The Governor of Santa Catarina, Jorginho Mello, received the US Consul General for Porto Alegre, Carrie Muntean, at his official residence, Casa d’Agronomica. The meeting began around 5 pm on the 24th, and the goal was to reinforce a strategic rapprochement between the State and the US.

“The United States is one of the main buyers of our excellent products produced in Santa Catarina, so it is a pleasure to receive this visit. We have some more to talk about, because we can advance in many areas, especially when it involves innovation and technological advances”, said Governor Jorginho Mello.

This was the first visit of the new US Consul General in Porto Alegre to Santa Catarina. The meeting with the governor was a request for her as an introduction. “We want to reaffirm the US interest in maintaining and expanding bilateral relations with SC in key areas, such as the environment, economy and investments, education and culture, and cooperation in defense and security,” said the Consul General.

The secretary of Foreign Affairs, Juliano Froehner, has been monitoring the approximation works since the beginning of the year and explains the next steps: “It involves a protocol of intentions to be signed with the US Embassy and a much more effective approach for internationalization, that is, for companies from Santa Catarina to be able to access the American market and for American companies to be able to easily establish themselves in Santa Catarina, with legal security”.

Trade Balance

The US is a strategic partner in foreign trade for companies from Santa Catarina. The country was the main destination for exports made by Santa Catarina in July. The product list includes: joinery for buildings, engine parts, electric motors, furniture, wood and gelatin. The country alone received 17% of all that SC exported last month.

From January to July this year, the state exported US$ 967 million to the American country and the USA was the destination of 14% of all that was exported, second only to China.

In terms of imports, the US is the second country with the most trade relations with SC. From the US come the amount of 7.5% of all imports arriving in Brazil through the five ports of Santa Catarina. The country is also second only to China in this regard. SC imported US$ 1.2 billion from the United States from January to July 2023, products that arrive through the state and are then distributed to supply several other units of the Brazilian federation.

The Consul General

Carrie Muntean arrived in Brazil to assume the position of Consul General of the United States Consulate in Porto Alegre in July 2023. She is a career officer in the diplomatic corps of the State Department. Prior to being assigned to the post in Porto Alegre, Carrie was Deputy Director of the State Department’s Office of Central American Affairs. She was also director of a team dedicated to advancing the culture of leadership, management, and innovation within the Department of State.

Among her most recent assignments abroad are the position of US Consul General in Managua, Nicaragua’s capital, and positions in Moscow, London, Luanda and Panama. Carrie speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and a little Russian.