Connie Mack Touches Base on New Brazilian President Dilma Roussef

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, weighed in on the election of Dilma Rousseff as president of Brazil.

Im hopeful that the election of Ms. Rousseff will allow our relationship with Brazil to move forward and lead to greater security and prosperity in the region, said Mack. Cooperation with this important player in Latin America is a key to U.S. foreign policy in the region, and it is my hope we will be able to strengthen our partnership with Brazil under Ms. Rousseff.

President-elect Rousseff must decide if she will continue outgoing President Lulas relationship with thugocrats like Venezuelas Hugo Chavez, Cubas Castro Brothers, and Irans Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, added Mack. Ms. Rousseffs election is an opportunity for Brazil to reject Chavez and Ahmadinejads destabilizing influence in the hemisphere, and strengthen freedom, security and prosperity for the entire region.