BLOG JUANCARLOS GÓMEZ-MONTEJANO

I have to hand it to Brazil; I really do. Turnabouts being fair play, when it comes to the diplomatic principle of “reciprocation,” Brazil takes the cake.

As many may recall when the U.S. implemented its controversial passport control regime in January 2004, it entailed a programme and public policy shift which notably included the collection of personal data in various forms such as fingerprints, photographs and interrogations.

Brazil responded in kind by now imposing Visas, fingerprints, photographs and “interrogations” interestingly revolving around terrorism and sex tourism specifically directed to U.S. Citizens. This policy shift resulted from a Brazilian federal court order under the principle of reciprocation no doubt causing an outcry from U.S. sexual deviants and perverts to complain to the U.S. consulates in Brazil’s major ports of entry. Even the U.S. Department of State went on record as stating: “"While we acknowledge Brazil's sovereign right to determine the requirements for entry into Brazil, we regret the way in which new procedures have suddenly been put in place that single out US citizens for exceptional treatment that has meant lengthy delays in processing, such as the case today with a more than nine hour delay for some US citizens arriving at Rio's international airport," who knew sanctimonious perverts had so much clout.

With the same comic relief, Brazil and Spain are at it in a row resulting in dozens of tourists from the two nations being refused entry to one another's country and deported. Spain turned back 452 Brazilians at Madrid airport in February, arguing that they did not meet the conditions for entry.

On March 6, customs authorities at Madrid's Barajas airport denied entry to 30 Brazilian citizens, including students on their way to a seminar in Portugal, they returned home on a flight two days later and reported inappropriate treatment by the Spanish authorities despite having the appropriate documentation issued by fellow EU and Schengen Treaty state Portugal. When he asked passport control authorities “why are you treating us like dogs?” – Spanish immigration authorities allegedly replied “because that’s what you are.” Both the Brazilians and Spaniards accused the other country's police of degrading treatment and racial profiling of mulatos, mestizos and single or otherwise unaccompanied women with or without child.

Brazil retaliated by turning back around a dozen Spanish businessmen and tourists this month and requested an explanation from the Spanish ambassador, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva intended to discuss the matter with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, according to the daily El Pais.