Ana Garcia, a collaborating professor at the IRI/PUC-Rio postgraduate program and a PhD candidate at the same institute, gave an interview to the newspaper O Globo about the US stance on a possible Russian-Chinese alliance and took part in the podcast Chutando a Escada (Kicking the Ladder), in which she discusses the growing importance of the BRICS bloc on the international geopolitical stage.

In an interview with the newspaper O Globo, Ana says that in the face of China’s evident global rise and a Russian-Chinese alliance, it is strategically important for the US to establish a political dialog with the Global South. Taking into account the G20 summit and the expansion of the BRICS bloc, Ana argues that the White House will face challenges in approaching the language of the Global South, as well as in trying to reinvent its relevance and political influence on the international stage.

Regarding a strategic rapprochement with India – especially after Joe Biden announced an agreement to develop a maritime and rail corridor in the Middle East – Ana was asked if this American attitude presents itself as a promising way to challenge the China-Russia alliance. According to Ana, “India has a complex geopolitical game and is trying to take advantage of international tensions […] And the US is trying to maintain some influence both in the G20 space, which is global multilateral, and in the Asian region itself, with this important dialogue with India.” In this way, the professor understands that it’s not just a question of economic interests, but also military interests, since a strong military partnership is being established in a region directly related to China.

Ana also took part in the episode “The Expansion of the BRICS”, of the Chutando a Escada Podcast, analyzing the growth of the bloc as a result of the last Summit. The professor gives a historical overview of the group’s development and how it has organized itself and grown exponentially in recent years, emphasizing the geopolitical bias.

Ana highlights Brazil’s position in the group, from its creation to the neglect of recent governments and Brazil’s return as a promoter of discussions about the group. She also gives her impressions of the bloc’s expansion, the games of interest involved in the negotiations on new members, the geopolitical implications present, such as the China-Russia alliance, the reaction of the Western powers and the domestic political contexts of the new members, such as the polarized elections in Argentina. Finally, it explores the current challenges of expansion, the future of the bloc and the need for civil society to press for effective South-South cooperation that is central to the debates.

Read the full article on the O Globo website:

Listen to the full podcast on Spotify: