Rodrigo
Lucky Member
SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - A shocked Brazil mourned the death on Tuesday of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the U.N. envoy in Iraq (news - web sites), hailing him as a man who brought honor to his country through his work for peace in world conflict zones.
Vieira de Mello, 55, a native of Rio de Janeiro, was killed when a truck bomb wrecked the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad.
He was trapped in the rubble for several hours before succumbing to his wounds and Brazilians watched anxiously as the tragedy unfolded on live television.
"Oh my God, oh my God," said Foreign Minister Celso Amorim as he received the news by telephone, according to witnesses.
He told President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who called for a minute of silence during his meeting with Chilean President Ricardo Lagos.
Lula declared three days of mourning for the late envoy, known for his immense charm as well as his unruffled, skillful diplomacy in difficult and violent parts of the world. He was a victim of "terrorist insanity," Lula said.
In his tribute to Vieira de Mello, President Bush (news - web sites) offered his condolences to "the people of Brazil, who have lost one of their finest public servants."
A White House spokesman said Bush also telephoned Lula to express condolences over Brazil's "grave loss." Bush paid tribute to Vieira de Mello's career and life-time commitment to helping others around the world, the spokesman said.
Diplomats said the late envoy was a front runner to succeed Kofi Annan (news - web sites) as U.N. secretary-general.
Vieira de Mello spent little time in his homeland after graduating from the French-Brazilian (news - web sites) School in Rio in 1966.
He attended university in Paris before a 33-year United Nations (news - web sites) career that took him from Lebanon to Africa, Cambodia to East Timor (news - web sites), and, fatefully, to Iraq. He made his home in Paris and Geneva.
'ONE OF THE BEST'
But Brazilians were immensely proud of him. His appointment as the U.N. special envoy to Iraq after the U.S.-British invasion was front-page news here.
Former President Jose Sarney called him: "One of the best Brazilian men."
"He was a talent who stood out internationally with a mission to fight for peace, risking his life. Brazil has lost its best man in international diplomacy."
Paulo Delgado, the ruling Workers Party foreign affairs chief, praised him for standing up to the United States.
"He took a firm position with the United States, demanding that they re-establish water and electricity in Iraq. He said deploying tanks in Iraq was like rolling tanks into Copacabana (Rio's beachfront area)."
"He built a brilliant career," Delgado added.
Others remembered him as a defender of human rights.
Foreign Minister Amorim said that although Vieira de Mello was not a member of Brazil's foreign service he had brought honor to the country and been an example to its diplomats.
"He cannot be replaced, he will stay in our hearts as a man who fought for peace, for reconstruction, working for human rights, for the rights of those who suffer and of refugees. He will always be present."
As a Brazilian, this loss is very huge for me and my country, he was a role model, especially for me, that intend to have the same profession as he had, working with international relationships or affairs, don't know the exactly name of the career in English...
Rest in peace my friend.
Vieira de Mello, 55, a native of Rio de Janeiro, was killed when a truck bomb wrecked the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad.
He was trapped in the rubble for several hours before succumbing to his wounds and Brazilians watched anxiously as the tragedy unfolded on live television.
"Oh my God, oh my God," said Foreign Minister Celso Amorim as he received the news by telephone, according to witnesses.
He told President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who called for a minute of silence during his meeting with Chilean President Ricardo Lagos.
Lula declared three days of mourning for the late envoy, known for his immense charm as well as his unruffled, skillful diplomacy in difficult and violent parts of the world. He was a victim of "terrorist insanity," Lula said.
In his tribute to Vieira de Mello, President Bush (news - web sites) offered his condolences to "the people of Brazil, who have lost one of their finest public servants."
A White House spokesman said Bush also telephoned Lula to express condolences over Brazil's "grave loss." Bush paid tribute to Vieira de Mello's career and life-time commitment to helping others around the world, the spokesman said.
Diplomats said the late envoy was a front runner to succeed Kofi Annan (news - web sites) as U.N. secretary-general.
Vieira de Mello spent little time in his homeland after graduating from the French-Brazilian (news - web sites) School in Rio in 1966.
He attended university in Paris before a 33-year United Nations (news - web sites) career that took him from Lebanon to Africa, Cambodia to East Timor (news - web sites), and, fatefully, to Iraq. He made his home in Paris and Geneva.
'ONE OF THE BEST'
But Brazilians were immensely proud of him. His appointment as the U.N. special envoy to Iraq after the U.S.-British invasion was front-page news here.
Former President Jose Sarney called him: "One of the best Brazilian men."
"He was a talent who stood out internationally with a mission to fight for peace, risking his life. Brazil has lost its best man in international diplomacy."
Paulo Delgado, the ruling Workers Party foreign affairs chief, praised him for standing up to the United States.
"He took a firm position with the United States, demanding that they re-establish water and electricity in Iraq. He said deploying tanks in Iraq was like rolling tanks into Copacabana (Rio's beachfront area)."
"He built a brilliant career," Delgado added.
Others remembered him as a defender of human rights.
Foreign Minister Amorim said that although Vieira de Mello was not a member of Brazil's foreign service he had brought honor to the country and been an example to its diplomats.
"He cannot be replaced, he will stay in our hearts as a man who fought for peace, for reconstruction, working for human rights, for the rights of those who suffer and of refugees. He will always be present."
As a Brazilian, this loss is very huge for me and my country, he was a role model, especially for me, that intend to have the same profession as he had, working with international relationships or affairs, don't know the exactly name of the career in English...
Rest in peace my friend.
