News of brazil

AMAZON IN FLAMES

Bolsonaro reacts to Amazon fires after Macron threatens to pull EU-Mercosur deal

Today 10:13 Brazilian government pushes back against mounting national and international pressure over its environmental policies, as a record number of fires rip through the Amazon rainforest.

TRADE DEALS

Mercosur reaches EFTA trade deal with European countries

Yesterday 22:13 The agreement with the European Free Trade Association formed by Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, comes two months after Mercosur sealed a landmark trade deal with the European Union.

AMAZON IN FLAMES

Global outrage forces Bolsonaro to act, sending Army to contain Amazon fires

Yesterday 16:01 Under increasing international pressure to contain record numbers of fires in the Amazon, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Friday he might send the military to battle the massive blazes.

AMAZON IN FLAMES

Ireland may withold EU-Mercosur deal support over Amazon fires

Yesterday 14:03 "There is no way that Ireland will vote for the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement if Brazil does not honour its environmental commitments," says Prime Minister Leo Varadkar

OPINION

Leonid Bershidsky: The EU can push Bolsonaro to save the Amazon

Yesterday 13:59 It’s appropriate for Macron, Merkel and other European leaders to reconsider the Mercosur trade agreement in response to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s behaviour.

DEAL IN DOUBT

Macron: France won't back EU-Mercosur deal over Bolsonaro's climate 'lies'

Yesterday 10:19 Outraged over the Amazon fires, French president brands Brazilian counterpart a liar and threatens to block EU-Mercosur trade deal "under these conditions."

CRIME & SECURITY

Killings by police divide Rio, with Brazil's famed city weary of crime

22-08-2019 09:32 Brazilian human rights and victims' groups are raising alarms about the record levels of deaths at police hands in the state of 17.2 million people, with 1,075 slain in the first seven months of the year, according to official figures. And far-right Rio state Governor Wilson Witzel and President Jair Bolsonaro are pushing to give police a still-freer hand.

FOREST FIRES

As inferno rages in Amazon, data shows fires up 84% under Bolsonaro

21-08-2019 16:59 Far-right Brazilian president claims environmental NGOs started the fires to embarrass his government, as global outrage grows.

500 DAYS

Fernández, CFK join petition from Argentine leaders for Lula's release

21-08-2019 08:35 Presidential frontrunner Alberto Fernández and running-mate Cristina Fernández de Kirchner led calls by dozens of personalities Tuesday to free Brazil's jailed leftist icon Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro's Brazil

Bolsonaro: Argentines took out money from banks 'en masse' after Fernández win

19-08-2019 15:06 Since the Frente de Todos candidate's win in this month's primary, the Brazilian president has repeatedly attacked the Kirchnerite party, slamming "leftist bandits" seeking "return to power."

BLOOMBERG

China boosts Brazil soy imports as Argentina hoards crops

16-08-2019 14:26 Chinese companies purchased between 1.5 and 2 million metric tonnes of soy as Argentine farmers withhold beans to stave off currency fall.

BRAZIL DICTATORSHIP

Criminal trial ordered for Brazil ex-sergeant over regime-era crimes

15-08-2019 16:09 Antonio Waneir Pinheiro de Lima, a former sergeant in the Brazilian military, is accused of kidnapping, imprisoning and sexually assaulting a historian in the early 1970s.

Argentina-Brazil

Brazil-Argentina ties sour as Bolsonaro fumes over primary vote

14-08-2019 12:14 President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro expressed his discontent over the triumph of Kirchnerism in Sunday’s primaries. Though different in style, Mauricio Macri and Bolsonaro had similar economic goals.

PASO

Lula, Bolsonaro react to PASO vote

12-08-2019 13:35 The jailed former Brazilian president tweeted: "It's necessary to give hope to the people, to bring better days and tend to those who need it most."

BLOOMBERG

China to look beyond Brazil to Argentina for soy, as trade war rages

08-08-2019 09:13 After Donald Trump escalated trade spat last week, the Asian nation halted its purchases of US farm goods. That leaves few alternatives to Brazil. Argentina may be one option, but farmers there are currently hoarding beans amid upcoming elections.

