O princípio da autodeterminação dos povos na política externa brasileira: a postura do Estado brasileiro frente aos casos do Saara Ocidental e da Palestina à luz do realismo.

Abstract

Brazilian foreign policy under the governments of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003–2010) and Dilma Rousseff (2011–2016) consistently reaffirmed its commitment to multilateralism, international law, and particularly to the principle of self-determination of peoples, as enshrined in the 1988 Constitution. However, a comparative analysis of the cases of Palestine and Western Sahara reveals a differentiated application of this principle. While Brazil formally recognized the State of Palestine in 2010, based on the 1967 borders, it adopted a more cautious stance toward Western Sahara, supporting a solution within the framework of the United Nations and refraining from recognizing the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. This distinction highlights the tension between normative rhetoric and the strategic constraints shaping foreign policy decisions. Drawing on Hans Morgenthau’s classical realism, particularly the concept of interest defined in terms of power, the study argues that the mobilization of self-determination was not uniform but mediated by diplomatic, economic, and geopolitical considerations. The contrast between the two cases demonstrates that, although the principle occupies a central place in official discourse, its practical implementation was conditioned by Brazil’s strategic priorities and its broader objectives of international insertion.