Brazil Arms Maker Denounces U.S. Libya Embargo

Brazil’s leading arms exporter has denounced a U.S.-led trade embargo against Libya and indicated that he will continue to supply Libya with arms.

Jose Luis Whitaker Ribeiro, managing director of Engesa S.A., which produces tanks, armored cars and other materiel, said in an interview published here last week that he expects his company’s exports this year to total $600 million.

One of Engesa’s customers is Libya, which has a military mission visiting factories that produce Brazil’s widely sold weapons systems.

Brazil, with large automotive and steel industries, is one of the world’s major arms makers. Among other areas, the Brazilians have been a major arms supplier to Iraq in its war with Iran.

“There is an intensive demand worldwide for conventional arms, and if Brazil doesn’t sell them someone else will,” Whitaker said in the interview with the daily Folha da Manha of Sao Paulo.

Whitaker said that the Reagan Administration’s pressure on other countries to impose an embargo on Libya for allegedly harboring international terrorist groups is a “game of interests.”

The United States sells arms to friendly nations, he said, “so they have no right to tell us not to sell to our friends.” He added, “A negative aura has formed around (Libyan leader Moammar) Kadafi, but I know him personally and I can affirm that he is a highly intelligent and balanced person.”

The Libyan military mission is reportedly procuring Cascavel armored personnal carriers, which have proved to be effective in desert warfare; the Osorio medium tank, which will go into assembly line production next year, and Tucano trainer planes.

Under Secretary of Defense Fred C. Ikle was here last month for talks on possible U.S. procurement of Brazilian weapons systems, which are relatively inexpensive.