BLOOMBERG

Trump hints at more trade aid for farmers, as China trade war drags on

06-08-2019 16:02 With Beijing and Washington at odds, Argentine farmers are capturing larger shares of soybean sales to China, the largest export market for the oilseed.

Bolsonaro's Brazil

Brazil's space research chief says he was sacked over Bolsonaro deforestation spat

02-08-2019 17:34 Ricardo Galvao told the press that "My words about the president have caused annoyance, so I'm going to be fired."

HUMAN RIGHTS

Bolsonaro targets commission probing dictatorship-era political disappearances

02-08-2019 09:50 Far-right leader removes several members of a commission investigating disappearances and murders, acting days after they confronted him on the role played by the state in the killing of a leftist activist.

US-BRAZILIAN RELATIONS

Trump boosts Brazil's status as 'major Non-NATO military ally' of US

01-08-2019 00:08 Moves eases path for the Latin American giant to buy more sophisticated weaponry from Washington.

CAR WASH

Brazilians show support for US journalist Glenn Greenwald

31-07-2019 14:29 Founder of The Intercept has faced threat of imprisonment by far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, after reporting details taken from hacked mobile phone conversations.

TRADE DEALS

Trump says US to begin working on free-trade deal with Brazil

30-07-2019 15:46 “We’re going to work on a free-trade agreement with Brazil,” US president tells reporters in Washington

LATIN AMERICA

At least 52 dead in Brazil prison riot: official

29-07-2019 14:26 Violence between rival gang factions leaves 16 decapitated, two guards taken hostage

BLOOMBERG

Latin America's central banks poised to join global rate cut party

25-07-2019 09:52 Brazil, Peru and Mexico indicate rate cuts are on the cards, but Argentina remains the outlier.

Messi

Messi given one-match ban for Copa America red card

24-07-2019 12:28 CONMEBOL made no mention of Messi's "corruption" accusation against the regional governing body that he made after receiving his red card.

FREE-TRADE DEAL

EU slams 'misinformation' about Mercosur trade deal

15-07-2019 16:23 Accord has raised alarm in some European countries that the continent will be flooded with beef and other agricultural imports, subjecting domestic farmers to unfair competition and consumers to unsafe food.

BILATERAL TIES

Brazil’s Bolsonaro reaffirms his support for Macri's re-election

15-07-2019 08:52 “If people related to Cristina Kirchner, that are close to Lula, Dilma, etc., return to power, then I think Argentina will have serious problems,” Brazilian leader tells Clarín.

DIPLOMACY

Brazil's Bolsonaro 'considering own son for US ambassador post'

12-07-2019 14:02 The outspoken Brazilian leader said he’s considering the cost-benefit of the decision and cited his son's friendship with the children of President Trump.

BLOOMBERG

Irish lawmakers signal opposition to EU-Mercosur trade agreement

11-07-2019 19:32 Irish farming groups are particularly concerned about a possible influx of Brazilian beef into the EU.

Bloomberg

Brazil finally delivered on pensions – now comes everything else

11-07-2019 12:52 Pension bill approval has mostly been priced into markets, but investors will want more reform.

Bolsonaro's Brazil

Bolsonaro pension reform passes first vote in Congress

11-07-2019 12:34 Lower House of Congress votes 379 to 131 to approve base text, as protesters take to streets in opposition.

BLOOMBERG

MercadoLibre optimistic on Brazil's economy after 2018 hurdles

11-07-2019 11:55 Chief Executive Officer Marcos Galperin rejects views of economists who have slashed their forecasts for the region’s biggest economy.

EU-Mercosur

Macron has 'questions' about various aspects of EU-Mercosur deal

10-07-2019 17:54 A spokesperson for the French government said that the French president still had lingering questions about “environmental” and “health” provisions as well as conditions regarding “sensitive sectors.”

