Foreign Policy Blogs

Brazil

How to Avoid Millions of Citizens Demanding your Impeachment

How to Avoid Millions of Citizens Demanding your Impeachment

One of the most basic forms of democratic engagement besides voting comes from mass peaceful protests. Indeed, it is difficult to ignore millions of people demanding the end of your political career.

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Slavery and Forced Labor in Brazil

Slavery and Forced Labor in Brazil

Brazil is estimated to have around 155,000 people being exploited in slave-like conditions.

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Is Rio Ready for the Olympics?

Is Rio Ready for the Olympics?

The Olympic Games are scheduled to begin on August 5. But will Rio de Janeiro be prepared amidst an economic recession, a looming public health crisis, delayed infrastructure developments, increasing crime rates, and numerous other problems that have rapidly developed over the past three years?

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BRICS Development Bank…Sure Why Not?

BRICS Development Bank…Sure Why Not?

The G20 Finance Ministers meeting to take place this weekend in Mexico City comes at a time where Europe has begun to reduce their crisis, the US and its President is singing along with better economic numbers and BRICS nations continue to roll on despite slower growth in Brazil and inflationary issues in China. What […]

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How to Win Large Contracts in BRICS Nations: Follow the French

How to Win Large Contracts in BRICS Nations: Follow the French

Dassault Aviation is well known for being the firm that lead France’s military export push since its inception in the late 1940s. The formation of several state aviation companies tasked with rebuilding France’s air force and civil aviation infrastructure after the Second World War re-engaged France’s great tradition in aviation that began with some the […]

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BRICS and Investment: Emerging Markets and Frontier Markets Going for Gold

BRICS and Investment: Emerging Markets and Frontier Markets Going for Gold

Brazil has been affected in recent weeks by suggestions of a slow down in Brazil’s usually hot economy. Inflation in China also has received some attention. The result was that some market studies have been done on the BRICS and emerging economies showing that countries like Mexico, South Africa and Vietnam are doing quite well […]

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Is Latin America Confident for All the Wrong Reasons?

Is Latin America Confident for All the Wrong Reasons?

Latin America’s technocrats spent the second half of 2011 on mushy footing, unsure what effect the euro zone crisis might have on the region and afraid that China might experience a “hard landing.” Now some of the region’s wonks are expressing more confidence. “Latin America has never been better equipped to move forward,” said Guillermo […]

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Brazil’s Women Leaders on Top of the World

Brazil’s Women Leaders on Top of the World

The way to become a top CEO in Europe or the US has often come from societies that promoted the top achievers in schools and universities into positions of great influence and great wealth. With hard work and luck a person of normal means could often get into high positions, very few can achieve this, […]

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Dilma’s Dangerous Idea

Dilma’s Dangerous Idea

In an article for the Economist’s “The World in 2012,” President Dilma Rousseff argues for “the Brazilian model” to be emulated by other developing countries. The essay rightly emphasizes Brazil’s record in poverty alleviation and environmental issues. At times though, Rousseff sounds off cue. For example, she writes: We should all strive to raise wages in line […]

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Mexico’s Economy Excelled in 2011, Brazil’s Sputtered–Surprised?

Mexico’s Economy Excelled in 2011, Brazil’s Sputtered–Surprised?

  Latin America’s two largest economies started 2011 on different notes. Mexico’s growth was set to ring up about 4 percent, with drug violence clipping about a point off growth, according to BBVA Bancomer, and reliance on a weakening U.S. economy wielding another discount. In April, auto production, a key industry in Mexico, experienced a […]

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Brazil 2011-2012: Vamos Lá!

Brazil 2011-2012: Vamos Lá!

Brazil 2011-2012: Vamos Lá! Summary of the past year: Well, in summary, from soaring to just plain growing. Economists surveyed by the Central Bank expect GDP to grow 3.0% in 2011 (adjusted real terms) versus 7.5% in 2010. As a recent Reuters report on Brazil puts it: “…corporate leaders, investors and government officials already express […]

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Government in the Closet

Government in the Closet

According to a recent poll by Latinobarómetro, a public opinion survey conducted in 18 countries in the Latin American region, 45% of Brazilians agree that “democracy is preferable to any other type of government.”[1] Alarmingly, the figure is down from 54% last year. The Economist proposes an explanation: “Dilma Rousseff, the new President, has taken […]

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Is Brazil Overly Confident on the World Stage?

Is Brazil Overly Confident on the World Stage?

Brazil has grown in confidence over the last two years regarding its formerly unknown status as a world power outside of Latin America. Brazil shared its influence with the US during internal troubles in Honduras and was one of the key sources of aid after the quake in Haiti. Brazil also involved itself in the […]

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While Brazil Waffles on FTA Mexican Exports Surge

While Brazil Waffles on FTA Mexican Exports Surge

In November 2010 the presidents of Latin America’s two largest economies pledged to hash out a free trade agreement. Per logic, Mexico has a consumer class of 100-plus million, Brazil twice that: each country stands to benefit. Yet free trade by numbers went out of vogue in the 1990s. Still, each country had implicit motives. […]

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Dil(em)ma

Dil(em)ma

Sandwiched between pages 78 and 79 of the current volume of Foreign Affairs is a sponsored essay on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. At the bottom of the article are pics of two business leaders and one high-profile minister, Wagner Rossi. Mr. Rossi was Brazil’s minister of agriculture, at least until last month. He became the […]

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