Brazil

• Friday, October 18th 2019 - 08:34 UTC

  Bolsonaro family fighting for control of the party and its war chest, US$ 94 million

  

  A push by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to make his son the leader of his party in the lower house of Congress was rejected on Thursday, deepening a rift with party leaders that could further fragment the far-right firebrand's legislative base.

• Thursday, October 17th 2019 - 09:51 UTC

  Brazil's Economy minister cancels trip to IMF assembly to ensure pension reform approval

  

  Brazil’s Economy Minister Paulo Guedes has canceled a trip to the International Monetary Fund’s annual meeting (IMF) in Washington, to deal with his economic agenda, the ministry said on Wednesday, as the government’s pension reform plan winds its way through Congress.

• Thursday, October 17th 2019 - 09:50 UTC

  Brazilian police launch corruption probe into Bolsonaro's party head

  

  Brazilian police launched a corruption probe this week into the head of President Jair Bolsonaro’s right-wing Social Liberal Party (PSL) Luciano Bivar, a police source revealed, adding to tensions within the fractious governing coalition.

• Thursday, October 17th 2019 - 09:00 UTC

  Brazil's Tourism Board launches promotion campaign competition with 30 days all expenses covered

  

  The Brazilian Tourism Board (Embratur) launched this week “The King of Rolê”, their newest international promotional campaign. The competition will encourage international visitors to compete to win a trip of a lifetime to Brazil, for 30 days, all expenses covered. “Rolê” is a Brazilian expression that loosely translates to “going for a fun walk.” Going for a “rolê” means to hang out, to make new friends and to enjoy life.

• Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 18:28 UTC

  Housing disaster in Brazil: seven-story building collapses in Fortaleza

  

  A seven-story building collapsed in northeastern Brazil on Tuesday, killing at least one person, trapping others — and drawing new attention to the unsettling frequency with which buildings in Brazil suddenly fall.

• Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 18:10 UTC

  Brazil following closely the Vatican does Synod fear bad international press

  

  A Brazilian diplomat said last week that the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro doesn’t fear the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon taking place this month at the Vatican, but that the Catholic bishops “involuntarily reinforce the campaign of the European lobbies, who are very afraid of the competition of Brazilian agriculture.”

• Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 17:54 UTC

  Brazilians allowed to double purchases in duty free shops to US$ 1.000

  

  Brazilian Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, signed a resolution on Monday raising the limit of purchases in duty-free shops from US$ 500 to US$ 1,000. The new value for purchases from foreign and domestic airports and border free shops, starts January 1, 2020.

• Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 17:40 UTC

  Brazilian economy still on the takeoff tarmac, lack of confidence blamed

  

  Brazil's economy is on an erratic path, according to economic activity data released for the third quarter of 2019. The economy shows no signs of a consistent recovery, and economic activity still depends on household consumption, trade, and the service sector.

• Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 08:35 UTC

  Brazil looking to a dynamic holiday season and temporary jobs

  

  Brazil's National Trade Confederation (CNC) announced that they expect 91,000 temporary jobs will be created in the upcoming holiday season. The figure is the highest estimated in the past six years and, if confirmed, will represent a 4% increase year-on-year.

• Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 08:10 UTC

  A “ghost ship” smuggling Venezuelan oil probable cause of the massive spill along Brazilian northeast beaches

  

  A huge oil spill off Brazil's northeastern coast may have involved a “ghost ship” carrying Venezuelan oil in breach of US sanctions, a Petrobras expert close to the probe into the disaster said on Tuesday.