Hi, all. Part 1 features a selection of the President's and First Lady's remarks in Brazil:
- Remarks by the President to the People of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro
- Remarks by President Obama and President Rousseff of Brazil in Brasilia, Brazil
- Remarks by the President at CEO Business Summit in Brasilia, Brazil
- Remarks by the First Lady at Brazilian Youth Cultural Event
PoliticsNewsNews, March 20, 2011:
President Obama's Speech In Brazil On Human Rights (Part 1)
President Obama's Speech In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil On Human Rights.
PoliticsNewsNews, March 20, 2011:
President Obama's Speech In Brazil On Human Rights (Part 2)
Office of the Press Secretary, March 20, 2011:
Remarks by the President to the People of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Rio de Janeiro!
AUDIENCE: Hello!
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Many welcomes!
THE PRESIDENT: Alo! Cidade! Maravilhoso! (Applause.) Boa tarde, todo o povo brasileiro. (Applause.)
Since the moment we arrived, the people of this nation have graciously shown my family the warmth and generosity of the Brazilian spirit. Obrigado. Thank you. (Applause.) And I want to give a special thanks to all of you for being here, because I've been told that there’s a Vasco football game coming. (Cheers and boos.) Botafogo –- (laughter.) So I know that -- I realize Brazilians don’t give up their soccer very easily. (Laughter.)
Now, one of my earliest impressions of Brazil was a movie I saw with my mother as a very young child, a movie called Black Orpheus, that is set in the favelas of Rio during Carnival. And my mother loved that movie, with its singing and dancing against the backdrop of the beautiful green hills. And it first premiered as a play right here in Teatro Municipal. That's my understanding.
And my mother is gone now, but she would have never imagined that her son’s first trip to Brazil would be as President of the United States. She would have never imagined that. (Applause.) And I never imagined that this country would be even more beautiful than it was in the movie. You are, as Jorge Ben-Jor sang, “A tropical country, blessed by God, and beautiful by nature.” (Applause.)
I’ve seen that beauty in the cascading hillsides, in your endless miles of sand and ocean, and in the vibrant, diverse gatherings of brasileiros who have come here today.
And we have a wonderfully mixed group. We have Cariocas and Paulistas, Baianas, Mineiros. (Applause.) We’ve got men and women from the cities to the interior, and so many young people here who are the great future of this great nation.
Now, yesterday, I met with your wonderful new President, Dilma Rousseff, and talked about how we can strengthen the partnership between our governments. But today, I want to speak directly to the Brazilian people about how we can strengthen the friendship between our nations. I’ve come here to share some ideas because I want to speak of the values that we share, the hopes that we have in common, and the difference that we can make together.
When you think about it, the journeys of the United States of America and Brazil began in similar ways. Our lands are rich with God’s creation, home to ancient and indigenous peoples. From overseas, the Americas were discovered by men who sought a New World, and settled by pioneers who pushed westward, across vast frontiers. We became colonies claimed by distant crowns, but soon declared our independence. We then welcomed waves of immigrants to our shores, and eventually after a long struggle, we cleansed the stain of slavery from our land.
The United States was the first nation to recognize Brazil’s independence, and set up a diplomatic outpost in this country. The first head of state to visit the United States was the leader of Brazil, Dom Pedro II. In the Second World War, our brave men and women fought side-by-side for freedom. And after the war, both of our nations struggled to achieve the full blessings of liberty.
On the streets of the United States, men and women marched and bled and some died so that every citizen could enjoy the same freedoms and opportunities -– no matter what you looked like, no matter where you came from.
In Brazil, you fought against two decades of dictatorships for the same right to be heard -– the right to be free from fear, free from want. And yet, for years, democracy and development were slow to take hold, and millions suffered as a result.
But I come here today because those days have passed. Brazil today is a flourishing democracy -– a place where people are free to speak their mind and choose their leaders; where a poor kid from Pernambuco can rise from the floors of a copper factory to the highest office in Brazil.
Over the last decade, the progress made by the Brazilian people has inspired the world. More than half of this nation is now considered middle class. Millions have been lifted from poverty. For the first time, hope is returning to places where fear had long prevailed. I saw this today when I visited Cidade de Deus -– the City of God. (Applause.)
It isn’t just the new security efforts and social programs -- and I want to congratulate the mayor and the governor for the excellent work that they’re doing. (Applause.) But it’s also a change in attitudes. As one young resident said, “People have to look at favelas not with pity, but as a source of presidents and lawyers and doctors, artists, [and] people with solutions.” (Applause.)
With each passing day, Brazil is a country with more solutions. In the global community, you’ve gone from relying on the help of other nations, to now helping fight poverty and disease wherever they exist. You play an important role in the global institutions that protect our common security and promote our common prosperity. And you will welcome the world to your shores when the World Cup and the Olympic games come to Rio de Janeiro. (Applause.)
Now, you may be aware that this city was not my first choice for the Summer Olympics. (Laughter.) But if the games could not be held in Chicago, then there’s no place I’d rather see them than right here in Rio. And I intend to come back in 2016 to watch what happens. (Applause.)
