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Author : A. Budaev
Consul General of the Russian Federation in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, the first Russian consulate in Brazil,
a contemporary of the Russian consulate service, celebrated its
two hundredth anniversary. From the historical perspective, this
was an event of important international magnitude, having a
strong impact on Russia's presence on the Latin American con-
tinent.
It is a well-known fact that diplomatic relations between Russia
and Brazil were established in 1828 and since then have taken a
long and rather arduous path.
It is worth noting that the Russian foreign policy department
endowed consul general Ksavery Labensky with every means
for promoting the development of Russian-BrazilianTRADE
and studying the capabilities of the Brazilian market and the demand for traditional Russian
commodities, as well as for paying attention to the political situation in the Spanish colonies in
South America, establishing relations with the merchants of these colonies, and convincing them
of the advantages of trading with Russia and the protection they would receive from the Russian
government.
A special place in the development of Russian-Brazilian relations belongs to Franz Frantsevich
Borel (Baron Palensky). Appointed as early as 1809 as head of the Expedition of Consular
Affairs of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he personally drew up the draft of instructions
for the first Russian general consul in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil did not recognize the Soviet Union until 1945. During the Second World War, the Soviet
Union and Brazil entered the anti-Fascist coalition together and, after the victory over Hitler's
Germany, became members of the UN.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of direct Russian-Brazilian relations
between our two countries, a new stage in cooperation began.
During the second half of the 1990s, Brazil was declared to be Russia's leading business partner
in Latin America.
As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the first Russian Consulate General
in Rio de Janeiro, I would also like to give tribute to and express my immense respect of those
people who trail-blazed Russian-Brazilian relations and exerted great efforts, along with their
knowledge and professionalism, to bring our countries and peoples closer together, despite the
fact they are situated on different continents and have many geographical, climatic, and other
differences.
http://interaffairs.ru
On the 200th Anniversary of the Russian Consulate General in Rio
de Janeiro