Mexico and Venezuela, for instance, have tourist card requirements. But a tourist card for Venezuela can be obtained from airlines serving Venezuela without a charge. So special consideration can be given to address exceptional circumstances without severely discouraging tourist travel that offers economic and social advantages to both parties. Tourism, at a minimum, should be facilitated with relative ease. And, in light of the fact that we seem to be seeing development of a New World free trade zone, it seems that the Western Hemisphere's two giants would benefit from facilitating relative ease of business travel.
Brazil is a large and, in some areas of enterprise, potentially intimidating competitor.
Without accusing anyone of impropriety, I would like to assert that visa requirements should not be allowed to grow out of trade disputes, and should never be used as instruments of punishment in foreign relations between friendly nations. After all, visa requirements are always reciprocal. If the United States punishes another nation by requiring that each of its citizens traveling here have a visa, then each of its own citizens will likewise need a visa to enter that other country. It is in the national interest of the United States to encourage Brazilian economic prosperity as it institutionalizes democratic principles and privately owned free enterprise. Brazil has emerged from its chrysalis, and the United States would do well to welcome it into the light of nations.