It is around 9,500 kilometers as the crow flies from Berlin to Brasília, once across the equator to the other side of the world. Several time zones lie between the German and Brazilian capitals, and there is a whole ocean between the two countries.
Brazil will elect a new president on Sunday, with right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro taking office, as well as left-wing ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. An election of the century, that much is clear, but it is also a long way off, which is why one in Germany could well think: So what? none of my business. But that would be a mistake.
Despite the distance, Germany and Brazil have a lot in common. Historically and culturally: Brazil is a country of immigration, the ancestors of many people also come from Saxony or Hamburg, from Lake Constance or from Bavaria. Many Brazilians are proud of this heritage, and after the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the Oktoberfest in Blumenau, southern Brazil, is considered the country’s largest folk festival.
In São Paulo alone, 1,000 German companies are based
There have also been close economic ties for more than 100 years. Almost 1,000 German companies are based in Brazil’s largest metropolis, São Paulo alone, many with their own factories, some of which produce for the entire region. Some company bosses celebrated when Bolsonaro came to power four years ago. Today, however, it is clear that many of its pro-business promises never materialized. Bureaucratic hurdles have never been removed, inflation in the first half of the year was at its highest level in decades, and instead of a reliable partner, Bolsonaro is now seen more as a risk factor.
Despite all the crises, Brazil is still the largest economy in South America. More than 210 million people live in the country, and there are huge deposits of raw materials. Metals, food, gas and oil: Brazil can supply much of what has become scarce worldwide due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. If only for selfish motives, one should not neglect the country.
And of course there is the Amazon rainforest. Under Bolsonaro, more was cut down than in decades. Protection agencies have had their funds cut and employees who were too committed were summarily dismissed. Squatters and prospectors know that today they have little to fear as they burn down forests for their cattle and tear up jungle soil in search of treasure.
The Amazon is considered the green lung of the earth and one of the most important factors in the fight against climate change. Scientists believe that the fact that Brazil has suffered from severe droughts in recent years could also be due to the fact that moist air currents have been disrupted by the clear-cutting. They warn that the area could be at a tipping point: If more trees are cut down, at some point the rainforest will no longer be able to produce enough moisture on its own. The jungle would then become a savanna, with incalculable consequences for the climate.
When South America’s largest democracy elects a new president on Sunday, you can cheer or shake your head depending on the result. There’s only one thing you shouldn’t do: shrug your shoulders. Brazil is too important for that, no matter how far away the country is from Germany.