Brazil nuclear capability analyzed amid geopolitical shifts

Professor Dawisson Belém Lopes has analyzed the possibility of Brazil developing nuclear technology for military purposes, examining the potential political and diplomatic consequences. The discussion follows a proposal by Renan Santos to create reversible Brazilian nuclear technology for warfare.

While Brazil possesses the technical knowledge and infrastructure to expand uranium enrichment, such a move would require constitutional changes. The 1988 Constitution currently mandates that Brazilian nuclear activity remains for peaceful purposes.

Adhering to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1998, Brazil previously resisted the treaty due to perceived inequalities regarding nuclear ownership. Experts suggest that pursuing a military nuclear program today would carry significant costs, including potential international sanctions and the risk of an arms race in South America. Although current geopolitical tensions, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, highlight the importance of military deterrence, the analysis suggests that the window for Brazil to develop such capabilities was most viable decades ago.