditional ally and the most powerful nation in the region, the United States play in this process? How could Brazil go about its search for a state-led fast-paced industrial growth while attempting at the same time to be seen as a regional ally of the ideologically driven Cold War U.S.? These were topics of intense political debate among national Brazilian elites in the 1950s and 60s. While the majority argued in favor of a continued alliance with Brazil’s main economic partner, critical views were becoming increasingly accepted, and the direction of the country’s foreign policy was towards the search of more political and economic autonomy. The proposed paper will examine the different arguments advanced on the topic of how Brazil should relate with the United States evolved from the late 40s to the early 60s, as well as the main projects that defined the course of Brazilian-U.S. relations during these years.