For so long, Brazil was a nation brimming with potential but held back by politics, both at home and abroad. For so long, you were called a country of the future, told to wait for a better day that was always just around the corner.
Meus amigos, that day has finally come. And this is a country of the future no more. The people of Brazil should know that the future has arrived. It is here now. And it’s time to seize it. (Applause.)
Now, our countries have not always agreed on everything. And just like many nations, we’re going to have our differences of opinion going forward. But I’m here to tell you that the American people don’t just recognize Brazil’s success -– we root for Brazil’s success. As you confront the many challenges you still face at home as well as abroad, let us stand together -– not as senior and junior partners, but as equal partners, joined in a spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect, committed to the progress that I know that we can make together. (Applause.) I'm confident we can do it. (Applause.)
Together we can advance our common prosperity. As two of the world’s largest economies, we worked side by side during the financial crisis to restore growth and confidence. And to keep our economies growing, we know what’s necessary in both of our nations. We need a skilled, educated workforce -- which is why American and Brazilian companies have pledged to help increase student exchanges between our two nations.
We need a commitment to innovation and technology -- which is why we've agreed to expand cooperation between our scientists, researchers, and engineers.
We need world-class infrastructure -- which is why American companies want to help you build and prepare this city for Olympic success.
In a global economy, the United States and Brazil should expand trade, expand investment, so that we create new jobs and new opportunities in both of our nations. And that's why we're working to break down barriers to doing business. That's why we're building closer relationships between our workers and our entrepreneurs.
Together we can also promote energy security and protect our beautiful planet. As two nations that are committed to greener economies, we know that the ultimate solution to our energy challenges lies in clean and renewable power. And that’s why half the vehicles in this country can run on biofuels, and most of your electricity comes from hydropower. That’s also why, in the United States, we’ve jumpstarted a new clean energy industry. And that’s why the United States and Brazil are creating new energy partnerships -- to share technologies, create new jobs, and leave our children a world that is cleaner and safer than we found it. (Applause.)
Together, our two nations can also help defend our citizens’ security. We’re working together to stop narco-trafficking that has destroyed too many lives in this hemisphere. We seek the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. We’re working together to enhance nuclear security across our hemisphere. From Africa to Haiti, we are working side by side to combat the hunger, disease, and corruption that can rot a society and rob human beings of dignity and opportunity. (Applause.) And as two countries that have been greatly enriched by our African heritage, it’s absolutely vital that we are working with the continent of Africa to help lift it up. That is something that we should be committed to doing together. (Applause.)
Today, we’re both also delivering assistance and support to the Japanese people at their greatest hour of need. The ties that bind our nations to Japan are strong. In Brazil, you are home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. In the United States, we forged an alliance of more than 60 years. The people of Japan are some of our closest friends, and we will pray with them, and stand with them, and rebuild with them until this crisis has passed. (Applause.)
In these and other efforts to promote peace and prosperity throughout the world, the United States and Brazil are partners not just because we share history, not just because we’re in the same hemisphere; not just because we share ties of commerce and culture, but also because we share certain enduring values and ideals.
We both believe in the power and promise of democracy. We believe that no other form of government is more effective at promoting growth and prosperity that reaches every human being -- not just some but all. And those who argue otherwise, those who argue that democracy stands in the way of economic progress, they must contend with the example of Brazil.
The millions in this country who have climbed from poverty into the middle class, they could not do so in a closed economy controlled by the state. You’re prospering as a free people with open markets and a government that answers to its citizens. You’re proving that the goal of social justice and social inclusion can be best achieved through freedom -– that democracy is the greatest partner of human progress. (Applause.)
We also believe that in nations as big and diverse as ours, shaped by generations of immigrants from every race and faith and background, democracy offers the best hope that every citizen is treated with dignity and respect, and that we can resolve our differences peacefully, that we find strength in our diversity.
We know that experience in the United States. We know how important it is to be able to work together -- even when we often disagree. I understand that our chosen form of government can be slow and messy. We understand that democracy must be constantly strengthened and perfected over time. We know that different nations take different paths to realize the promise of democracy. And we understand that no one nation should impose its will on another.
But we also know that there’s certain aspirations shared by every human being: We all seek to be free. We all seek to be heard. We all yearn to live without fear or discrimination. We all yearn to choose how we are governed. And we all want to shape our own destiny. These are not American ideals or Brazilian ideals. These are not Western ideals. These are universal rights, and we must support them everywhere. (Applause.)
Today, we are seeing the struggle for these rights unfold across the Middle East and North Africa. We’ve seen a revolution born out of a yearning for basic human dignity in Tunisia. We’ve seen peaceful protestors pour into Tahrir Square -– men and women, young and old, Christian and Muslim. We’ve seen the people of Libya take a courageous stand against a regime determined to brutalize its own citizens. Across the region, we’ve seen young people rise up -– a new generation demanding the right to determine their own future.
From the beginning, we have made clear that the change they seek must be driven by their own people. But for our two nations, for the United States and Brazil, two nations who have struggled over many generations to perfect our own democracies, the United States and Brazil know that the future of the Arab World will be determined by its people.
