Extracted and adapted from “Brazilian Diplomatic Thought - Policymakers and Agents of Foreign Policy (1750-1964)”.
The Japanese attack on the American bases on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, caused great commotion in Brazil. The very next day Vargas telegraphed Roosevelt, informing him that, having assembled its government, Brazil declared itself sympathetic to the attacked country. Osvaldo Aranha, Foreign Minister of Brazil, reported to the American Ambassador, Jefferson Caffery, that all the Brazilian cabinet ministers declared themselves ready to carry out the solidarity policy. The Foreign Minister immediately called the Latin American representatives urging them to act, and he accelerated preparations for the Third Meeting of Consultation of Foreign Ministers of the Americas, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, January 15 to 28, 1942. At the end of the meeting, Osvaldo Aranha announces the break off relations between Brazil and the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan). The crowd that accompanied the solemnity from the streets applaud the Brazilian chancellor effusively.