The United States and Brazil plan to launch an investment fund to protect the Amazon

[Inkriql]

The United States and Brazil deepened on Friday a new era of greater cooperation with their first high-level strategic dialogue in seven years.

The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said both countries will try to increase bilateral trade, which already exceeds $ 100 billion a year, and plan to launch an investment fund to protect biodiversity in the Amazon region.

Pompeo also praised the government of President Jair Bolsonaro for supporting Israel and for pushing for a democratic change in Venezuela.

"Together we take the opportunity to cement a future of security, prosperity and democracy for our people and for the entire hemisphere," said Pompeo.

Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo said during his sixth visit of the year to the United States that partnering with Washington will allow Brazil to achieve goals such as economic growth, security and development in the Amazon. The level of collaboration between the two countries "is unprecedented," he added.

Araújo said he plans to tell the dignitaries present at the next UN General Assembly that fires in the Amazon have received more attention this year because of the "ideology of the Brazilian government", but that the number of conflagrations is not unusual.

"Some people say we are anti-science. It is the opposite. We are in favor of science. We want the issues to be addressed constructively," he said.

During his three-day visit to Washington, Araújo said he discussed a possible free trade agreement with the United States trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, and with the Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross.

"There is no specific date, but we want it soon," said Araújo.

Bilateral cooperation represents a shift in the relationship between the United States and Brazil, and it happens about six months after President Donald Trump received Bolsonaro in the White House.