ECONOMIC INDICATORS Brazil economy grew 2.9% in 2023, says official data 01-03-2024 16:08 Brazil's economy expanded 2.9% in 2023 after a fourth quarter of zero growth, according to data released Friday by the IBGE national statistics agency.
GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY Brazil urges 'new globalisation' at G20 meet overshadowed by Ukraine 29-02-2024 11:20 Brazil called for a "new globalisation" to address poverty and climate change as finance ministers from the world's top economies met Wednesday, but the Ukraine and Gaza wars risked overshadowing the plea.
Brazil and Wall Street Lula pulls off rare trick twice, wooing Wall Street and the poor 26-02-2024 11:09 In his first year back in power, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has again managed to keep both low-income voters and Wall Street investors happy
G20 SUMMIT Government sends top officials to G20 in Brazil to appease Lula 20-02-2024 14:37 The context behind a trip to a forum with a different approach from the one sought by President Javier Milei.
Blinken in Brazil Blinken heads to Brazil after Lula's Israel denunciation 20-02-2024 13:33 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken goes to Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro for the Group of 20 summit; trip seen as an opportunity to build ties with two key leaders
DIPLOMACY Brazil-Israel row escalates as Lula declared 'persona non grata' 19-02-2024 21:14 Brazil recalls its ambassador from Israel, which declares Lula "persona non grata" after controversial remarks.
CRIME & INSECURITY Milei considers deploying Armed Forces against organised crime 19-02-2024 16:59 While President Javier Milei and Defence minister Luis Petri assess modifying legislation governing role of the Armed Forces on Argentina territory, in Brazil and Paraguay armies are joining forces in the battle against organised crime.
Foreign relations & diplomacy Blinken to make first trips to Brazil, Argentina as Lula leads G20 16-02-2024 13:03 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to make first official visits to Brazil and Argentina while in region for G20 meeting of foreign ministers.
EU-MERCOSUR DEAL EU-Mercosur trade deal totters as Europe's farmers revolt 30-01-2024 18:15 Growing farmer protests in Europe and strong opposition from France damages push for EU-Mercosur free-trade deal.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Scholz, Milei in favour of swift conclusion to EU-Mercosur deal 09-01-2024 20:42 President Javier Milei spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, with the two calling for a swift conclusion to the European Union-Mercosur trade deal.
LATIN AMERICA Bolsonaro’s shadow looms over a revamp of the Brazilian right 08-01-2024 09:52 A tear after Brazil riots, Bolsonaro’s right-wing movement seeks a rebrand.
Mercosur summit Mercosur summit ends without EU deal, eclipsed by Venezuela fear 08-12-2023 01:01 A Mercosur summit planned to conclude a landmark trade agreement with the European Union closed Thursday in Rio de Janeiro with no deal in sight and its leaders focused instead on preventing a burgeoning territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana.
MILEI'S INAUGURATION Zelenskyy headlines guestlist as leaders confirm for inauguration 08-12-2023 00:45 Javier Milei will be sworn-in as Argentina's new head of state on Sunday in a ceremony set to be attended by a host of regional and world leaders.
BILATERAL RELATIONS Lula snubs Milei invite to presidential inauguration 05-12-2023 13:39 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will not attend Sunday's inauguration of president-elect Javier Milei, despite libertarian leader's attempts at rapprochement in recent weeks.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Argentina: Conditions not in place to sign Mercosur-EU deal 04-12-2023 12:09 Argentina’s outgoing government says conditions are not in place to sign long-delayed free-trade agreement between Mercosur and European Union.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Macron concerns derail EU-Mercosur trade agreement yet again 03-12-2023 08:33 EU-Mercosur trade deal receives a serious setback after French President Emmanuel Macron declares environmental concessions obtained by the European bloc fall short of what’s needed.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL EU-Mercosur trade agreement postponed as Milei awaited 02-12-2023 15:03 Major trade deal between the European Union and Latin American economies now unlikely to be signed next week as hoped, as additional commitments will require Javier Milei's approval.
