Comparative essay, constrasting the foreign policies of Fernando Henrique Cardoso's and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administrations. Besides the general features of each diplomacy, external policies and practices of each government are compared for a set issues of the international agenda, namely: multilateralism and UN Security Council; WTO, multilateral trade negotiations and South-South cooperation; terrorism; globalization and financial flows; IMF and economic policy requirements; Brazil as a leader; South America; Mercosul; Argentina; Europe; relationship with the United States, and FTAA, with a final section on diplomatic tools preferred by each government. Break lines are much more evident in the style than in the substance of Brazilian diplomacy, which continues to show strong features of continuity.
Brazilian diplomacy; Fernando Henrique Cardoso government; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva government; Globalization; Regionalism; Trade negotiations