Brazil

• Wednesday, January 3rd 2018 - 10:12 UTC

  Brazil finished 2017 with a record trade surplus of US$ 67bn

  

  Brazil's road to economic recovery has passed another milestone with official data showing on Tuesday that the country finished 2017 with a record trade surplus 40.5% higher than in the previous year. The US$67 billion surplus was in line with market projections and within the US$65/70bn range forecast by the government.

• Wednesday, January 3rd 2018 - 06:55 UTC

  Brazil purchases Royal Navy's fleet flagship helicopter carrier, HMS Ocean

  

  Brazil has now confirmed the purchase of British helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, according to a report in the UKdefensejournal. “We were informed by a source in the Brazilian defense community that the vessel has been sold for £84 million. Roberto Lopes has informed us that the purchase of HMS Ocean by the Brazilian Navy was confirmed within the last week by Brazilian Defense Minister Raul Jungmann”.

• Sunday, December 31st 2017 - 10:32 UTC

  Temer paves the way for the privatization of jumbo power company Electrobras

  

  Brazilian President Michel Temer signed a measure that paves the way for the privatization of Eletrobras, Latin America’s largest power company, according to a government official.

• Sunday, December 31st 2017 - 10:27 UTC

  Brazil denies any hypothesis of credit rating downgrade

  

  “The government does not work on the hypothesis of a rating downgrade by the main credit rating agencies”, said Brazil's Treasury Secretary Ana Paula Vescovi during an interview to release the primary results of the Central Government.

• Sunday, December 31st 2017 - 06:26 UTC

  Lula's presidential ambition: on January 24 a Porto Alegre court will rule on his appeal

  

  Brazil's former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will learn in January whether a prison sentence against him is upheld, officials said, potentially knocking him out of next year's presidential election. Lula was sentenced in July to 9.5 years behind bars after being convicted of corruption in Brazil's huge “Car Wash” graft scandal.

• Friday, December 29th 2017 - 10:06 UTC

  Brazil's main stock market, Ibovespa ends the year with a 26.85% increase

  

  Ibovespa, the benchmark stock market index in Brazil, ended the last trading session of the year with a 0.43% rise to 76,402.08 points amid a lack of negative political news and tracking stock markets abroad.

• Friday, December 29th 2017 - 10:04 UTC

  Temer clashes with Supreme Court over Christmas pardon list that included corruption-related convicts

  

  The head of Brazil’s Supreme Court suspended parts of a Christmas decree from President Michel Temer granting pardons to convicted criminals on Thursday, saying Temer’s actions needed further examination by the court. Cármen Lúcia ruled largely in favor of a legal challenge by Brazil’s top prosecutor, Raquel Dodge, who said on Wednesday that the pardons were unconstitutional and threatened a probe into the country’s largest-ever corruption scandal.

• Friday, December 29th 2017 - 09:57 UTC

  Relatives and friends honor 132 police officers killed in Rio de Janeiro in 2017

  

  Relatives and friends of some of the 132 police officers killed in Rio de Janeiro this year have taken part in a protest to honor their loved ones. It was organized by human rights NGO Rio de Paz. Police uniforms stained with red paint and red roses in their pockets were hung alongside plaques with the names of the officers killed in 2017.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 10:03 UTC

  Brazil creates National Mining Agency to promote and regulate the industry

  

  Brazil's President Michel Temer has approved a law to create a National Mining Agency (ANM), according to a statement published in Wednesday's edition of the country's official gazette.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 09:54 UTC

  Temer appoints new Labor minister; officials resign to run in 2018 elections

  

  Brazilian President Michel Temer will appoint Congressman Pedro Fernandes as the new labor minister, the leader of the Brazilian Labour Party, Jovair Arantes, said on Wednesday. Brazilian Labor Minister Ronaldo Nogueira has resigned because he plans to seek a seat in Chamber of Deputies in next year's election.