MERCOSUR BLOC EU, South America near deal on elusive Mercosur trade pact 30-11-2023 12:51 European Union and Mercosur are closer than ever to concluding a major free-trade agreement more than two decades in the making, with leaders optimistic they can strike a deal next week.
TRANSITION OF POWER Milei lines up ‘protocol meetings’ in US with IMF, World Bank 27-11-2023 11:27 President-elect has meetings scheduled with Juan Gonzalez, the National Security Council senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs, and officials from International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY President-elect heads to US, invites Lula to inauguration 26-11-2023 18:47 Milei's incoming foreign minister travelled to Brazil to invite President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to December 10 inauguration.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY Lula seeks to patch up tattered relations with Milei 23-11-2023 13:17 Lula wants to avoid a relapse in the bilateral relationship to the state it was under Jair Bolsonaro and Alberto Fernández.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY Lula to give Milei the cold shoulder, betting he’ll need Brazil 20-11-2023 15:24 President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has decided to put relations between Brazil and Argentina on hold until he has clarity about Javier Milei's plans.
PRESIDENT MILEI: REACTION Governments in Americas congratulate Milei on election triumph 19-11-2023 22:09 Presidents, prime ministers and political leaders across the Americas offer congratulations to Argentina's President-elect Javier Milei.
ELECTION 2023 Brazil’s Lula sides with Massa in Argentina vote as regional split widens 14-11-2023 13:16 Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has backed Sergio Massa ahead of Sunday’s presidential election, the latest leader taking a side in the heated contest that has highlighted deepening ideological divisions in the region
Election 2023 Lula says Argentina needs a president who ‘likes democracy’ 14-11-2023 12:07 Brazil president avoids explicitly declaring support for ally Sergio Massa but says Argentina needs to elect a president who ‘likes democracy’ in Sunday’s run-off – a not-so veiled jab at outspoken libertarian Javier Milei.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Brazil inflation falls below 5% 10-11-2023 15:08 Brazil's inflation rate fell below 5% per annum in October, officials said Friday, its first decline after three straight jumps, adding to the case for the central bank to continue growth-boosting interest-rate cuts.
MERCOSUR-EU AGREEMENT Lula and Sánchez plead for finalising Mercosur-EU agreement 03-11-2023 16:54 President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pled in a telephone conversation on Friday for finalising the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union as soon as possible.
WAR IN MIDDLE EAST Latin America divided and nuanced on Israel-Hamas conflict 01-11-2023 11:52 Many Latin American governments maintain strong support for Palestinians and their cause of statehood while condemning Israeli bombing of the Gaza strip; Argentina shows support for freeing hostages, with some of its citizens still being held by Hamas.
Election 2023 Javier Milei gets a challenge from team that beat Jair Bolsonaro 19-10-2023 20:45 A team of top Brazilian campaign strategists are attempting to help Sergio Massa win the presidency in Argentina.
ELECTION 2023 Lula declares that Argentine democracy is 'in danger' with Milei 21-09-2023 15:29 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva meets his US counterpart Joe Biden; Leftist leader warns that democracy in Argentina is endangered by threat of Javier Milei winning the Presidency.
Foreign Policy & Diplomacy Biden and Lula to launch workers' rights pact in meeting Wednesday 20-09-2023 07:00 The two presidents are taking further steps to tighten relations based on their mutual support for worker's rights and organized labor
DIPLOMACY & FOREIGN POLICY Lula has a date with Zelenskyy in NYC despite past acrimony 19-09-2023 07:49 Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet on the sidelines of this week's UN General Assembly gathering in New York.
MERCOSUR Mercosur responds to EU document of environmental demands 15-09-2023 16:27 Mercosur responds to EU document outlining environmental demands amid moves to close free-trade agreement between both blocs.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Brazil inflation accelerated in August to 4.61% 12-09-2023 14:54 Brazil’s inflation rate rises for second straight month in the wake of trimming of rates by central bank, but food prices decrease.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Lula urges meeting of EU-Mercosur leaders over trade deal fate 11-09-2023 11:34 EU and the Mercosur countries have been in talks to try to clinch a trade accord for more than 20 years – Lula says it's not time to decide, once and for all.
