BRAZIL is a subject of great interest today among international practitioners and scholars alike thanks to its economic success and growing international influence. Brazil's achievements in the energy domain are also partly responsible for this international attention and respect. As world governments begin to consider the advantages of going green, renewable energies already account for 46% of Brazil's internal energy consumption (while OECD countries' average is about 5%). Moreover, Brazil has recently discovered significant natural gas reserves and several billion barrels of crude off its coasts and is advancing quickly to expand its nuclear power capabilities. From the outside, it seems like a perfect mix. This interview with Rio de Janeiro-based energy expert Roberto Schaeffer, however, reveals some of the vulnerabilities of Brazil's current energy matrix and shows why the strategic move toward more nuclear power is not necessarily embraced by Brazilian technical experts who are pushing for more environmentally sound and cost-effective power sources.

 

A NEARLY FORGOTTEN maritime dispute between Chile and Peru along the pacific coast of South America is once again receiving some international attention. A 1929 treaty signed between the two countries 50 years after all out war makes the United States the principal arbiter in the case of conflict. To date, no party has invoked the arbitration clause despite tensions over the last few decades. In 2005, the Peruvian congress unilaterally imposed maritime limits asserting sovereignty over 65,000 sq.km. of waters which Chile claims is theirs. In 2009, Chile brought the case to the international court of justice at The Hague. Bolivia's interest in access to the sea that it lost in the 1879 naval battle adds an added dimension to a dispute that is largely owed to unclear delineation and language in past treaties. Should these Southern Cone countries fail to reach an agreement, this article should serve US policymakers who may be called on to navigate very muddy waters.