Parameters of Powerful countries

1) High/absolute independence in domestic and foreign politics

2) Actions for preservation of world order, not only preserving own, national
interests
3) Possessing all or significant part of traditional parameters of powerful country:
territory, population, natural resources, military, economic, intellectual, cultural,
science potentials, and sometimes informational potential highlighted.
Acting and thinking globally, cannot only rely on military and economical factors

Brazils control over actors

Regional view
After the Cold War in 1991, 4 South American states signed the Treaty of
Asuncin, initiating the project of Mercosur. This is an organization sponsored by
Brazil, who opted for the regional integration in order to open the neighbors
markets and expand its influence over them.
For the moment, Mercosur has only five full members (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay,
Paraguay and Venezuela), but it also has special agreements with Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.
The main challenge of Brazil in its region consists on building trust among its
neighbors, so they accept it as their representative on the global level.
Searching for a solution to this problem, Brazil implemented the diplomacy of
generosity policy, inviting Brazilian companies to import products from its
neighbors, even though they might be more expensive
Apart from Argentina, the other big rival of Brazil is the US.
Although Brazil depends on the military power of the hegemon, it also represents
a challenge for its protector.
Multilateralism is the way chosen by the Brazilian leaders to reinforce their
leadership in the region. For its part, the US continues with bilateralism, seeking
to reach agreements with each state separately.
It has been proven that Brazil leads its region. However, its neighbors do not
have total confidence in Brazil. Although they accept Brazilian leadership to
design new institutions or to mediate regional conflicts, neighbors doubt on the
hypothetical great power status of Brazil.

Global view
An indicator of the willingness of Brazil of ordering its surroundings was showed
in Haiti.
Brazil led the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.
It wanted to show both to its neighbors and to international society that it was
prepared to improve its global status.
Also, Brazil is an active player in meta-regional organizations and meetings like
the OAS (Organization of American States) and the Ibero-American Summits.
Brazil hosts diplomatic missions from 134 countries, and receives state visits
disproportionate to other countries in the region
It is also gaining friends beyond its region. In the last decade, Brazil has
cooperated with countries in Africa. Brazilian penetration in Angola and
Mozambique is evident says Nikolas Kozloff (CIFA agreements - Cooperation
and Investment Facilitation Agreements - 2015).
Brazil is also part of the G-20 and the BRICS (brazil, Russia, India, china, South
Africa) so it is expanding its soft power base.
Brazil respects main institutions of global polity, but it also raises an independent
voice to defend the rights of the developing countries. Brazil forged its reputation
as representative of the South in the WTO. world trade organization
Under president Lula, the independency in foreign policy from the US was
accentuated. He carried out a foreign policy based in three Ds: Decolonization,
Development and Disarmament.
Brazil is also critic with R2P doctrine (responsibility to protect), and prefers the
principle of non-indifference
Brazilian delegation abstained in the voting on the 1973 resolution of the
Security Council that allowed the intervention in Libya. Neither Brazil supported
wars in Yugoslavia and Iraq.
ambition of Brazil is achieving a permanent seat in the Security Council.
Brazil argues that the UN must be renovated in order to represent the modern
world and gaining legitimacy.
On the other hand, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) is a larger
intergovernmental union which incorporates the largest trade blocs in the region:
MERCOSUR and the Andean Community.
This organization has served as a vehicle for Brazil to launch its goals.

In 2008, Brazil has suggested that UNASUR member States should start the creation
of a regional military structure that has been called South American Defense Council
(SADC), which has been dubbed as the South American equivalent of NATO, to ensure
regional stability and security.