Sao Paulo: The ongoing socioeconomic crisis in Lebanon and the devastating explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020 have prompted many Lebanese Brazilians to show greater interest in the affairs of the Arab country.
Over the years, Lebanese Brazilians – whose numbers are estimated at between 3 million and 10 million – have promoted a campaign to aid the Lebanese people, and have become more involved in its politics.
The trend was accelerated by a campaign launched in 2021 by the Lebanese Embassy in Brasilia to encourage Lebanese citizens living in Brazil to register to vote in elections in May.
“Many Lebanese Brazilians know very little about Lebanon. But now I think people are more aware and trying to be informed,” said Nagib Makhlouf, a 69-year-old businessman who was born in Brazil but his Have Lebanese citizenship.
He has already run in three Lebanese elections: two in the country – he used to visit his mother, who lived there – and one from Brazil.
“Lebanon is in such a bad state that many people in Brazil are outraged by the situation. I know a group of 10 Lebanese Jews who have decided to register and vote for the first time,” Makhlouf said.
Lebanese-born Lodi Brice, the community leader who helped publicize the embassy’s campaign, said more and more young Lebanese Brazilians are expressing a desire to engage with Lebanon and help address its woes.
“The diaspora vote can help change Lebanese politics. People have lost faith in politicians,” said Bryce, who helped collect food and medicines to donate to Beirut after the blast.
“Sent money to many descendants who have relatives there. Everyone was concerned for the victims.”
At the time, lawyer Hanna Matanios Hanna Jr., the Lebanese honorary consul in the Brazilian city of Goiânia, received dozens of calls during her COVID-19 confinement, wanting to do something to help Beirut.
“Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Lebanese immigrants called me saying they had family ties to the country and wanted to help. Since then, their relations with Lebanon have been increasing,” he said.
Maggie Chidiak, a 58-year-old lawyer with family in Lebanon, told Arab News it is understandable how living conditions in the country have declined in recent years.
“We are sending them food and medicines. Community associations and churches usually coordinate donations,” she said.
“People are facing terrible challenges. We know this because we are always in touch with them through the internet.”
Chidiak said that communications between Lebanese and their Brazilian relatives served to inform the latter about Lebanese politics.
“Their reports and opinions are very important to us because they help us understand their situation,” she said.
One of the institutions coordinating the donation campaign in 2020, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce – known by the Portuguese acronym CCAB – funded not only health care items that were sent to Beirut by the Brazilian government, but money. Donation campaign was also started.
“The Lebanese Consulate in Rio de Janeiro organized a concert in which Brazilian musicians played with the Beirut Orchestra,” said Mohamed Orra Mourad, CCAB’s vice president of international affairs.
“It was shown on TV, and people could donate money to one of our accounts during the show. It was all sent to the Lebanese Red Cross.”
A Brazilian plane carried 6 tons of food, medicines and health supplies, including mechanical ventilators.
The CCAB was awarded a medal by the Brazilian government in December for its efforts in that campaign.
Mourad said the Lebanese embassy met with Lebanese-Brazilian business leaders in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro last year and asked them to find a way to contribute to the Lebanese economy.
“We are holding informal gatherings and discussing forms of responding to that request, which could include an investment fund, for example,” Mourad said.
The CCAB will establish a judicial entity that can centralize donations to Lebanon and plans to launch various initiatives, including a program to train businessmen in the country. Morad said he also intends to connect Lebanese and Brazilian startups.
“We are pushing for the ratification of a commercial agreement between Lebanon and MERCOSUR,” he said, referring to the South American trade bloc. With ratification, “commercial exchange could grow exponentially.”
Mourad believes that if more Lebanese Brazilians acquire Lebanese citizenship, they will feel more connected to the country and may decide to invest in it.
“The revived interest among Lebanese Brazilians can certainly motivate businessmen to invest in Lebanon,” he said.
“But this will only happen if Lebanon can demonstrate that it will work to address instability.”
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