 Saddam Hussein had threatened to use them as human shields to prevent an attack by the United States and its allies which later became known as the Gulf War.Flecha de Lima successfully negotiated in English with Hussein Kamel al-Majid, Minister of Military Production and son in law of Saddam Hussein, and with Iraqi vice-presidents Sabri Hamadi and Taha Yassin Ramadan.From 1990 to 1993 Flecha de Lima was Brazilian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, then from 12 November 1993 to 26 May 1999 he was Ambassador to the United States, suffering a brain haemorrhage while in post.