U.S. Wants Brazil’s Support at UN Against Abortion and for the Family

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The US government wants Brazil’s support in defense of conservative agendas at the United Nations (UN). In July, the Trump administration sent a letter to President Jair Bolsonaro’s government asking the Brazilian administration for an alliance in defense of unborn children. The information was provided by columnist Jamil Chade, of the Uol portal.

In addition to Brazil, the letter was sent to other conservative governments, such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt. The text, according to Uol, is signed by the evangelical US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and by the Secretary of Health, Alex Azar and calls for a union of countries to adopt a stance contrary to terms such as ‘sexual and reproductive health.’

According to the US, these words are used as an attempt to promote abortion. The intention is to discuss the issue at the UN General Assembly scheduled for next Monday, September 23rd.

In the letter, according to the media outlet, the US urges Brazil “to join the United States in ensuring that each sovereign state can determine the best way to protect the unborn child and defend the family as the fundamental unit of society vital for children to thrive and lead healthy lives.”

The Trump administration still says it is seriously concerned “by the aggressive efforts to reinterpret international agreements to establish a new international law on abortion and to promote international policies that undermine the family which has advanced through some United Nations forums.”

“Evidence of this is contained in references in many multilateral global health policy documents to interpret ‘comprehensive sexuality education’ and ‘sexual and reproductive health and rights’ and ‘sexual and reproductive health and rights’ to curtail the role of parents in the most sensitive and personal family-oriented issues,” the text continues.

The US government further points to “pressure on countries to abandon religious principles and cultural norms enshrined in law that protect unborn life (…) These approaches undermine our shared commitment to sustainable development and health for all, leaving no one behind”.

“Efforts to advance these harmful policies in multilateral contexts where global health policy is debated and defined, such as the United Nations and affiliated bodies such as the World Health Organization, are disturbing and must be challenged,” the text adds.

To the columnist, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed its receipt of the letter. In a note, the Itamaraty informed that “Brazil has acted in favor of strengthening the role of the family as a major pillar of health and in terms of Brazilian legislation on the issue of abortion – considered illegal, excluding punishment in three specific cases.”

Also, the Brazilian government explained that “in the communication, the US government invites the Brazilian government and other countries to join efforts to ensure the sovereignty of each state to define the best way to protect life and defend the family. The language used in multilateral documents, which could be interpreted as encouraging the establishment of international law on abortion and promoting international policies to undermine the family, stands out. It also mentions the ambiguous interpretation of expressions related to issues related to sexual and reproductive health and sexual education”.

It adds that the country sees “with interest the proposal for joint action and assesses its form of action in relation to the issue in the context of the High-Level Meeting”.