Foreign Policy Blogs

Brazil

Mexico, the un-Brazil

Mexico, the un-Brazil

Author’s Note: Ruchir Sharma, head of emerging markets at Morgan Stanley, recently penned a piece in TIME asserting that Brazil is “the un-China.” That comparison inspired this post. Mexico Today, a public-private enterprise of which I am a paid contributor, provided some data. Mexico’s technocrats have been seething at comparisons with Brazil for years. Who […]

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Peppers on Ice: LatAm Central Banks Adjust to US Slowdown

Peppers on Ice: LatAm Central Banks Adjust to US Slowdown

Scarcely a month ago, market analysts were calling for Latin America’s central banks to hike interest rates. But on the heels of weak US quarterly GDP numbers and signs that the EU debt crisis may envelop Spain and Italy, market analysts are now forecasting lending rate cuts for Latin America’s two largest economies. The yield […]

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The Way to Create Stable Economies and Avoid Fluctuations: Canada and Brazil Create Stronger Ties

The Way to Create Stable Economies and Avoid Fluctuations: Canada and Brazil Create Stronger Ties

While the markets continue to create waves of pressure on the US and Europe and investors worldwide, America’s downgrade due to political infighting within the United States was met with a confirmed Triple A rating for it’s neighbor, Canada. Canada is not immune to partisan politics, but in the last election a few months back, […]

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Overheating Economies: Cause for Alarm in the Southern Cone

Overheating Economies: Cause for Alarm in the Southern Cone

I can’t let go of an article from the July 2 edition of the Economist. “Who’s Overheating” proposes an “emerging-markets overheating index” that crunched six factors: 1) Inflation 2) GDP growth since 2007, compared to the past decade 3) Unemployment 4) Credit growth 5) Real interest rates, and 6) Change in current-account balance. Twenty-seven countries […]

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Brazil Between Titans

Brazil Between Titans

More and more, Brazil seems to be caught between–and battling against–the greenback and the yuan. One result: the real is now among the “most overvalued” currencies in the world. Part of the problem is the whop-jawed global economy. The world’s largest economy has been slow to recover from the 2008 global financial crisis, causing the […]

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The Rousseff Presidency and Beyond: Interview with Roberto Mangabeira Unger

The Rousseff Presidency and Beyond: Interview with Roberto Mangabeira Unger

Following the eight year Presidency of Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva, Brazil has come to embody both the transformation of Latin America and the rising clout of developing world. Through a combination of heterodox public policies, ‘soft’ diplomacy and the internationalization of brand Brazil, the nation has finally shed its tragic nickname of the ‘country […]

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Assault on Complexo do Alemao: Remembering Contemporary Brazil

Assault on Complexo do Alemao: Remembering Contemporary Brazil

With all of the positive news coming out of Sao Paulo’s stock exchange and the ministries of Brasilia recently, this weekend’s crackdown on organized crime in the Complexo de Alemão and Vila do Cruzeiro favelas reminded the world of the crime-ridden Rio de Janeiro of today, whose parallels can easily be found throughout many of […]

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Early Frictions and Tests for the Rousseff Presidency

Early Frictions and Tests for the Rousseff Presidency

In a few short weeks Dilma Rousseff’s government-to-be has already begun to exhibit the damaging infighting and fractioning that many Brazil-watchers had predicted, raising questions about Ms. Rousseff’s strengths as a leader. Meirelles’ Sassy Exit Last week the head of Brazil’s central bank for the past eight years, Henrique Meirelles, criticized the Rousseff government’s aims […]

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Democracy in Brazil and The Future of the PSDB

Democracy in Brazil and The Future of the PSDB

The victory by Dilma Rousseff’’s Worker’s Party (PT) marks the third consecutive failure by Brazil’s Social Democrat Party (PSDB) to regain the presidency, raising questions about the PSDB’s electoral strategy and the party’s place in Brazilian politics. In the aftermath of the presidential elections one voice has risen above all of the post-election chatter to […]

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Guido Mantega’s Silent War

Guido Mantega’s Silent War

“We’re in the midst of an international currency war,” declared Brazil’s Finance Minister, Guido Mantega, this past Monday. Minister Mantega was referring to Brazil’s ongoing struggle to maintain a competitive exchange rate for its exports as other developing nations aim for the same. Although most analysts have recognized the “currency war” for some time, Minister Mantega’s […]

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Lula After Lula: What the Future Holds For Brazil’s Popular President

Lula After Lula: What the Future Holds For Brazil’s Popular President

  Brazil’s most popular politician in history is set to leave the presidency this year, ending nearly eight years at the helm of a government responsible for lifting over 20 million people out of poverty, maintaining Brazil’s economy booming during a global recession (with 2010 growth forecasted at 7.3%), and establishing Brazil as a regional […]

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Dilma Rousseff, Mother To Us All

Dilma Rousseff, Mother To Us All

She has promised to rule as the “mother for her people” while President Lula refers to her as the “mother of the poor”. Following the results of recent public opinion polls, connecting with Brazil’s mothers is proving vital to Ms. Rousseff’s campaign for the presidency. Last week’s Ibope and Datafolha polls showed PT presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff […]

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Iran rebuffs Brazil’s humanitarian appeal… again

Iran rebuffs Brazil’s humanitarian appeal… again

Iranian officials have formally rejected Brazil’s second offer of asylum to Iranian Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who is sentenced to death by stoning for alleged adultery. Iran’s rejection of Brazil’s diplomatic attempts follows President Lula’s initial unsuccessful appeal to the Iranian government made late last month and forms part of an international effort to free Ms. […]

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Brazil's Banks Follow in China's Footsteps

Brazil's Banks Follow in China's Footsteps

Brazil’s state-controlled Banco de Brazil and its rival Bradesco have agreed to acquire stakes in BES Africa, a Banco Espirito Santo (BES) holding company that makes investments in the African continent. The joint venture is intended to expand the Brazilian banks’ international operations and benefit Brazilian businesses operating in Africa. The move follows similar steps taken […]

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2010 Brazil Election Update: Dilma Advances in the Polls and Foreign Policy Takes Center Stage

2010 Brazil Election Update: Dilma Advances in the Polls and Foreign Policy Takes Center Stage

Polling results released this past Friday showed the Workers Party’s (PT) Dilma Rousseff leading José Serra – her main challenger from Brazil’s Social Democrat Party (PSDB) – by a margin of 5-8 points. The results mark the first time that most polls decisively show Lula’s chosen successor ahead of Mr. Serra since the formal election […]

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