SÃO PAULO — Brazil has no intention of taking sides in Thursday’s referendum on Scottish independence, the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations told the Anadolu Agency on Wednesday afternoon.

“Brazil will not interfere in what we consider to be an internal matter for the United Kingdom,” an official at the Itamaraty – as the ministry is known locally – said by phone from the Brazilian capital, Brasília.

When asked whether Brazil would work with an independent Scotland, the ministry spokesperson said the practicalities of recognition would be addressed in the event of secession from the UK, but that the Latin country would “obviously” establish diplomatic relations.

A number of countries around the world are following the Scottish vote with a level of trepidation, including Spain and China, both of which have regions eager to break away.

Some 4.3 million Scots are eligible to vote in Thursday’s referendum on independence from the UK, and the result is expected at some point early Friday morning.

In the event of a victory for the ‘yes’ campaign, the country would likely take around 18 months to trash out the details of how independence would be declared and how the nascent nation be established.