No one can say for certain how this change will end, but I do know that change is not something that we should fear. When young people insist that the currents of history are on the move, the burdens of the past can be washed away. When men and women peacefully claim their human rights, our own common humanity is enhanced. Wherever the light of freedom is lit, the world becomes a brighter place.
That is the example of Brazil. That is the example of Brazil. (Applause.) Brazil -– a country that shows that a dictatorship can become a thriving democracy. Brazil -– a country that shows democracy delivers both freedom and opportunity to its people. Brazil -- a country that shows how a call for change that starts in the streets can transform a city, transform a country, transform a world.
Decades ago, it was directly outside of this theater, in Cinelandia Square, where the call for change was heard in Brazil. Students and artists and political leaders of all stripes would gather with banners that said, “Down with the dictatorship. The people in power.” Their democratic aspirations would not be fulfilled until years later, but one of the young Brazilians in that generation’s movement would go on to forever change the history of this country.
A child of an immigrant, her participation in the movement led to her arrest and her imprisonment, her torture at the hands of her own government. And so she knows what it’s like to live without the most basic human rights that so many are fighting for today. But she also knows what it is to persevere. She knows what it is to overcome -- because today that woman is your nation’s president, Dilma Rousseff. (Applause.)
Our two nations face many challenges. On the road ahead, we will certainly encounter many obstacles. But in the end, it is our history that gives us hope for a better tomorrow. It is the knowledge that the men and women who came before us have triumphed over greater trials than these -– that we live in places where ordinary people have done extraordinary things.
It’s that sense of possibility, that sense of optimism that first drew pioneers to this New World. It’s what binds our nations together as partners in this new century. It’s why we believe, in the words of Paul Coelho, one of your most famous writers, “With the strength of our love and our will, we can change our destiny, as well as the destiny of many others.”
Muito obrigado. Thank you. And may God bless our two nations. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
White House, March 19, 2011:
Office of the Press Secretary,March 19, 2011:
Remarks by President Obama and President Rousseff of Brazil in Brasilia, Brazil
PRESIDENT ROUSSEFF: (As translated.) Your Excellency Barack Obama, President of the United States of America; ladies and gentlemen; members of the delegation of the U.S. and of Brazil; ladies and gentlemen journalists; ladies and gentlemen.
Mr. President Obama, your visit to my country makes me very happy and arouses the best feelings of our people and honors the historic relationship between Brazil and the U.S. It bears also a very strong symbolic value.
The peoples of our countries have built the largest democracies of the Americas. They also dared to take at the highest level an Afro descent and a woman, demonstrating that the basis of democracy allows to overcome the largest barriers to build societies that will be more generous and live more in harmony.
Here, Mr. President, I am the successor of a man that came from the people -- my dear friend Luiz Inácio Lula de Silva, with whom I had the honor to work with. His legacy, most noble legacy, Mr. President, was to bring to the political scene and social scene millions of men and women that lived marginalized and were disenfranchised of their rights as citizens.
Of the nine heads of state of the U.S. that have visited officially Brazil, you are the one that sees our country in a most vibrant moment. The combination of a very serious economic policy with sound fundamentals and a consistent strategy of social inclusion has made our country one of the most dynamic markets of the world.
We have strengthened the renewable content of our energy matrix and we have advanced in developing the environmental policies that protect our important wind, forest reserves and also protects our very rich biodiversity. All this effort, President Obama, has created millions of new jobs and has dynamized many regions that before lived marginalized of the economic development. It has allowed Brazil to overcome with success the deepest economic crisis of recent history, keeping until the days of today record creation of new jobs.
But we still face enormous challenges. My administration at this moment is concentrating on the necessary tasks to improve our growth process and to guarantee the long period of prosperity for the Brazilian people.
My essential commitment is building a middle-class income society, assuring vocational, professional opportunities for the workers and for our immense youth population. I also want to guarantee an institutional environment that will trigger entrepreneurship and will favor productive investment.
My government will work with dedication to overcome the shortcomings in terms of infrastructure, and we will make all our efforts to consolidate our clean energy, which is an essential, key asset of Brazil. So we will take the necessary steps to reach our place amongst the nations that have full, strong development with democracy and social fairness. This is the point, President Obama, that I see the best opportunities for the advancements of the relations between our countries.
I follow very closely and I have high hopes on your efforts -- your tremendous efforts to recover the vitality of the North American economy. We also have, as the rest of the world, one certainty, that the American people under your leadership will know how to find the best ways for the future of this great nation.
The kindness of your visit here in the beginning of my administration and the long track record of friendship amongst our peoples have made it possible to mention two issues that I consider central to the future partnerships that we can develop: education and innovation. Drawing closer ties and advancing in our educational experiments, enhancing our exchange programs and building progress in all fields of knowledge is a key issue for the future of our countries.
On research and innovation, the U.S. has reached the most extraordinary accomplishments in the last decades, fostering the productivity in different economic sectors.
Brazil, Mr. President Obama, has some important cutting-edge technologies in certain fields, like genetics, biotechnology, renewable sources of energy, and the exploration of oil in deep waters. To combine our most advanced capabilities in the field of research and innovation certainly will yield the best fruits for our societies.
