According to the 1988 Constitution, the elaboration of Brazilian foreign policy is attributed to the executive branch, leaving the legislative branch the role of accepting or rejecting international treaties after the negotiations have taken place. Even though the executive has a greater role on the decision-making process, I believe that the legislative branch has an efficient participation on that process. That is, the behaviour of legislators correspond to their interests. The role of both branches in the formulation of Brazilian foreign policy is more complex than the attributions stated in the Constitution. In this context, this article evaluates the relation between the executive and the legislative branches in the formulation of Brazilian foreign policy related to trade agreements such as Mercosur and Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
Brazilian Foreign Policy; Diplomacy; Legislative Branch; Regional Integration
