John F. Kennedy photo

Recorded Greetings to the President and People of Brazil.

April 03, 1961

Murillo Neri (Rio de Janeiro announcer): Mr. President, as you know, our President, Janio Quadros is a big admirer of Abraham Lincoln. You have right on your desk a document that was given us by Lincoln's Museum. I would like to very much if you can sign this document or put a dedicatory for our President, Janio Quadros.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY: It is a great pleasure for me to have this opportunity to inscribe a copy of the Gettysburg Address to the President of Brazil.

Abraham Lincoln does not, I think, merely belong to the United States now, he belongs to all those who believe in freedom, who believe in the rights of man. And therefore it is a great pleasure for me to inscribe this copy of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address to your vigorous, dynamic new President, who seeks for Brazil what we seek for the United States and indeed for the people of all our hemisphere: a better life under freedom and justice.

Mr. Neri: Mr. President, we thank you very, very much. And I would like to ask you another thing, if it is possible for you to say some words to our Brazilian people, Mr. President, please.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY: It is a great pleasure for me to have the opportunity to extend my greetings to the people of Brazil.

Over 20 years ago, as a young man, I journeyed to your country. I know something of its history, and I know that its people share the same basic aspirations for a more happy and just life that my own people here in the United States have.

I hope Brazil and the United States, which have been fast friends in the past, will have a warm comradeship in the future.

We shall do our best to join with Brazil in strengthening our hemisphere, and providing for our people.

It is a great pleasure, through television and films, to have a chance to visit Brazil.

Mr. Neri: Thank you, Mr. President.

Note: The program was recorded on film and tape in the President's office at the White House for broadcast to the Brazilian people.

John F. Kennedy, Recorded Greetings to the President and People of Brazil. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/234490

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