Brazil

Wednesday, July 4th 2018 - 09:02 UTC
Brazilian ex-billionaire sentenced to 30 years in prison for corruption

A Brazilian businessman famous for amassing and then losing a multi-billion-dollar fortune has been convicted of corruption and money laundering and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Wednesday, July 4th 2018 - 08:58 UTC
Lula ceases commenting the World Cup to avoid breaking election rules

Jailed former Brazil president Lula da Silva has decided to cease commenting on the World Cup for Brazilian television to avoid breaking election rules. The 72-year-old leftist politician was the front-runner for October's presidential elections until his incarceration in April after being convicted of accepting a bribe from Brazilian construction company OAS.
Monday, July 2nd 2018 - 07:27 UTC
Lula's latest appeal will be referred by the full Supreme Court in August

Brazil's Supreme Court (STF) Justice Edson Fachin has referred the appeal filed by the former president Lula da Silva's defense team to the full court. The ruling is expected for August, after the recess of the Brazilian judiciary.
Saturday, June 30th 2018 - 15:47 UTC
Brazil's Temer approval rating in a new record: 4%

Brazilians' disapproval of Michel Temer's administration has risen from 72% to 79% in the second quarter of 2018, according to a survey conducted by the National Industry Confederation (CNI) and Ibope.
Friday, June 29th 2018 - 08:54 UTC
Brazil's currency and stock market recover on Thursday, helped by opinion poll

The Brazilian real climbed almost 1% against the dollar on Thursday, as a rout on Wednesday led to a technical correction and a key poll showed Brazil's left failing to gain steam in presidential elections scheduled for October.
Friday, June 29th 2018 - 08:40 UTC
Brazil central bank slashed 2018 growth forecast to 1.6%

Brazil’s central bank on Thursday slashed its growth forecast for 2018 gross domestic product after a nationwide truckers strike paralyzed key sectors of Latin America’s largest economy. The bank sees GDP growth of 1.6% this year, according to its quarterly inflation report, compared to 2.6% previously.
Thursday, June 28th 2018 - 11:57 UTC
Black Wednesday for Argentina and Brazil as selloff intensifies across emerging markets assets

Argentina’s benchmark MerVal stock index closed down 8.8% on Wednesday, its worst daily performance since early 2014, as concerns about trade tensions between the United States and China prompted a selloff across emerging market assets.
Wednesday, June 27th 2018 - 08:38 UTC
Pence in Brazil exposes US government's double standard on fleeing migrants

United States Vice-president Mike Pence thanked Brazil on Tuesday for welcoming Venezuelans fleeing their country’s collapse, while warning Central Americans running from violence in their homelands not to attempt to enter the United States illegally.
Wednesday, June 27th 2018 - 08:33 UTC
A powerful aide of Lula provisionally released from jail pending an appeal

A Brazilian court ordered on Tuesday the provisional liberation of former minister Jose Dirceu, who was one of the most important figures in the government of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the state-owned Agencia Brasil said.
Wednesday, June 27th 2018 - 08:26 UTC
Brazilian shares recover cautiously; Central bank absent from the foreign exchange market

After trading lower for a good part of Tuesday's session, the Ibovespa closed higher for the third consecutive day (+0.64%), to 71,404.59 points, driven mainly by the shares of Petrobras and Vale. The improvement in the U.S. stock markets also helped to recover the benchmark stock index in Brazil, although concerns remain about a world trade war.