I would like to mention as an example the pre-salt, the deep-waters oil reserve, which is the longest cutting-edge borderline that Brazil has reached in terms of its technology. We believe that the enormous challenges that we’ll face in each stage of exploration of this wealth could gather an unprecedented convergence of knowledge accumulated by the best centers of research in our countries.
But, Mr. President, if we wish to build a relationship that will be much more in depth, it’s necessary, frankly, to deal about our contradictions. I am concerned especially with the acute effects that come from the economic imbalances that were created by the recent global financial meltdown. We understand the context and the efforts that was undertaken by your government for the economic recovery of the U.S., something so important to the rest of the world. Nevertheless, everybody knows that broad-ranging measures sometimes provoke important changes in the relations of currencies around the world. This process is good economic practices and pushes countries towards protectionist measures and defensive measures of all nature.
We are a country that are making all the endeavors to come out of years of very low development rates. That’s why we seek more fairness and balanced trade relations. For us it’s fundamental that we should break away from the barriers that have arisen against our products, like ethanol, beef, cotton, orange juice, airplanes, and so on and so forth. For us it’s fundamental that we should expand the educational and technological partnerships for the future.
I am equally concerned with the slow pace of the reforms in the multilateral institutions that still reflect an old world. We work tirelessly for the reform in governance of the World Bank and of the IMF. And we did that by the U.S., together with Brazil, together with other countries -- and we welcome the beginning of the changes that were undertaken in these multilateral institutions, although they're still very limited and belated due to the economic financial crisis.
We also advocated for fundamental reform in designing the global governance, the enhancement of the U.N. Security Council. Here, Mr. President, we’re not moved by a minor interest of bureaucratic occupation of spaces of representation. What mobilizes us is the certainty that a world that is more multilateral will produce benefits for peace and harmony amongst the peoples of the world.
And even more, Mr. President, we’re also interested to learn with our own mistakes. It was necessary -- a very severe economic crisis to move conservatism that blocked the reforms of the financial institutions. In the case of the U.N. reform, we now have the opportunities to act in advance.
This country, Brazil, has a commitment with peace, with democracy and with consensus building. This commitment, it is not something that is transitory, but is part of our permanent values. Tolerance, dialogue, flexibility -- these are principles that are written in our constitution, in our history, and even in the nature of the Brazilian people. We’re very proud to live in peace with all of our 10 neighbors for more than one century.
One week ago, Mr. President, we were in the effect of a consultative treaty of the South American Union of Nations, which we’re reinforcing the unity of our continent. Brazil is -- their wish to consolidate peace, security, democracy, cooperation and growth in this region with social fairness. And within this environment is that we should develop the relations between Brazil and the U.S.
Mr. President, I would like to say that I see with great optimism our common future. In the past, this relationship many times was overshadowed by empty rhetoric that diluted what was truly at stake between the U.S. and Brazil. An alliance between our two countries, above all, if it intends to be a strategic alliance, is something that is a construct -- a construct that is common, as you said yourself in your State of the Union very recently -- when you delivered your State of the Union. But it has to be a construct amongst equals.
Nevertheless, the differences these countries may have in terms of the size of their territory, the population, productive capacity or military might, we are countries of continental dimensions that follow the path of democracy. We are multi-ethnical in our territories, live different and rich cultures -- each one in their own way. We have what a Brazilian poet called -- we have “the feeling of the world.”
Your presence in Brazil, Mr. President, will be of great value in the construction that we want to do together.
Once again, President Obama, welcome to Brazil. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you, Madam President, for your very kind words, and thanks to you and the people of Brazil for the very warm welcome -- that legendary Brazilian hospitality that you’ve shown me, Michelle and our daughters. Multo obrigado.
Now, in our meeting today I mentioned that this is my first visit to South America and Brazil is my first stop. This is no coincidence. The friendship between the people of the United States and Brazil spans nearly two centuries. Our entrepreneurs and businesses innovate together. Our scientists and researchers are pioneering new vaccines. Our students and teachers explore new horizons. And every day, we’re working to make our societies more inclusive and more just.
Brazil’s extraordinary rise, Madam President, has captured the attention of the world. Because of the sacrifices of people like President Rousseff, Brazil moved from dictatorship to democracy. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Brazil has lifted tens of millions from poverty into a growing middle class.
Today, the United States and Brazil are the hemisphere’s two largest democracies and the two largest economies. Brazil is a regional leader promoting greater cooperation across the Americas and, increasingly, Brazil is a global leader, a world leader, going from a recipient of foreign aid to a donor nation, pointing the way to a world without nuclear weapons and being in the forefront of global efforts to confront climate change.
As President, I’ve pursued engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect. And a key part of this engagement is forging deeper cooperation with 21st century centers of influence, including Brazil. Put simply, the United States doesn’t simply recognize Brazil’s rise we support it enthusiastically.
