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Has Brazil blown it, asks The Economist; Who bets against Brazil, always loses, replies Dilma
Last week Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff reopened her official twitter, closed since January 2011 when she was inaugurated, but now a year ahead of elections has reappeared with the character “Dilma Bolada”, full of music, colour and satire. “Sou Linda, sou diva, sou Presidenta, Sou Dilma” is the slogan of her Facebook with over half a million fans in just a few days Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesYes, Brazil has blown it.
Oct 01st, 2013 - 05:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0'... and (Brasil's) customs procedures are a catalogue of bloody-minded obstructionism.'
Oct 01st, 2013 - 09:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0Oh, so true!
A synoptical piece in which The Economist gives us nothing we don't already know.
I imagine someone like Stalin might have been able to do better,
but Rousseff - largely trying to hold democracy and coalition government together single-handedly - has given us as much as we could sensibly expect and very little more.
Nevez might do better, but Governors and Mayors (like Boris) don't automatically translate into Prime Ministers and Presidents.
The root problem is the dozens of political parties and the huge coalitions needing pay-offs and trade-offs.
Thus, corruption IS the way it is; there is no alternative under the present rules of governance.
So much bad to unpick before good can be put in place.
So sayeth the great Economist.
Oct 01st, 2013 - 10:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0I, and others here would disagree.
First it should be apparent to anyone that Brasil is no Argentina. We have our problems dealing with Argentina like everyone else. The difference is that we are trying to assist and help Argentina, and not just point fingers.
Second, with our resources, and business opportunities, there is no stopping the flood of investors and manufacturers that keep coming here. Did anyone see much damage in Brasil from the World Economic crises ? No. In fact we paid off our IMF debts, and now loan funds to that organization.
Third, the Economist may state conditions here are protectionist, but to insulate us from the problems experienced elsewhere in the world, I say our policies have been more of a cautionary nature.
We aren't perfect, and have experienced some mistakes, but we don't wish to travel down the same road as Greece, Spain, and Cyprus. So by choice, and effective leadership, we haven't.
The important thing is to keep the Western vultures away from here. They are only interested in stealing us to feed your luxury, arrogance and laziness.
Oct 01st, 2013 - 10:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0'Brazil is the country of the future, and always will be.' They said.
Oct 01st, 2013 - 12:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The recent 'glow' of Brazil is simply the result of a credit boom.
How can she say the Rial is stable when it is depreciating daily? So that is lie #1.
Oct 01st, 2013 - 01:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0My guess is Soy is heading to its 52 week low and may even become unprofitable in the short term.
I don't see much good coming out of Brazil for awhile. It's population of slum dwellers is too large for it to ever become successful.
@3, 4. Perhaps Dilma, or you, could comment on Brazil's TEN debt crises? More than argieland, I believe!
Oct 01st, 2013 - 01:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Politics are slowing down posible economic growth. This is not only happening with Brasil, but with a lot of other countries. Brasilian products are not competive on the world market, because they are protected by importtaxes on the local market. If Brasil is really so strong, they should enter the major world leage openly by allowing the world market mechanisms to be the referee.
Oct 01st, 2013 - 02:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 7
Oct 01st, 2013 - 03:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You know nothing of Brazil. Debt crises were before the PT (2003), when we have right-wing governments corrupt toadies submissive to USA interests.
Pretty accurate analysis by The Economist and frankly I do not recognize @ 3 BOTINHO’s view of the economy, far from it.
Oct 01st, 2013 - 07:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The liar Mantega single handedly destroyed the international investment opportunities with his lies about growth. Far too many U turns on “policy” have to take place because no-one, it seems to me, has a real grip on the important elements of power at any one time.
We all know that Brazil is no Argentina but they do tolerate the deceit and roadblocks put into the way by TMBOA. Why, do they want to get down to the level of The Dark Country because if you take everything thing together (economically) that is where Brazil are heading.
It is to be hoped that the marvellous oil finds can achieve real long term change for Brazil but who is going to ensure the rabid corruption at all levels is curbed once and for all, otherwise it will all be for nothing?
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