CODEL SPECTER VISIT TO BRAZIL APRIL 12-15, 2006

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000823

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR H AND RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA
STATE FOR WHA/BSC

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN SENV TBIO KSCA OTRA BR
SUBJECT: CODEL SPECTER VISIT TO BRAZIL APRIL 12-15, 2006

REFS: (A) STATE 52607, (B) STATE 52608


1. (SBU) The Congressional delegation headed by Senator Arlen
Specter, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, visited Brasilia and
Manaus April 12-15, 2006, and met with Brazilian officials to
discuss narcotics, immigration and environmental issues. Codel
members included Senator Specter and Mrs. Joan Specter, Senator Jeff
Sessions and Mrs. Mary Sessions, Staffer Evan Kelly, Dr. Michael
Curran and military escorts Lt. Col Nicholas Johnston and Shawn
Baldy.


2. (SBU) In Brasilia, Senators Specter and Sessions, accompanied by
Charge and Emboffs, met with Foreign Ministry Under Secretary Jose
Eduardo Felicio, who has responsibility in the ministry for South
America, trade, and narcotics and security issues. Addressing first
the question of narcotics, Felicio and his senior advisor on
transnational crime gave an overview of narcotics trafficking in
Brazil. They noted that most Colombian cocaine moves through Brazil
en route to Europe and Africa (vice the U.S., where prices are
lower),and that Brazil's aerial interdiction program and vigilance
on its Amazon border with Colombia had reduced Colombian drug flows
into the country. However, they expressed deep concern about the
possibility of increased flows of relatively inexpensive coca
products into Brazil from Bolivia, since those drugs are the base
for most of the crack consumed in Brazil, and the main trafficking
product of the violent criminal organizations ravaging Rio and other
cities. In response to a question from Senator Sessions on how
Brazil assesses Chavez's influence in the region, Felicio replied
that the GOB has concerns about Chavez's rhetoric, but also stressed
he has a democratic mandate. He added that Brazil "has seen no
clear evidence" that Chavez is carrying out destabilizing actions in
other countries, though he added that the GOB "would act" on such
information if it receives it. Charge rejoined that it is widely
understood that FARC elements operate with impunity in some areas of
Venezuela - certainly a destabilizing fact from the GOC's viewpoint.
In response to questions from the senators on immigration, Felicio
said that Brazil's one million-plus immigrants (legal and otherwise)
in the U.S. are generally law-abiding and productive, but probably
would not fit easily into new "guest worker" categories under U.S.
consideration. Felicio, who served in the U.S., noted that most
Brazilians in the United States are "reasonably" educated persons
with middle class backgrounds and skills, and not agricultural
workers - presumably the main category of "guest worker" under
consideration.


3. (U) In Manaus, Senators Specter and Sessions were briefed by NASA
Coordinator Josefine Durazo on the work that agency is doing in the
Amazon. U.S. scientists, sponsored by NASA, are in the Amazon
working with their Brazilian counterparts utilizing data from NASA
satellites to measure atmospheric changes caused by land use changes
such as deforestation through logging and/or fires. Senator Specter
and Sessions were also briefed on how in the Brazilian Amazon region
alone, the annual deforestation rate covers about 7700 square miles
(an area about the size of New Jersey) and its impact on global
warming. The CODEL had an opportunity to speak with indigenous
people about how the environmental movement has affected their
ability to use the forests, and saw specimens on the endangered
species list.


4. (U) Embassy Brasilia trusts that their brief, but intense three
days in Brazil provided the delegation with a overview of the
bilateral relationship, and how the United States and Brazil are
working together to resolve the challenges of drug trafficking,
strengthening democracies and reducing deforestation in the
Americas.


5. (U) This cable was not cleared by CODEL Specter prior to
transmission.

CHICOLA