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Journalist and historian Pedro de Oliveira, Secretary-General of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship and Cooperation Association (ABRAVIET). (Photo: Dieu Huong/VNA)

The beginning of a Brazilian’s bond with Vietnam

In 1968, inside the lecture halls of the University of São Paulo, Pedro de Oliveira, then a newly enrolled student, watched documentary footage sent by the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam. On the screen were images of napalm bombs, Agent Orange, and the resilient faces of the Vietnamese people.

He recalled: “At that time, I was involved in the student movement. Beyond the struggle for democracy and against the military dictatorship in Brazil, I also supported peace and opposed the war in Vietnam and Indochina. We organized screenings of those films so that other universities and students could see what was happening in Vietnam and join the movement opposing the war for the cause of peace.”

The screening was not merely part of Brazil’s anti-war, pro-peace movement that spread across the world at the time. For Pedro de Oliveira, it was the moment that began a lifelong bond with a nation half a world away.

Pedro de Oliveira received First Prize in the category of Books in Portuguese at the 8th National External Information Service Awards. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

After graduation, Pedro de Oliveira pursued a dual path as a journalist and a researcher of history and international politics. From the 1970s, he began studying Ho Chi Minh’s thought, consulting original documents and meeting historical witnesses. The materials he has researched since the 1990s have given him profound insights into Vietnam. The culmination of his many years of research was the book Ho Chi Minh - Vida e obra do líder da libertação nacional do Vietnã (Ho Chi Minh – Life and Career of the Leader of Vietnam’s National Liberation).

Cover of the book "Ho Chi Minh - Vida e obra do líder da libertação nacional do Vietnã," published by Anita Garibaldi Publishing House (Brazil). (Photo: baoquocte.vn) This work is a compilation of writings and speeches by President Ho Chi Minh, along with a wealth of documents, images, and historical milestones selected by journalist and historian Pedro de Oliveira. The book vividly outlines the revolutionary journey of President Ho Chi Minh while also enabling readers to gain a deeper understanding of the political, social, and ideological values he pursued. The book also recounts key milestones in President Ho Chi Minh’s life, particularly his years of traveling across five continents, working as a kitchen assistant on the ship Amiral Latouche-Tréville, and setting foot in numerous countries, including Brazil, as well as his periods of living and working in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. The work won First Prize in the Printed Book category at the 8th National External Information Service Awards in 2022. It is currently being translated into Spanish to reach Latin American readers.

Additionally, Pedro de Oliveira continues to study Vietnam’s socio-economic development model, with the aim of applying relevant lessons to Brazil. He has visited Vietnam twice. During each visit, he not only sought new research materials but also directly observed daily life, met people from diverse backgrounds, and experienced the vitality and dynamism of a rapidly developing nation.

A bridge of friendship

As Secretary-General of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship and Cooperation Association since 2015, journalist and historian Pedro de Oliveira has gone beyond writing and research to initiate numerous activities that connect the peoples of both countries. One notable achievement has been the Association’s coordination in establishing the Brazil-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, with the participation of legislators from multiple political parties.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in South America in July 2025, Pedro de Oliveira stated that in the coming period, the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship and Cooperation Association would promote activities to enhance cooperation between the legislatures of Brazil and Vietnam, thereby contributing to strengthening bilateral relations.

Pedro de Oliveira shared stories about the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh at the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil, on the occasion of the 133rd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birth (May 19, 1890 - May 19, 2023). (Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil)

He also noted that the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship and Cooperation Association wishes to expand cooperation in the field of education, including initiatives to connect Brazilian universities with higher education institutions in Vietnam, with a view to establishing joint research and exchange programs between the two countries.

He expressed his confidence that with the support of friendship organizations, the business community, and the peoples of both nations, Vietnam-Brazil relations will continue to be consolidated and comprehensively developed across multiple fields.

In a press interview marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930 - February 3, 2025), Pedro de Oliveira emphasized that Brazil could learn from Vietnam in many areas: building national unity, administrative reform, and infrastructure development. He also paid close attention to Vietnam’s multilateral foreign policy, its participation in trade agreements such as CPTPP, EVFTA, and RCEP, as well as its contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations.

More than half a century since the film screening in 1968, journalist and historian Pedro de Oliveira remains steadfast in his journey of research and connection. His concrete contributions, from publishing books and works on Vietnam to promoting educational cooperation and creating bridges between the peoples of Vietnam and Brazil, have left an enduring mark. At nearly 80 years old, he is not only a witness to a historic era but also an active contributor to the new milestones of Vietnam-Brazil relations through the channel of people-to-people diplomacy.

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