President Obama Meets With Brazilian Leader

On Saturday, President Obama welcomed to the White House Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil, to discuss issues such as energy and the economy.  Da Silva is the first Latin American leader to visit the capitol.  Both leaders said that they look forward to the meeting of the G20 later this month to try and resolve the world's economic problems.  One of the major talking points of the visit was biofuels.  One sticking point between the two countries is the 53 cent per gallon tariff on ethanol, which according to Obama, will only change over time.  President Obama went on to say that he admired what Silva has done in the way of alternative fuels.  Besides being progressive concerning fuels, Brazil's recent discovery of oil could give the United States a better way to wean itself off of Venezuelan oil.

The meeting between the two leaders is something to be excited about.  We need to constantly work on improving our friendships with stable, friendly governments in the region.  Furthermore, now is an ideal time, with a new president who believes that alternative sources of energy are important.  With Brazil we could find an economic reason to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, and push through new technology that is better for the environment.  The fact that the President is actively engaging with partners in this hemisphere stands as a testament to the increasing strength of Brazil.  I'm glad that we're focusing on working with Brazil, and trying to prevent more anti-U.S. sentiment in the region.