The US State Department faces a process of politicization and emptying of its diplomatic corps, with a growing number of professionals opting for retirement, according to Feliciano de Sá Guimarães, professor of international relations at USP.
According to the expert, an initiative of Heritage Foundation, conservative American Think Tank, proposes to transform the state department into a “conservative force”, claiming that the institution would be dominated by liberals. To make the project work, it would be necessary to “remove career diplomats and bring people from our party inside. It is a huge politicization and ideologization of the US State Department.”
In several countries, including Brazil, there is a trend of decentralization of traditional diplomacy, with other government agencies assuming important roles in international relations.
The teacher exemplifies this change citing the Brazilian case, where the Ministry of Health has significant technical representation with the World Health Organization in Geneva, sharing space with the traditional diplomatic body.
Feliciano points out, however, that the situation is serious with Trump in power. “and porosity has increased”.
