A MISSÃO DAS NAÇÕES UNIDAS PARA A ESTABILIZAÇÃO DO HAITI (MINUSTAH) NA POLÍTICA EXTERNA DO GOVERNO LULA: ATUAÇÃO DO CONTINGENTE REGIÃO CENTRO OESTE

Abstract

The objective of this work is to analyze the United Nations Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti (MINUSTAH) in the foreign policy of the Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva government. The intention is to present some considerations regarding Brazilian foreign policy and the effects of the performance of the Midwest region contingent. This will be done by presenting the Haitian historical setting and by examining the motivations that led Brazil to accept the MINUSTAH command. Haiti, the second colony in the American continent to obtain independence, has gone through decades of dictatorships and political struggles and, therefore, several foreign interventions were carried out in the country. However, over the years, the deficient state structure intensified, and, along with serious socio-economic crisis, natural disasters and disease outbreaks, suffering among the population also increased. In 2004, with the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand, a widespread chaos broke out and caught the attention of the international community. MINUSTAH (approved by Resolution 1542 of UNSC on April 30, 2004) arrived in Haiti on June 1st of the same year under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira. The mission aims were: to support the constitutional and political process of the country; to seek to guarantee a safe and stable environment to all the citizens; to aid the transitional government in monitoring and reforming the Haitian National Police; to assist in conducting municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections; and to promote and protect human rights. MINUSTAH had their mandates renewed several times through UNSC resolutions, which established the conduct guidelines of the troops and redefined the strategies, adapting these to political, socioeconomic and security transformations that the country presented. The Midwest region contingent, our main research object, arrived in Port au Prince in the first half of December 2006 together with Peacekeeping Operations Group (DOPaz). This group, originally from the Special Operations Brigade based in Goiânia (Brazil), found an environment of immense insecurity. A series of extremely violent kidnappings and several killings were broadcasted in newspapers around the world. The contingent conducted several enforcement operations, which achieved short-term decrease in the levels of violence in the Haitian capital, Port au Prince, and in neighborhoods like Cité Militaire and Cité Soleil. The research was developed with a dialectical approach, with a historical analysis procedure and through literature and document analysis. Various sources of information were used, such as articles from specialized and non-specialized journals, theses, Brazilian Government and the UN official documents, and multiple books that deal with the topic.