Eternally lying in its astonishing cradle

So close, yet so far. Brazil is connected to us because it already lies within us. In Portugal, we don’t think in a world where Brazil isn't part of the equation.  If we have a (temporarily) superior stage of development and we like to be proud of what we are and of our History, it’s Brazil that truly gives a global dimension to our Portuguese civilisation – for the spectrum, for the geographical dimension, for the population and language.

Brazil is not Portugal. That is a big mistake to make when assuming that without proper critical analysis – but Brazil is one of us, it’s family. Between Brazil and Angola lies the South Atlantic - let us remember that Salvador Correia de Sá went from Rio de Janeiro to Angola in order to expel the Dutch from Luanda, before defeating them at Pernambuco, showing strategic meridian understanding and this was on the seventeenth century.  Appropriately, the materialization of the AIR Center in the twenty-first century, an idea inspired from Portugal for the scientific knowledge of the Atlantic, recruited into the goodwill of building, that enormous Brazil which lends credit and power.

Brazil has a GDP per capita higher than some countries of the European Union itself. Before the crisis, Brazil was on a par with Hungary - not a small thing - information that is generally unknown, but, once stuck in our heads, it redirects our thinking, demotes arrogance and dismantles ridiculous first-world superiorities.

The crisis in Brazil (yes, we Portuguese understand the subject) is “draining” into Portugal an Amazon of people speaking Brazilian Portuguese, and the national scientific system itself is being impacted. Come, we say, Portugal appreciates and welcomes you. We are not the El Dorado, you may be disappointed - but we are a farm that welcomes the needy relatives and thanks them for the contribution that they can give us. Portugal needs it.

These reasons are few but real to explain the special attention we pay to the political evolution of our sister country. INESC P&D Brasil, a virtuous project that INESC TEC created in partnership with 14 Brazilian universities, is already equivalent to more than 10% of INESC TEC’s turnover. For that reason, we have been keeping a close eye and following with concern, expectation, hope and persistence as well all the transformation that is happening in Brazil. What politics may change in Brazil in terms of Science and Technology, also has an impact on us - so, INESC TEC is available, as usual, to keep sharing its experience and governance model with the Brazilian partners, the authorities, agencies, state and federal governments.

The election of President Bolsonaro will represent a paradigm shift in Brazil, compared to the last two decades. What we hope it won’t change and actually hope for it to reinforce itself, is the good understanding between this "giant by its own nature, idly colossus," and Portugal.

Credits photo: http://inescbrasil.org.br