2024-09-12 13:56:34
There have been disagreements between Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Defense Minister Celso Amorim over the cancelled tender for the supply of Israeli Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery units (SAU).
This was reported by the Spanish-language military website “Defensa”.
Brazil has suspended the signing of an agreement to buy 36 Atmos 2000 systems made by the Israeli company Elbit, despite the fact that the Israeli company had already won a tender worth $200 million. According to the plan, the Israeli company was to provide two systems for testing, while the remaining 34 would be assembled locally, creating hundreds of new jobs.
However, the political situation interfered with the process. President Lula da Silva, known for his anti-Israel stance, suspended the deal under the influence of adviser Celso Amorim. He proposed to hand over the tender victory to the Czech company Excalibur International with the SAU Susana 2, which caused protests from Defense Minister José Músio. Músio emphasized that political interference undermines Brazil’s reputation as a reliable partner.
The Brazilian Defense Ministry has rejected the proposal to purchase the Susana 2, and the minister has sent a letter to the Federal Audit Office asking for clarification. The office is expected to make a decision soon, and the Elbit deal will be finalized.
Earlier, Cursor reported that Brazil recalled its ambassador from Israel.