Dilma Rousseff on United States

Dilma Rousseff's official posture toward the United States was characterized by a desire for strong, equal partnership across trade, defense, and climate change, viewing the U.S. as an indispensable global player. Early in her term, she met with the U.S. president and celebrated a deepening relationship, formalizing dialogues on economics, energy, and defense cooperation, and expressing support for reforming international bodies like the UN Security Council where Brazil sought a permanent seat. The two nations, as major democracies, shared common ground on human rights and social inclusion, with the U.S. acknowledging Brazil's global leadership aspirations and agreeing to ambitious climate goals, including joint targets for renewable energy expansion. This cooperative framework, however, was consistently strained by issues of sovereignty and trust.

This essential relationship suffered a major blow in 2013 following revelations that the U.S. National Security Agency conducted widespread electronic surveillance, targeting her personal communications, government officials, and the state oil company. This intelligence gathering led her to cancel a planned 2013 state visit, citing the incompatibility of spying with a relationship among allies and a violation of sovereignty. While she later accepted assurances from the U.S. president during a 2015 visit that intrusive spying would cease, new disclosures of targeted monitoring on top officials surfaced afterward, confirming lingering concerns over U.S. intentions, particularly concerning economic and strategic interests.