Brazil

• Thursday, January 13th 2022 - 10:02 UTC

  Record 2021 trade surplus in Brazil, but complaints about the economy becoming commodities dependent

  

  Brazil managed a US$ 61,01 billion surplus in its trade balance in 2021, which is 21% higher than the US$ 50 billion of 2020 and the best performance since current stats were officially recorded beginning 1989.

• Thursday, January 13th 2022 - 09:49 UTC

  Bolsonaro “welcomes” Omicron – angers WHO

  

  Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Wednesday said the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 was “welcome” in Brazil, because it “may point to the end of the pandemic.”

• Wednesday, January 12th 2022 - 19:53 UTC

  Bolsonaro says STF judges biased

  

  Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Wednesday said two Supreme Federal Court (STF) were taking sides ahead of this year's elections and favoring leftwing contender and former head of state Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

• Wednesday, January 12th 2022 - 09:55 UTC

  Brazil's inflation for 2021 reaches 10.06%

  

  Brazil's inflation for the year 2021 has reached 10.06%, which was the country's highest in the past six years, driven mainly by the rise in fuel prices and by the energy crisis, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) announced Tuesday.

• Tuesday, January 11th 2022 - 13:53 UTC

  Brazilian car industry expanded 11% last year but still below 2018/19 potential

  

  Brazil's National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers, ANFAVEA said that the 2021 market had a significant improvement to the critical production level of 2020, but was still short of the potential of the industry both in domestic and foreign markets. Nevertheless, Brazilian exports of automobiles reach US$ 7,6 billion.

• Tuesday, January 11th 2022 - 09:55 UTC

  Emergency declared at Brazilian state of Minas Gerais due to heavy rainfalls

  

  Heavy rainstorms have left at least 138 cities in a state of emergency in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais due to floods, landslides and damages to the infrastructure.

• Monday, January 10th 2022 - 09:19 UTC

  Lack of rain in southern states will reduce the Brazilian 2021/22 soybean harvest

  

  The hydric deficit and above-average temperatures in southern Brazil and southern Mato Grosso do Sul, prevailing since November have significantly damaged the 2021/22 soybean crop. Brazil’s estimated harvest has been lowered by 11.3 million tons to 133.4 million tons, according to a new survey released this week by AgRural.

• Saturday, January 8th 2022 - 12:30 UTC

  Anvisa okays COVID-19 vaccine entirely produced in Brazil

  

  Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) Friday approved the first nationally manufactured COVID-19 vaccine. The body is also considering a second pediatric drug after having cleared Pfizer's for children aged 5 to 11.

• Friday, January 7th 2022 - 15:58 UTC

  Brazilian Army fears social unrest if Bolsonaro not reelected

  

  Brazil's Army has rescheduled its usual annual drills due to the Oct. 2 presidential elections, it was announced. Maneuvers usually carried out during the last quarter of each year have been moved ahead in order to be completed before September.

• Thursday, January 6th 2022 - 22:05 UTC

  COVID-19 infections in Rio skyrocket: over 6,000% in 20 days

  

  Health authorities in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have reported Thursday that the number of COVID-19 detections had increased 6,778% in less than a month, as the Omicron strain has already been detected locally.