Bolsonaro's blueprint to build closer Brazil-US bonds

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro (pictured) could take a controversial step in his efforts to build closer ties with the US.

The president admitted that he is considering naming one of his sons, lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, as Brazil's ambassador to the US.

"It's something on my radar, there's a possibility. He is a friend of the sons of Donald Trump, he speaks English and Spanish very well, he has great experience around the world. He could be an appropriate person for the post,” Bolsonaro told local reporters.

After seeing the advance of the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the EU recently, Brazil is looking to reach a similar deal with US. Recently, Argentine President Mauricio Macri admitted that he was in talks with his Brazilian counterpart in order to negotiate a free trade deal between Mercosur and the US.

The potential nomination of Bolsonaro's son as the country’s ambassador in US has already caused serious waves, however, with many seeing this as clear nepotism.

"My impression [of the possible nomination] is terrible,” said Marco Aurélio Mello, a supreme court judge, quoted by local daily Folha de S. Paulo.

Bolsonaro was elected last year in a highly polarized campaign with an agenda built on combating corruption and, with that in mind, he spent much of his campaign railing against the alleged benefits received by the sons of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

On an official visit to the US in March, Bolsonaro and his son attended a private meeting with Trump. During a press conference after the meeting Trump said that Eduardo Bolsonaro was doing a “fantastic job”.

Although currently a lawmaker with no official post in the cabinet, Eduardo Bolsonaro already works closely with Brazilian president, mainly regarding foreign affairs.

If Bolsonaro's son is nominated as ambassador, the appointment must be approved by the country’s senate and it remains unclear whether this would have sufficient political support.