Containing Brazil: Mexico's Response to the Rise of Brazil

Abstract

Historically, relations between Brazil and Mexico have not been particularly close. One of the consequences of Brazil's rise was to draw the two countries together, although not necessarily in a harmonious way. The article argues that Mexican governments resented Brazil's attempts at becoming a global player at a time when they pursued the same goal. Mexico's response to Brazil's international projection was to approach it, trying to contain it, and to avoid exclusion from regional initiatives.