Although at first sight the links between big Brazil and little Switzerland may not seem obvious, the economic relations between the two countries are both long-standing and intense. They are at the heart of the latest volume in the Quaderni di Dodis series, «Don’t Miss the Bus!» Les intérêts économiques suisses au Brésil durant la dictature militaire 1969–1979.
On the foundations of the first trading and colonial ties in the 19th century, Switzerland’s economic relations with its Latin American partner took a decisive turn with the establishment of the Brazilian military dictatorship in the 1960s. The regime, which favoured foreign companies, was seen by Swiss entrepreneurs as an opportunity not to be missed to invest massively in this giant with high growth potential. 50 years later, Brazil has become a world economic power, and Swiss companies played a major role in the decisive phase of this boom in the 1970s.
Gabriella Lima’s book, based on in-depth research into original Swiss sources – in particular the Swiss-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce – demonstrates the prominence of Swiss companies and the advantageous position they were able to hold on Brazilian soil. It adds to the body of knowledge on the history of Switzerland’s economic relations with the countries of the Global South.
This publication is available open access online in full text: dodis.ch/q22