When Your Politics Harms Your Business

Brazil had been struggling for years to decide which company to choose for a $4 billion-plus fighter jet contract, one of the world's most sought-after defense deals and one that would help define the country's strategic alliances for decades to come.

But [Dilma] Rousseff, the leftist president known for being sometimes gruff and even standoffish with foreign leaders, was thrilled after a 90-minute meeting in Brasilia on May 31 with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

After Biden's reassurances that the United States would not block crucial transfers of technological know-how to Brazil if it bought the jets, she was closer than ever to selecting Chicago-based Boeing to supply its fighter, the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

"She's ready to sign on the dotted line," one of her senior aides told Reuters at the time. "This is going to happen soon."

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Because of the extensive maintenance required and the technology transfers, big aircraft deals can bind companies and militaries together for decades after a deal is signed.

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In comments after the meeting, Biden made it clear where U.S. priorities were: "We're ready for a deeper, broader relationship across the board on everything from the military to education, trade and investment."

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Documents leaked by the former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden], released in the weeks after Biden's visit, ended up enraging Rousseff and completely changing her plans.

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On Wednesday, she surprised the defense and diplomatic worlds by tapping Sweden's Saab to supply the jets, a move aides said was made in part as a deliberate snub to the United States.

The decision was one of the biggest and most expensive consequences yet of the NSA revelations, which have strained Washington's relations with countries around the world.

  Reuters

The article also claims that Obama’s refusal to offer an apology for NSA spying on President Rousseff, while offering one to Germany’s Angela Merkel, played a part in Rousseff’s cancellation of an October state visit to the US where it was expected she would announce Brazil’s acceptance of the Boeing deal.

I expect Boeing and the US government will blame Snowden for the loss, and not the NSA and Obama. Add harm to US business ventures to the list of treasonous charges.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.