Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan welcomed Brazilian Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva to the Pentagon to discuss the long-standing relationship between their nations’ militaries.
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With more than 2 million service members, Brazil has the second-largest military in the Western Hemisphere, just shy of the 2.2 million who serve in the U.S. military.
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With about 209 million people in a nation that’s 3.2 million square miles in area, Brazil is the largest country in South America in terms of size and population. The official language is Portuguese.
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Brazil has led the United Nations Interim Force’s Maritime Task Force since 2011. The task force works off the coast of Lebanon supporting peacekeeping efforts.
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Almost all U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercises in the region feature participation by Brazil. It will lead the maritime component of the UNITAS amphibious exercise this year and the land component of PANAMAX in 2020. Brazil also will send A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to the Green Flag exercise this year.
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In 1844, the USS Constitution sailed to Rio de Janeiro. The crew painted the hull white to reflect the tropical heat and cool the ship somewhat.
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Brazil sent an army division and a fighter squadron to Italy in World War II to fight alongside the 5th U.S. Army.
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The United States signed a defense cooperation agreement with Brazil in the 1950s. Brazil withdrew from the agreement in the 1970s when the Carter administration criticized Brazil for human rights abuses. A new DCA was signed in 2010 and ratified by Brazil’s congress in 2015.
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On March 19, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to designate Brazil as a major non-NATO ally.