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6.5. Criticism from other political parties, movements and diplomatsBrazil’s ‘adventurous’ foreign policy under Lula came under attack from variousquarters. The most vocal of these were the political right – embodied by the media,political figures from the opposition, and career diplomats – as well as certaincomponents of the business sector. Roberto Abdenur, Brazil’s ambassador to theUnited States until 2007 and a 44-year career diplomat, for example, expressed theview that, “There is a generalised sentiment that today diplomats are promotedaccording to their political affiliation and ideology, and not according to theircompetence”. 563 Abdenur saw Lula’s foreign policy as ‘contaminated’ by anti-Americanism and ideological orientation. This ideological influence or‘indoctrination’ was seen to be peddled in a few ways: the compulsory reading of‘ideological’ books; and, the rapid promotion of those sharing the leadership’sideological views. 564Other criticisms of PT’s influence were based on the unclear ends of its foreignpolicy, with objectives being described at best as misplaced messianism on the partof Brazil, and at worst, as a vehicle for the promotion of Lula. 565 Lula’s emphasis onSouth-South diplomacy, in particular, was not popular with business sectors andcareer diplomats, who could not see the utility of close alliances with India andChina, all the while recognising the need for partnership. 566 Brazil’s recognition ofChina as a market economy in 2004, in exchange for little in return, was consideredto be one of the Lula administration’s greatest foreign policy blunders. PT’ssponsorship with Castro of the Foro do São Paolo, as well as close relations withCuba, have also been continuous sources of criticism. A third aspect of criticism isthe politicisation of foreign policy, subjecting decades-old principles of Brazil’sinternational relations, such as non-intervention and its commitment to sovereignty,to the caprices of PT’s party-level relations. Thus, Almeida notes that while the endof the military dictatorship saw a return to traditional adherence to noninterference,the arrival of the Lula administration saw the gradual adoption of a563 Revista Veja. 2007. “Entrevista com Roberto Abdenur: Nem na ditadura”, Vol. 1994,7 February, 2007. Accessed online at: http://veja.abril.com.br/070207/entrevista.shtmlon 3 March, 2011.564 Ibid.565 Almeida, Roberto. E-mail correspondence. 2010.566 Revista Veja. 2007.222