Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his economy minister tried to rescue their contentious pension reform bill on Wednesday, as deepening political chaos surrounding the government’s signature proposal slammed Brazilian markets.
Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche said this week it will stop producing medicines at its Rio de Janeiro unit in Brazil, a new blow to a country whose economy appears to be in its most sluggish decade in 120 years. Roche said the move will take place within the next five years because that factory is not financially sustainable.
Brazil Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque said that Venezuela had not complied with its contract to supply the northern state of Roraima with energy since March 7. Roraima is a neighbor of Venezuela and an international bridge has become an escape way for thousands of Venezuelans fleeing from the Nicola Maduro regime and the lack of food and medicines.
Brazil's pension reform process hit two speed bumps on Tuesday, as Economy Minister Paulo Guedes did not attend a first congressional hearing on the proposals and a bloc of eleven political parties demanded the removal of changes affecting retirement benefits for rural and disabled workers.
Brazil's federal prosecutor's office on Tuesday said it was opposed to far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's plan to allow the armed forces to officially commemorate the 55th anniversary of Brazil's military coup this weekend.
A former communist militant Cesare Battisti has admitted to four murders in Italy during the 1970s, according to local press. Battisti, 64, spent decades on the run and previously denied any involvement. He was arrested in Bolivia in January after living in Brazil, and later extradited to Italy.
Brazilian appeals court judge on Monday released former President Michel Temer from jail following his high-profile arrest on graft charges last week, which marked a fresh landmark in the country’s battle against political corruption.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said his country “does not owe the world anything” when it comes to the environment. The far-right leader, who is critical of the Paris climate change accord, was speaking in Chile following Friday’s launch of the Forum for the Progress of South America (PROSUR), a conservative-minded group of South American leaders.
Brazilian stocks fell sharply on Friday as the arrest of the country’s former president, Michel Temer, sparked worries that government debate over key fiscal reforms may be delayed.
Brazil's Petrobras is re-evaluating a preliminary deal with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to build an oil refinery in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian economic newspaper Valor Economico reported on Thursday, citing a source from Petrobras’ management.