Brazil’s Non-Reluctant Approach to Regional Crisis Management

This chapter addresses regional crisis management by Brazil under President ‘Lula’ da Silva’s first presidency (2003–11). It focuses on Brazil’s extended neighbourhood, and in particular on its engagement in Haiti (with a focus on the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, from 2004) and on its approach to the civil war in Colombia. The analysis reveals that in both cases Brazil was not reluctant: in MINUSTAH, it shed its initial reluctance and pursued a determined and responsive policy, taking over leadership of the mission. In Colombia, Brazil was less proactive, but pursued a consistent (not hesitant and therefore non-reluctant) approach to crisis management, focusing on low-key offers of support and mediation. By applying the theory of reluctance, this chapter shows that the Brazilian government was able to adopt non-reluctant policies by allaying domestic concerns and by fostering an alignment of international expectations in the case of Haiti. In the case of Colombia, a consistent and responsive policy was the result of clear domestic preferences and a lack of competing international pressures.