And that's why we’ve made the G20 the world’s premier forum of global economic cooperation, to make sure that nations like Brazil have a greater voice. That's why we’ve worked to increase Brazil’s vote and role at international financial institutions, and it is why I’ve come to Brazil today.
President Rousseff and I both believe that this visit is a historic opportunity to put the United States and Brazil on a path towards even greater cooperation for decades to come. And today, we’re starting to seize that opportunity.
Madam President, I want to thank you for your strong personal commitment to strengthening the ties between our two nations. We’re expanding trade and investment that create jobs in both our countries. Brazil is one of our largest trading partners, but there’s still so much more that we can do.
Later today the President and I will be meeting with business leaders from our two countries to listen and find very concrete steps that we can take to expand our relationship economically. We’ll be announcing a series of new agreements, including a new economic and financial dialogue to promote trade, streamline regulations and expand collaborations in science and technology.
And as Brazil prepares to host the World Cup and the Summer Olympics -- which still hurts for me to say -- (laughter) -- we’re ensuring that American companies can play a role in the many infrastructure projects needed for these games.
We’re creating a new strategic energy dialogue to make sure that the highest levels of our governments are working together to seize new opportunities. In particular, with the new oil finds off Brazil, President Rousseff has said that Brazil wants to be a major supplier of new stable sources of energy, and I’ve told her that the United States wants to be a major customer, which would be a win-win for both our countries.
At the same time, we’re expanding our clean energy partnership that’s vital to our long-term energy security. As a leader in renewable energy, such as biofuels, and as part of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas that I proposed, Brazil is sharing its expertise around the region and around the world. And the new green economy dialogue that we’re creating today will deepen our cooperation even further, in green buildings and sustainable development.
On the security front, our militaries are working more closely to respond to humanitarian crises, as we did together in Haiti. Our law enforcement communities are partnering against the narco-traffickers who threaten all of us. Brazil is joining the international effort to prevent nuclear smuggling through ports.
I thanked President Rousseff for Brazil’s leadership towards establishing a new regional center to promote excellence in nuclear security. And as a member of the Human Rights Council, Brazil joined with us in condemning human rights abuses by Libya.
I want to briefly mention the situation in Libya, because this is something that I’ve discussed with the President. Yesterday, the international community demanded an immediate cease-fire in Libya, including an end to all attacks against civilians. Today Secretary Clinton joined an international coalition of our European and Arab partners in Paris to discuss how we will enforce U.S. Security Council Resolution 1973.
Our consensus was strong and our resolve is clear: The people of Libya must be protected. And in the absence of an immediate end to the violence against civilians, our coalition is prepared to act, and act with urgency. And I am briefing President Rousseff on the steps that we are taking.
Finally, I'm especially pleased that the United States and Brazil are joining together to advance development and democratic governance beyond our hemisphere. Brazil is helping lead the global initiative I announced at the United Nations last year to promote open government and new technologies that empower citizens around the world. Today we're launching new efforts to help other countries combat corruption and prevent child labor, and we're expanding our efforts to promote food security and agricultural development in Africa.
I believe this is just the beginning of what our two countries can do together in the world. That's why the United States will continue our efforts to make sure that the new realities of the 21st century are reflected in international institutions, as Madam President mentioned, including the United Nations, where Brazil aspires to a seat on the Security Council.
As I told President Rousseff, the United States is going to keep working with Brazil and other nations on reforms that make the Security Council more effective, more efficient, more representative, and advance our shared vision of a more secure and peaceful world.
So, again, with today’s progress, I believe we've laid the foundation for greater cooperation between the United States and Brazil for decades to come. I want to thank President Rousseff for her leadership, for making this progress possible. I had not known Madam President long, but I can tell in speaking to her, the extraordinary passion she has for providing opportunity for all the people of Brazil, lifting everyone up. And that's a passion I share with respect to my citizens in the United States -- my fellow citizens in the United States of America.
So I am confident that given this shared spirit, this camaraderie that exists not only at our levels but among our peoples, that we are going to continue to make progress for a long time to come.
I'm very much looking forward to visiting Rio tomorrow and the opportunity to speak directly to the Brazilian people about what our countries can do together as global partners in the 21st century.
Thank you so much. (Applause.)
Office of the Press Secretary, March 19, 2011:
Remarks by the President at CEO Business Summit in Brasilia, Brazil
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Boa tarde. Thank you very much. Please, please, everybody be seated. It is a great joy to be here in Brazil, and on behalf of Michelle and myself, I want to thank the people of Brasilia for the incredibly warm welcome that you’ve shown us since we arrived.
I want to make a few acknowledgements. First of all, I want to thank the Brazil-U.S. Business Council for the outstanding work that they’re doing. The National Conference of Industry and the American Chamber of Commerce for Brazil, thank you all for the great job in hosting this conference.
I want to acknowledge a number of my Cabinet who are here: The Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner, is here. Gary Locke, the Secretary of Commerce; Ron Kirk, our U.S. Trade Representative -- (applause) -- Lisa Jackson, our EPA Administrator; Fred Hochberg, President of the Export/Import Bank; Michael Froman, my Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs. (Applause.) And to all the government officials of Brazil, thank you for your hospitality.
