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personal popularity was consistently high according to polls taken in the monthspreceding the October 2010 election. Economic indicators were strong duringLula’s second term, meaning an increase in brute national power. Lula’s personalpopularity and growing outspokenness on international issues lifted Brazil’sinternational profile. This, combined with the synergy between the government’sforeign policy goals, its outreach to the military, and popular support for Brazil’sinternational outlook, ensured a progressive conversion of this national power tostate power.ConclusionInternationalism, comprising non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states;the peaceful resolution of disputes; a commitment to multilateralism; and, South-South diplomacy, have each long enjoyed primacy in the Brazilian foreign policyoutlook, with emphasis varying according to the political dictates of the time.Brazil’s foreign policy outlook adopted subtle, yet significant changes in thetransition from Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s administration to that of Luiz InácioLula da Silva. While foreign policy became more internationalist, and invested ininternational engagements, the influence of PT should not veil the revisions in selfperception,and in perception of the international environment, experienced byBrazil’s decision-making elite during Lula’s two-term tenure. Cardoso sought tobring Brazil back to global respectability (seen as proximity to Western powers) inthe international sphere, to accompany and support his success in rebuilding thedomestic economy. Lula, for his part, sought to diversify Brazil’s foreign relations,and adopt a decidedly ‘anti-imperialist’ outlook.The structural environment that greeted PT’s rise to power might have created anexpectation of vigilance and heightened suspicion of Brazil’s neighbours. However,the opposite transpired: Lula extended a hand of friendship to Chavez, and Bolivia’snationalisation of its oil reserves was similarly met with a muted response by Lula.While the first term of the Lula administration was thus dedicated to preservingBrazil’s credibility in the eyes of the international community, the second presentedan opportunity for greater attention to be paid to questions of national defence andnational interest. This was facilitated by the propitious economic context the237