Relationship dossier
Brazil
United States
Relationship assessment
Substantive defense cooperation alongside periodic diplomatic friction
Brazil toward United States
+20Brazil has pursued bilateral defense cooperation with the United States, including through the 2010 Defense Cooperation Agreement. Brazil also publicly condemned U.S. surveillance of Brazilian communications in 2013, illustrating limits and tensions in the relationship.
United States toward Brazil
+25The United States concluded a Defense Cooperation Agreement with Brazil in 2010 and designated Brazil a major non-NATO ally in 2019, reflecting concrete bilateral defense engagement. The breadth and practical effects of that cooperation are unclear.
Overall relationship
+20The relationship combines sustained diplomatic and defense engagement, including a bilateral defense agreement and the 2019 major non-NATO ally designation, with episodes of significant friction such as Brazil’s response to U.S. surveillance disclosures. Cooperation has varied with changes in government, and the scope of its implementation is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Brazil and the United States have maintained substantive defense and diplomatic cooperation, including a bilateral defense cooperation agreement and expanded defense ties in 2019. Their relationship has also included friction, notably Brazil’s condemnation of U.S. surveillance of Brazilian communications in 2013. Cooperation and disagreement have varied across administrations.
Areas of tension
- Brazil’s condemnation of U.S. surveillance of Brazilian communications in 2013.
Key developments
Brazil and the United States signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Brazil condemned U.S. surveillance of Brazilian communications.
The United States designated Brazil a major non-NATO ally.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral defense cooperation are unclear.
- The extent of recent cooperation and policy differences across changing administrations is uncertain.