My only regret is that we missed the party by coming a few weeks after Carnival. (Laughter.) Maybe that's the best -- since I'm not sure I would have had the same level of productivity from my staff. (Laughter.)
I also want to thank all the business and government officials who have traveled from the U.S. and all over Brazil to be here today. After spending the morning discussing a range of economic issues with President Rousseff and talking with some Brazilian and American CEOs, I want to speak with you today about how we can work together to create new jobs and new opportunities in both our countries.
In the last two centuries, there has never been a moment of greater promise for Brazil. You now have the seventh largest economy in the world, and one of the fastest growing of any country. In the span of nearly a decade, tens of millions of Brazilians have been lifted out of poverty. Nearly half of your population is now considered middle class. Instead of relying on the helping hand of other countries, you are now extending a hand to help developing nations. You grow much of the world’s food, supply much of its biofuels, and will host the two largest international sporting events in the world. And as I mentioned at the joint press conference with Madam President Rousseff, I'm still a little hurt about the Olympics coming here instead of my hometown in Chicago. (Laughter.) But I know you’ll do an outstanding job.
So what has been accomplished here in Brazil is nothing short of remarkable. It’s often been said that Brazil is a country for the future. Well, that future has now arrived. And despite the uncertainties over the last two years, Brazil has stepped onto the world stage as a major financial and economic power.
You did not arrive at this point by simply chance or good fortune. Your success came because of hard work and the perseverance of the Brazilian people, the entrepreneurial spirit of many in this room, and the vision of leaders like Presidents Cardoso and Lula. What these leaders realized, and what President Rousseff understands, is that the surest path to prosperity for Brazil involves free people and free markets.
In a region of the world where the legacy of colonialism is still fresh, there was a legitimate concern in the last century that opening your economies to more trade would lead wealthier countries to extract resources without regard to your own nation’s development. I understand that. At the same time, many Latin American nations, including this one, lived through decades of dictatorships where closed economies failed to produce decent standards of living for the vast majority of people.
But over the last decade, Brazil has proved to the world that there is another way. You’ve shown that participation in the global economy can lead to widespread opportunity at home. You’ve shown that the spirit of capitalism can thrive alongside the spirit of social justice. You’ve shown that democracy is still the best path to economic progress, for when governments are accountable to their people, their people are more likely to prosper.
In the United States of America, we have always shared these beliefs. Like you, we threw off the yoke of colonialism and established our independence in the New World. We, too, are a vast nation of immigrants from different backgrounds and cultures who find strength in our diversity, strength and unity in our national pride. And as the two largest democracies and economies in the Western Hemisphere, we share a belief that all human beings deserve the chance to shape their own destiny and fulfill their God-given potential.
For all these reasons, the United States supports the rise of Brazil as a global power. That’s why we worked to empower the G20 -– where Brazil has a prominent seat at the table -– to be the premier forum for international economic cooperation. That’s why we supported a bigger role for Brazil in various international institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank. And that’s why Brazil is my first stop on my first trip to South America -- because we seek a deeper partnership with your government and a closer friendship with your people. We believe that strengthening our economic ties will create new jobs and opportunities for both of our nations.
As the United States looks to Brazil, we see the chance to sell more goods and services to a rapidly growing market of around 200 million consumers. And for us, this is a jobs strategy. When our businesses send more products overseas, it supports the workers who make and sell those products. And I think most American businessmen who are here understand this. For every $1 billion in U.S. exports, we see 5,000 U.S. jobs.
Already, our exports to Brazil have more than doubled over the last five years -– growing twice as fast as our overall exports, and faster than our exports to China. We now sell $50 billion worth of goods and services to Brazil, and those sales support more than 250,000 jobs in the United States.
For example, after one small business in North Carolina attended a trade forum in São Paulo last year, they came away with a manufacturing deal that sent auto parts to Brazil and led to the hiring of new workers in the United States. Capstone Turbine in California recently sold $2 million worth of high-tech energy equipment that will support jobs in America and serve millions of Brazilians in the years to come. And the government of Brazil recently purchased helicopters that will support U.S. manufacturing jobs from Pennsylvania to Alabama.
These exports don’t just mean jobs for the United States; they also mean more services and more choices for the people of Brazil. From telecommunication and information services to machinery and clean energy technology, American companies are contributing to the economic growth that is raising the living standards of Brazilians everywhere. And our businesses don’t just make that contribution by exporting to Brazil, but also through billions of dollars in direct investment that supports jobs and businesses in both of our countries.
Of course, our economic relationship isn’t just a one-way street of U.S. exports and U.S. investment. The United States is the second largest market for Brazilian exports, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and businesses in this country. Over the last decade, Brazilian companies have invested billions of dollars in American industries ranging from steel to information technology –- projects that will create thousands of jobs in the United States. At the end of 2008, U.S. subsidiaries of Brazilian firms employed more than 42,000 U.S. workers.
So there is no question that the United States and Brazil benefit from the economic ties we’ve developed over the years. There’s also no question that strengthening those ties would be a win-win for both our nations. And I’d like to mention four areas where I think we can do just that.
