Brazil

• 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.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 09:49 UTC

  Brazil supports Guyana's boundaries which are challenged by Venezuela

  

  Brazil maintains that the settlement of the Guyana/Venezuela Border is final and must be respected, according to the country's Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge. Following his attendance at the recently concluded Mercosur Summit held in Brazil, Greenidge said Brasilia has been updated on Venezuela’s contention that the 1899 Award is null and void, and remains resolute to its original position.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 09:40 UTC

  Brasilia/Caracas tit for tat: Venezuelan top diplomat declared “persona non grata”

  

  Brazil has declared Gerardo Maldonado, Venezuela’s top diplomat in the country, persona non grata in a tit-for-tat move that comes just days after Caracas expelled the Brazilian ambassador.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 09:24 UTC

  Brazil suspends fish exports to the EU over inspection discrepancies

  

  Brazil said it was suspending fish exports to the European Union in response to concerns raised by Brussels' veterinary inspectors. The move was aimed at preventing the EU itself from ordering a suspension, said Luis Rangel, the secretary of state in charge of fisheries.

• Wednesday, December 27th 2017 - 10:44 UTC

  Brazil is the world's ninth largest producer of hydrocarbons

  

  Brazil has produced 3.3 million barrels per day (b/d) of petroleum and other liquids so far in 2017, according to data through August, up from 3.2 million b/d in 2016, making it the ninth-largest producer of petroleum and other liquids in the world. Production of crude oil in Brazil increased in recent years as producers targeted large, offshore, pre-salt oil deposits. Brazil’s pre-salt oil production in 2016 reached a record 1.02 million b/d, surpassing the 2015 production level by 33%.