[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 753 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 753

    Urging the Government of Brazil to ensure that the October 2022 
  elections are conducted in a free, fair, credible, transparent, and 
                            peaceful manner.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 7, 2022

   Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
 Blumenthal, and Ms. Warren) submitted the following resolution; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Urging the Government of Brazil to ensure that the October 2022 
  elections are conducted in a free, fair, credible, transparent, and 
                            peaceful manner.

Whereas, in 1822, the United States was the first country to recognize Brazil as 
        an independent country;
Whereas the United States and Brazil are 2 of the largest democracies and 
        economies in the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas bilateral relations between the United States and Brazil are rooted in a 
        shared commitment to democracy and prosperity and the promotion of 
        international peace, security, respect for human rights, and 
        environmental stewardship, including protection of the Brazilian Amazon;
Whereas efforts to incite political violence, encourage the Armed Forces of 
        Brazil to intervene in the conduct of the electoral processes of the 
        Brazil, and question or subvert the democratic and electoral 
        institutions of Brazil ahead of the country's October 2, 2022, general 
        elections undermine the democratic foundation of relations between the 
        United States and Brazil and must be resolutely rejected by both 
        countries;
Whereas, according to a recent survey by the Federal University of the State of 
        Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is experiencing a 335-percent increase in 
        violence directed against political leaders in 2022 relative to 2019;
Whereas Brazilians from all sectors of society have publicly expressed serious 
        concern about ongoing efforts to undermine democracy in Brazil, 
        including--

    (1) close to 1,000,000 Brazilians who signed an open letter released on 
July 26, 2022, defending the democratic institutions of Brazil and the rule 
of law; and

    (2) prominent Brazilian business, religious, political, and civil 
society leaders who released a statement expressing confidence in the 
electoral systems of Brazil on August 5, 2022; and

Whereas the United States Government has on multiple occasions expressed full 
        confidence in the strength of the democratic institutions of Brazil and 
        the ability of the electoral system of Brazil to carry out free and fair 
        elections absent fraud: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) urges the Government of Brazil to ensure that the 
        October 2022 elections are conducted in a free, fair, credible, 
        transparent, and peaceful manner that enables all citizens of 
        Brazil to exercise the right to vote; and
            (2) calls for the United States Government--
                    (A) to continue to speak out against efforts to 
                incite political violence and undermine the electoral 
                process in Brazil and to hold the Government of Brazil 
                accountable for respecting the rights of the citizens 
                of Brazil in accordance with international obligations 
                and the Constitution of the Federative Republic of 
                Brazil;
                    (B) to immediately recognize the outcome of the 
                election in Brazil, if that election is determined by 
                international observers and organizations to have been 
                free and fair; and
                    (C) to make unequivocally clear that the United 
                States considers bilateral United States assistance to 
                Brazil to be predicated on the historic and ongoing 
                commitment of the Government and people of Brazil to 
                democratic principles and human rights and will--
                            (i) review and reconsider the relationship 
                        between the United States any government that 
                        comes to power in Brazil through undemocratic 
                        means, including a military coup; and
                            (ii) ensure United States security 
                        assistance and other forms of bilateral United 
                        States assistance to Brazil remain compliant 
                        with relevant laws of the United States related 
                        to the peaceful and democratic transition of 
                        power, including longstanding restrictions on 
                        the provision of security assistance in the 
                        event of a military coup.
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