FIFA is expected to conduct surprise doping tests of all World Cup players at least once beginning in March, setting up biological passports to determine possible irregularities in blood and urine samples. FIFA chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak said all teams and players should be tested unannounced between March 1 and the World Cup opener in June.
In what was described as a shameful incident, Brazil had to retract from statements made by one of its diplomats, a condition demanded by Argentina to continue negotiations for a Mercosur common tariffs reduction proposal which was taking place in Caracas. The incident occurred last week but only came to light over the weekend.
More than 20 years after the fall of the dictatorships and civil wars that dominated Latin America, the region continues to be marked by a strong retaliation against the press, according to Reporters Without Borders, RSF, most recent annual index on the state of press freedom, which was published on Feb. 12.
Brazilian economic activity fell for the second straight month in December, declining 1.35% relative to November, the Central Bank said in a report Friday. The Economic Activity Index, IBC-Br, considered a reliable predictor of GDP performance, was up 2.57% for all of 2013.
Brazilian police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at about 16,000 landless farmers marching for land reform in clashes that left 42 people hurt. The march on Brasilia on Wednesday was the latest in a series of protests rocking the nation, raising security concerns just four months before Brazil hosts football's World Cup.
Former president Lula da Silva lobbied strongly on Thursday in New York trying to convince US investors to make business in Brazil during a conference to members of the American Society and Council of Americas, which organized the event.
Weeks of drought and heat have hit Brazil's soy and corn production, but the agriculture ministry still predicted a record 2014 harvest. Corn production is set to total 75.5 million metric tons, down from a January estimate of 79 million, state food supply agency Conab said in its monthly report.
Workers at a World Cup stadium in the jungle city of Manaus are threatening to go on strike to demand better conditions following a third recent construction-related death at the venue. A walkout could further delay the completion of the Arena da Amazonia just months before the start of football’s showcase tournament.
Uruguay and Brazil could be prepared to go ahead with a 'two speed' trade negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union if the Argentine tariff proposal is not as ambitious as that from the rest of its members, according to Uruguayan diplomatic sources.
The Brazilian official inflation rate was 0.55% in January, lower than December 2013’s 0.92% and January 2013’s 0.86%. Over the last 12 month-period, the Extended Consumer Price Index (IPCA) stands at 5.59%, from February 2013 to January 2014.