G20 leaders summit G20 summit: Who is coming to India, and who is not 06-09-2023 09:52 Leaders from the world's top economies arrive in India on Friday for a two-day G20 summit overshadowed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, worries over the global economy and climate change. Xi and Putin won't be there, but it looks like President Alberto Fernández will.
ELECTION 2023 Operation Beat Milei – Massa’s emergency election campaign 05-09-2023 14:35 Sergio Massa unveils package of measures to be competitive; With Lula's request and a gubernatorial rebuff ringing in his ears, Sergio Massa is fighting for Javier Milei's votes. by Juan Luis González
KNOCK-ON EFFECT Brazil's surprise economic rebound could provide boost for Argentina 02-09-2023 14:52 President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government implemented measures to reactivate consumption that strengthened the Brazilian economy. Facts and surprises. by Eleonora Gosman
TIES WITH CUBA Brazil to send business leaders to Cuba in push to rebuild ties 02-09-2023 10:32 Delegation of at least 30 Brazilian business leaders will travel to Havana on Monday in search of opportunities to boost trade with Cuba, the latest step in Lula's push to repair relations between the two nations.
BRAZIL IN FOCUS Lula tightens grip on Brazil politics as economy defies odds 02-09-2023 10:25 Just six months ago, grim warnings about Brazil’s economy were looming over his pledge to restore prosperity, Lula is stronger today than when he assumed office.
EXPORTS Brazil agrees export financing deal with Argentina 29-08-2023 14:15 Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad and Argentina's Economy Minister Sergio Massa announce agreement to fund Brazilian exports to the tune of US$600 million.
ECONOMY MINISTER ABROAD Massa’s trip to Brazil ends without deal on exports to Argentina 29-08-2023 10:00 Brazil had proposed using yuan reserves to guarantee payment; Haddad surprised by agenda unilateraly released by Massa.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY President confirms Argentina's 'historic' admission to BRICS 24-08-2023 11:15 Argentina to join bloc of emerging economies led by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, confirms Fernández. BRICS leaders also approve accession of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Iran.
ENVIRONMENT South America seeks roadmap to save Amazon at 'landmark' summit 08-08-2023 13:34 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened what he called a "landmark" summit Tuesday, urging fellow South American leaders to chart an ambitious roadmap to save the Amazon rainforest.
Economy Brazil’s Lula says he expects rate cut, but renews Central Bank criticism 02-08-2023 14:19 President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expects Brazil's central bank to initiate an interest rate-cutting cycle as he has demanded, while also reiterating his criticism of bank chief Roberto Campos Neto, questioning his understanding of the Brazilian people and who he serves.
Lula's surgery Lula to get hip surgery, admits pain makes him cranky 27-07-2023 12:31 Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 77, will undergo hip surgery to alleviate pain, potentially affecting his upcoming international engagements.
Brazil's economy Lula to tap ally to run Brazil statistics agency, raising concerns of its future 27-07-2023 12:21 Lula's appointment of economist Marcio Pochmann to head Brazil's IBGE statistics agency raises credibility concerns due to his controversial left-wing views and past budget cuts affecting data accuracy.
economy Brazil is pushing the US out of world’s biggest soybean market 24-07-2023 15:44 China's increasing reliance on Brazilian soybeans during the typical season lull signals a shift away from the US as South America's shippers dominate the market, impacting American farmers and geopolitics.
latin america Lula sees global fatigue over Ukraine as he pushes for peace 19-07-2023 13:44 Brazil's Lula calls for peace as world grows weary of Ukraine conflict.
Economy Brazil’s economic activity tumbles past all forecasts 17-07-2023 19:57 Brazil's economy shrank more than expected in May, but President Lula's government's reforms and anticipated rate cuts have raised investor optimism.