The phone that rang on the other side of the world
As soon as the Senate said yes, Roberto Velasco grabbed the phone. His first official call as foreign secretary was not to Washington or Ottawa. He went directly to Brasilia, to speak with his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira.
The Brazilian ministry confirmed it: it was the first external contact of the new Mexican foreign minister. It is not a minor detail. It is a strategic nod that sets the tone.
“Minister Vieira invited Foreign Minister Velasco to visit Brazil soon, which was immediately accepted by his counterpart,”
reported the Brazilian Foreign Ministry. Diplomatic courtesy is just a facade. The real show comes later.
The main stage: Sheinbaum goes to Brazil
The conversation paved the way for the big thing: a possible visit by President Claudia Sheinbaum to Brazil to meet with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Sheinbaum had already anticipated it, citing an “insistent invitation” from the Brazilian president.
But here’s the crucial detail that many overlook. This is not a protocol trip. It has a deadline.
Sheinbaum explained that the trip must be before June, before Brazil immerses itself in its own electoral process. It is a small and well-defined window of opportunity.
And what are you looking for? It’s not what everyone thinks.
“It is not about signing free trade agreements that could affect both countries, but rather about building complementary actions between our economies,”
declared the president.
There’s the play. Avoid large treaties full of fine print and focus on practical cooperation. The focus is on specific sectors where the pieces fit together.
There is special talk of the energy sector, with ethanol as the spearhead, and other areas of mutual interest that have already been mapped between officials and businessmen from both countries since Sheinbaum took office.
Velasco didn’t just receive a charge. He received a script with the first scenes already written. His first act was to build a direct bridge to the south, confirming that the relationship with Brazil is a high-level priority in this administration. The curtain has already opened.
