Exceptionalism versus Pragmatism: human rights in US-Brazil relations (1974-1979)

This article analyzes the strangeness that occurred due to the contrast between the exceptionalism of US This study examines the apparent conflict generated by the clash between the exceptionalism present in American foreign policy and the pragmatic guiding principles of Brazilian foreign policy, particularly during the term of President Ernesto Geisel (1974-1979). By adopting a stance of propagating values related to human rights, the administration of President Jimmy Carter found itself confronted with the strategically elaborated and executed response of the Brazilian government. The main goal of this article is to deepen understanding of how this disparity between the exceptionalisms of American and Brazilian foreign policies influenced bilateral relations. Additionally, the study seeks to examine how the aggressive promotion of the human rights agenda by the Carter administration affected the structuring of Brazilian foreign policy in the inter-American context. The method employed in the research consists of the analysis of historical documents associated with the human rights agenda, with an emphasis on those produced by Brazilian diplomacy and deposited in the Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This makes it possible to understand the Brazilian stance in the face of attempts to impose liberal values by American diplomacy, and consequently, the discursive strategies adopted by the Brazilian government when pressured on issues related to human rights.