In August, Gov. Kemp and his Georgia delegation visited JBS in Brazil, whose subsidiaries employ 9,000 people in Georgia. Credit: Governor Brian Kemp's Office

When Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp went down to Brazil and Argentina in August, he thought the trip would mostly be shaking hands with existing investors — with a little bit of long-term prospecting mixed in. 

To his surprise, however, the state was not just showing its flag and demonstrating eventual interest, but actively competing for investments that could pay dividends sooner rather than later. 

“We’ve got some good leads,” he said, calling the trip “much better than I expected.”

The ease of travel within the Western Hemisphere, coupled with cultural familiarity and strong trade ties, left an impression on the governor that the state could capitalize more on opportunities there. 

“The U.S. in general, but also the state — we need to be doing more in South America, especially when things are turning,” he told Global Atlanta in an October interview in Tokyo, noting how South American countries famously vacillate between right- and left-leaning politicians. 

Brazil has flipped back leftward with last year’s election of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but Argentina’s libertarian president, Javier Milei, has focused on opening the country and cutting regulation and spending in an effort to drive down inflation and spur growth.

Mr. Kemp was invited to meet with Mr. Milei, but the two weren’t able to coordinate schedules, and Mr. Kemp ended up meeting with Defense Minister Luis Petri. (The Georgia National Guard and Argentina’s military have enjoyed a partnership since 2016).   

It’s not as if Georgia is new to either market. The state has operated its São Paulo office for 30 years, a milestone celebrated during a reception at the U.S. consul general’s residence.

Mr. Kemp met with his counterpart, São Paulo state Gov. Tarcísio de Freitas, whom news sources reported as citing conversations with Mr. Kemp about the state of U.S.-Brazil relations, including President Trump’s 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods. The measure was imposed after what Mr. Trump called a “witch hunt” by Brazilian courts against former President Jair Bolsonaro.  

More than 70 Brazilian companies have set up shop in Georgia, including many large agribusiness firms and manufacturers creating jobs in the very rural areas that Mr. Kemp has taken a special interest in promoting. 

At least one Brazilian firm Mr. Kemp spoke with had landed an exemption from U.S. tariffs, and Mr. Kemp urged companies, whether in Brazil or Asia, to continue notifying his team on what feedback they should provide the White House.

“If you send us the information, we’ll send it up — we can’t promise they’ll do anything, but at least they’ll realize (what’s going on),” Mr. Kemp said. “I think there’s a lot of policy makers like myself that are passing that information along.”

Reuters reported in late October that Mr. Trump met with Lula on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit and that Brazil is seeking talks with the U.S. on the tariffs, which the Brazilian side sees as a “mistake,” especially given that the U.S. enjoys a longstanding trade surplus with the country. 

In Atlanta, this week presents two opportunities to more deeply engage with both countries. 

On Thursday, Nov. 13, Global Atlanta is hosting a Consular Conversations luncheon with Ambassador Pompeu Andreucci Neto, the country’s consul general in Atlanta, at The Commerce Club. 

Consular Conversations: Brazil

On Nov. 17, Argentina is bringing a delegation of 16 tech companies led by its ambassador to the U.S., a former e-commerce executive who founded two billion-dollar companies: 

South Meets South: Session 1 – Ambassador Keynote + Fireside Chat

In Brazil, Mr. Kemp’s office said he met with investors including JBS, Taurus, CSN, Embraer and GranBio, along with Georgia’s AGCO Corp., which has a major presence in the country. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper was also on the trip. 

In Argentina, Mr. Kemp met with firearm manufacturer Bersa, which has a Cartersville factory, along with other prospects. 

He also sees opportunity in places like Chile and Colombia, a country Mr. Kemp has personally visited three times. 

Georgia has offices in both locales, and the second-term governor hopes to see a push to South America in the years to come. 

“Hopefully, whoever comes after me will keep that going.”

As managing editor of Global Atlanta, Trevor has spent 15+ years reporting on Atlanta’s ties with the world. An avid traveler, he has undertaken trips to 30+ countries to uncover stories on the perils...