Some background on Alcântara launch center. The facility is among those closest to the equator. The USA has been seeking access to it for a long time. Wikileaks has quite a few files about the negotiations which I found to be incredibly humiliating for Brazil. The USA wants to use the base but does not want Brazil to have any rocket or missile technology whatsoever. They essentially wanted to lock brazilian personnel out of their own base.

Here's to hoping China presents a better deal. I don't have any faith in the ability of this government to develop even a rudimentary space program, let alone a "rival" to Musk's corporations. Maybe they can at least avoid making some humiliating concessions though. If they can negotiate some kind of technology transfer with China that'll be a major victory.