US sphere of influence declining

An Iranian lawmaker says Dilma Rousseff’s victory in Brazil’s presidential election is an indication that the United States is losing its power in Latin America.

“Although Latin America has been previously regarded as the backyard of the US policies, we are now witnessing that individuals and parties who are coming to power in this region have anti-American stance,” deputy head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Hossein Ebrahimi told IRNA on Tuesday.

“The results of the recent presidential election in Brazil and Rousseff’s victory, who is expected to have the same anti-American stance like (outgoing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula) da Silva, indicate that the US is increasingly alienating its friends through its actions,” he added.

The Iranian lawmaker emphasized that nations in Latin American states support individuals and parties who distance themselves from American policies.

He further pointed out that “invading other countries, committing crimes, and killing people could bode no better” for Washington.

“Many Latin American and African countries are currently joining the Iranian nation in its anti-American and anti-colonialism stance,” Ebrahimi noted.

Rousseff, 62, won Sunday’s presidential run-off election with 56 percent of the vote. Her opponent Jose Serra garnered 44 percent. Serra got 33 percent of the vote in the first round.

Rousseff will take over as the country’s first female president on January 1, 2011.

Many analysts believe that she will follow her predecessor da Silva’s policies in domestic and foreign affairs.

Brazil’s media have nicknamed Rousseff “the Iron Lady,” comparing her personality to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.