First of all, I’m pleased to announce that President Rousseff and I just completed an agreement for a new Economic and Financial Dialogue. It’s time for the United States to treat our engagement with Brazil on economic issues as seriously as we do with nations like China and India, and this dialogue will help us do that -- (applause.) This dialogue will help us do that by promoting economic cooperation, streamlining regulations, and enhancing international cooperation not only at the G20 but elsewhere.
We’ve also completed an agreement for trade and economic cooperation which will help us expand the trade and investment that creates jobs in both of our countries. This agreement will also foster greater dialogue about how we can break down the barriers that still exist between our two nations. As the World Bank has noted, there are still too many obstacles in the way of doing business in Brazil. And I know Brazil has issues with certain policies in the United States. But I also know that there’s no country that has more to gain than Brazil from expanded trade and open markets. And we want to help you resolve whatever challenges stand in the way of this goal.
The second place we want to partner with Brazil is on the issue of energy, which is why President Rousseff and I also agreed to launch a Strategic Energy Dialogue. By some estimates, the oil you recently discovered off the shores of Brazil could amount to twice the reserves we have in the United States. We want to work with you. We want to help with technology and support to develop these oil reserves safely, and when you’re ready to start selling, we want to be one of your best customers. At a time when we’ve been reminded how easily instability in other parts of the world can affect the price of oil, the United States could not be happier with the potential for a new, stable source of energy.
Now, even as we focus on oil in the near term, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that the only long-term solution to the world’s dependence on fossil fuels is clean energy technology. And that’s why the United States and Brazil are deepening our cooperation on biofuels -- (applause) -- and why we’re launching a U.S.-Brazil Green Economy Partnership, because we know that the development of clean energy is one of the best ways to create new jobs and industries in both our nations.
Already, more than half of the vehicles in Brazil run on biofuels. Nearly 80 percent of your electricity comes from hydropower. In the United States, we’ve jumpstarted a clean energy industry and we’ll soon have the capacity to produce 40 percent of the world’s advanced batteries. If we can start sharing these new technologies, and leverage private investment from businesses like the ones in this room, we can grow our economies and clean our environment by making, using, trading, selling clean energy products all over the world. That is a win for both our nations.
A third place we can cooperate is education. I was speaking over lunch with President Rousseff, and we agreed a knowledge-based economy will be the key to growth and prosperity, and that means a skilled and educated workforce. The more our young people, the more our students, the more our workers are exposed to new cultures and new ideas, the more equipped they’ll be able -- they’ll be to compete on a global scale. And that’s why I’m so pleased that American and Brazilian business leaders have expressed interest in increasing student exchanges between our nations -- because when we invest in our people, we invest in our future. (Applause.)
The final place we can work together is on infrastructure. In 2014, the World Cup will take place in Brazil, the only nation that’s a five-time champion -- although the U.S. is getting better, you have to admit. (Laughter.) We’re getting better. (Laughter.) And as I already mentioned, Rio will host the Olympics in 2016. But even though we lost a hard-fought contest, the United States doesn’t just want to watch from the stands. Brazil is expected to invest over $200 billion to prepare for both of these events. And as you look for businesses to design and build new roads and bridges and stadiums, American companies stand ready to help you meet this challenge -– on everything from engineering to manufacturing to construction. We want to see these games and this nation succeed.
So these are just some of the steps we can take to strengthen the ties that bind our two nations -– ties that offer the promise of greater prosperity and opportunity for Americans and Brazilians alike. And yet, for all the deals and agreements that we may sign, the true potential of our partnership will only be realized by forging relationships between our people -– between business leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, teachers, students, and over one million citizens who travel to the U.S. and Brazil every year.
Like all friends, we may not agree on every issue. We won’t always take the exact same path. But as the two largest democracies in the New World begin the second decade of a young century, let’s never forget all that we share.
In the United States, we believe in what’s known as the American Dream -– the idea that no matter who you are, or where you come from, or how you start out, you can overcome the greatest obstacles and fulfill the greatest hopes. I’m a testament to that dream. I believe that that dream exists in this America, as well. I can see it in the entrepreneurial spirit of the men and women in this room. I could see it in the celebrations of Caricoas upon learning that the world will come to compete in Rio. And I can see it running through so much of your history.
Brasilia is a young city -- it will turn 51 next month. But it began as a dream more than a century ago. In 1883, Dom Bosco, Brasilia’s patron saint, had a vision that one day, a capital city of a great nation would be built between the 15th and 20th parallels. It would be a model for the future and ensure that opportunity was the birthright of every Brazilian.
And today, this city and this country are indeed a model for the future, showing the world that democracy is still the best partner of human progress. As friends and neighbors who have lived the same story, we are eager to be a part of your future, and fulfill our American Dream together.
Muito obrigado. Thank you.
Office of the First Lady, March 19, 2011:
Remarks by the First Lady at Brazilian Youth Cultural Event
MRS. OBAMA: Well, thank you. Very good. (Laughter.)
Well, hello, everybody. Bom Dia. (Laughter.) Is that it? (Applause.) That's all I have, unfortunately. (Laughter.)
