In Trump’s advance, Brazil opens a vacancy in a regional body

The election in the agency would choose three of the seven members of the commission. Two weeks ago, the US got enough votes to secure one place, in a maneuver that left activists and countries concerned with the influence of the White House in the future of human rights debate in the region and its instrumentalization to press governments. The election also secured a second place for Marion Bethel, from Bahamas.

But the third vacancy for the commission was pending. By the rules, candidates must have at least 18 votes from 32 countries to be elected. In the first election, the Brazilian got 16 supports and was surpassed by the Mexican for only one support.

By the rules, the two Latin Americans would compete in third place. But in a second round of voting, the result was 15 votes for Brazil and 14 for Mexico. The same scenario was repeated in a third vote. Already in the fourth vote, the Brazilian managed to add a vote, with a result of 16 to 15, with a note still blank.

Given the inability of the candidates to reach 18 votes, the option of the governments was to suspend the election and allow Brazil and Mexico to again run for support throughout the region.

Last weekend, a meeting between the diplomacy of both countries dealt with the impasse. The Mexicans argued that Brazil give up their candidate, with the promise that the country would receive support in two years in the next election.

Within the government and in wings of social movements, the news of a possible agreement generated concern.