BLOOMBERG

Latin America and free trade score a win with EU-Mercosur deal

09-07-2019 15:22 Who knew that even as China and the United States played chicken with international trade, 31 nations with a tenth of world population and a fourth of its wealth would agree to abide by global rules and swap goods freely across the Atlantic?

by Marc Margolis

HUMAN RIGHTS

Italy court sentences 24 people to life in jail for Operation Cóndor crimes

09-07-2019 13:53 Uruguayan government confirms Italian court has sentenced 24 people to life in prison for their involvement in human rights crimes committed during the "Operation Condor" offensive.

ARGENTINE FOOTBALL

Copa América ends in anti-climax for Argentina

06-07-2019 11:19 The Albiceleste were hoping to have another chance at glory this weekend, but instead they’re set for the third-place play-off – a match absolutely nobody wants to play.

by Dan Edwards

NEW TRADE DEAL?

Mercosur seeking trade deal with US, government confirms

06-07-2019 08:27 Following in footsteps of accord with European Union, Argentina and Brazil reveals plans for ambitious new accord.

MASSIVE POWER CUT

Government blames firm's 'faulty reprogramming' for June 16 black-out

04-07-2019 18:27 "The Argentine electrical system is robust, [but] a chain of failures led to collapse," Lopetegui said as he faced questioning over the unprecedented shutdown.

Copa América

AFA lodges complaint with CONMEBOL over refereeing in Brazil defeat

04-07-2019 17:16 Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia criticised South American football’s governing body, Ecuadorian referee Roddy Zambrano and Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazilian Education

Teachers occupy Rio squares offering free classes

04-07-2019 13:21 Free tutors are getting results in a country with over 11 million illiterate people.

Copa América

Messi vows to play on after latest Argentina heartache

03-07-2019 16:05 The five-time Ballon d’Or winner infamously quit international football after Argentina's defeat in the 2016 Copa América Centenario final. The Copa América will take place in Argentina and Colombia next year.

Photo op

PT party senator Gleisi Hoffman confirms Alberto Fernández to visit Lula in jail

03-07-2019 15:47 Alberto Fernández will visit Luiz Inácio 'Lula' da Silva in Curitiba as pressure mounts against the imprisonment of the former Brazilian president for corruption.

Copa América

Brazil beats Argentina and advances to Copa América final

03-07-2019 13:12 Argentina failed to score once as Messi and the Albiceleste once again leave the Copa América disappointed.

Mercosur

Brazil sees more trade deals for Mercosur bloc in 2019

02-07-2019 17:12 The historic trade deal has increased in the interest of other potential trade partners, according Brazilian officials.

Copa América

Fireworks, phone calls bother Argentina before Brazil semi

02-07-2019 13:29 Tricks like these by fans are common in South America before key matches.

Copa América

Brazil beats Paraguay in shootout in Copa América quarters

28-06-2019 13:40 The Seleção will play in the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time since 2007.

Lava Jato

Brazil Supreme Court rejects request to free former president Lula

26-06-2019 15:32 The court voted to postpone deciding on whether then-judge and current Brazilian Minister of Justice Sergio Moro was impartial when handling da Silva’s first conviction in 2017.

Copa América

Copa América: Rodriguez leads Colombia to win over Argentina

15-06-2019 22:59 This is the Colombians' first win over the Albiceleste since 2007. Argentina came closest to scoring with a close-range header by Messi that missed just wide in the 66th.

Copa América

Everton and Neres in contention for Neymar's spot in Brazil

15-06-2019 14:10 Neymar will not play in the Copa América due to an ankle injury. Brazil beat Bolivia handily 3-0 on Friday.

INSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

Brazil in shock as Minister Moro’s imprisonment of Lula questioned

15-06-2019 09:43 Justice Minister Sergio Moro sent ex-president Lula to prison on corruption charges as he led the polls for the presidency, paving the way for Jair Bolsonaro’s victory.

CORRUPTION

Moro and the moral dilemma

15-06-2019 08:31 Argentina and Brazil’s historical processes are intertwined, and in comparing both it is possible to come to a macro-historical understanding that helps put in context what is going on beneath the surface.

by Agustino Fontevecchia