But thank you so much for the warm welcome. And I want to thank Racquel for that wonderful introduction. I mean, she is just a point of pride for young people, for this country, for the world. Let’s give her another round of applause. (Applause.)
I also want to thank and recognize Tania Cooper Patriota, who is here with us, as well as Guisela Shannon for being here today and for serving as our MC.
I’m not going to talk long because I want to see all that you have to offer, and I want my girls, my family, my mom and the girls’ godmother to see all that this country has to offer.
But President Obama and I, we are honored to be here in Brazil and to re-affirm the friendship and the partnership between our two nations. And we’re especially thrilled to have our family with us. It is a very rare opportunity that we get to travel together. Usually when the President and I travel, these two are in school -- where they need to be. (Laughter.) But they’re on break now, so they get to come, and they’ve been very excited. So it’s a real honor and a privilege for us to have them and for you all to welcome them.
Over the last couple of years, my husband and I have been fortunate enough to travel all around the world and to meet some pretty amazing people along the way. And wherever we go, one of our favorite things to do is to visit with young people like all of you. Both of us make it a point to put that in our busy schedules.
The United States and Brazil are two of the largest economies and two of the largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere. But we have always believed that the future of both our nations depends on more than just relationships between presidents and prime ministers. It depends on relationships between our people, and especially between our young people.
That’s where communication is really going to happen. It’s going to happen with all of you. And that's why I’ve always believed that it’s important for young people everywhere to build those friendships around the world, to learn different languages. Don't be like me and not know -- I only know “butterfly” in one language -- (laughter) -- and that's it. So Malia and Sasha, you got to learn “butterfly” in at least 20 languages, okay? (Laughter.) But to learn different languages and to experience what the world has to offer, it is so important to get out of your comfort zone and travel the world.
And that’s what I’ve encouraged young people in America to do, as often as I can. That’s why I talk to them about thinking about studying abroad, taking opportunities to travel wherever they can. And not everyone in the United States can afford to do it, but I push them to think about seeing themselves as citizens of the world.
And that's why I’m pleased that so many of you here today have participated in exchange programs with the United States, and even more of you are thinking about doing that in the future. And I hope you do.
Last year at the White House I had the opportunity to welcome a group of your peers who were participating in the U.S. State Department’s Youth Ambassadors Program. And I know some of you guys are here. I remember faces, not every name, but I definitely remember we had a good conversation. You all were bright and not shy, which was good. No one was shy. And it was just wonderful to have them in the White House, sharing stories and just sharing their ideas. It was really a wonderful gift for me to have you there.
So they came to my neighborhood, and I promised that I was going to come to your neighborhood. And I’m here, as I promised. I’m here in your neighborhood. (Laughter.)
So this is also a special visit for me because it wasn’t so long ago that I was sitting where you all were -- not here, but somewhere in my life like you, I was young once, long time ago. (Laughter.)
Like many of you, growing up, my family wasn’t rich. My parents are some of the smartest people I know, but they didn’t get to finish college. They didn’t get the opportunities that I had. We didn’t have a lot of money. We lived in a little bitty apartment. Sometimes it’s amazing how small that apartment was. My brother and I shared a room.
But what we had was a lot of love. We were always surrounded, my brother and I, by people who loved us deeply, who made us laugh, and who always reminded us just how smart and how special we were.
And they taught us that the most important thing was an education. So I knew I had to work hard. I knew I had to study and I had to stay focused, just like so many of you are, in order to reach my dreams. There was nothing that guaranteed in my life that I would be the First Lady of the United States of America or that I would be here talking to you all today.
I made my share of mistakes along the way, but when I did I always picked myself up and I dusted myself off and I moved forward.
And President Obama’s life story is very similar to so many of yours and mine. He did not grow up with a lot of wealth. He wasn’t the best student. He’s smart now, but it took him a while to get there. (Laughter.)
But I learned a long time ago that it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, as long as you’re willing to dream big, gigantic dreams and really work hard to reach them, and also to take some risk along the way. And if you do that, the important thing for you to know is that anything is possible.
I want you all to look at me and see that anything is possible. That's why I’m here. That's why I’ve come to talk to you all, because there is no reason why you can’t be here. No reason at all.
So I hope that you all will keep pushing yourselves. I hope that you all will keep pushing one another. I hope that you all continue to work as a community, you support each other, that you encourage each other, that you’re each other’s way to reach up.
And when you do that, when you get where you’re going, even now I want you all to look back and reach back and pull somebody else up along the way. That's what I think I’m doing. I feel it is my obligation not just to be here but to make sure that there are other young people like me all over the world who I’m helping to pull up -- and that's your job, as well.
So I am looking forward to seeing what all of you have to offer. The world is going to be watching. We need energetic, smart young people to fix the problems in the world. And that's going to be all of you one day soon. But you are more than ready, more than prepared. So I’m excited about what you will show the world in the years to come.
So thank you all so much. Thank you for being here. Thank you for sharing so much. And show me some stuff! (Laughter.) Show me some dancing! What are we going to see next?
You all, thank you so much. (Applause.)