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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, June 6th 2025 - 08:13 UTC

Brazil

  • Monday, July 1st 2024 - 10:54 UTC

    Milei not attending Mercosur Summit to dodge Lula faceoff

    Milei insisted he would not recant on his derogatory remarks against Lula out of sheer political correctness

    Argentine President Javier Milei will not be traveling to Asunción for the upcoming Mercosur Summit in the Paraguayan capital on July 8 in a move to avoid meeting face-to-face with his Brazilian colleague Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whom he dubbed a “corrupt Communist” during his campaign last year and who insists an apology is in order. Last week the Argentine leader claimed there was nothing to be sorry for and that he would not go back on telling the truth. Foreign Minister Diana Mondino will represent Milei at the regional bloc's gathering.

  • Monday, July 1st 2024 - 04:01 UTC

    Subzero temperatures recorded in southern Brazil

    The weather is expected to remain unusually cold in the coming days

    Areas in southern Brazil recorded subzero temperatures Sunday as a strong and broad mass of polar air hit the States of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, Agencia Brasil reported citing data from the National Meteorological Institute (Inmet) as well as from Epagri/Ciram, an agency of the Santa Catarina state government.

  • Saturday, June 29th 2024 - 09:28 UTC

    Brazil: Dollar soars, unemployment falls

    The last working day of the semester is marked by strong demand for dollars from multinationals sending profits abroad

    The economy in South America's largest country is taking a shaky turn as Friday's figures would indicate. The exchange rate between the local real (R$) and the US dollar (US$) went up 15.15% over the past six months, closing at US$ 1 = R$ 5.58 while the Stock market fell 0.32% for a 1.49% monthly gain. On the brighter side, unemployment in the quarter ending in May stood at 7.1%, according to Brazil's Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), a considerable improvement from February's 7.8% and the yoy 8.3%.

  • Friday, June 28th 2024 - 18:29 UTC

    Food industry is Brazil's main source of jobs, IBGE finds

    Brazil's Southeast accounted for 61.1% of the country's Industrial Transformation Value (ITV)

    The foodstuff industry accounted for the largest number of jobs (22.8%) in South America's largest country, according to a study released Thursday by Brazil's Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The clothing and accessories industry represented 7% of workplaces, and the manufacture of metal products (machinery and equipment not included), 5.9%.

  • Thursday, June 27th 2024 - 09:26 UTC

    Brazil's STF sets 40 grams of marijuana cap between users and traffickers

    Barroso said the STF should set the amount because decisions concerning people's freedom were to be made and a criterion was needed

    Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) ruled Wednesday that 40 grams of marijuana or six female plants of Cannabis sativa was the limit marking the difference between personal consumption and trafficking, Agencia Brasil reported. The understanding was reached after a decision the previous day whereby using the substance for personal recreation or medicinal purposes should not be penalized. At the time, most justices concurred on this issue but disagreed on how to differentiate the two possibilities.

  • Wednesday, June 26th 2024 - 18:04 UTC

    Brazil's STF decriminalizes marijuana consumption

    Marijuana consumption will remain an administrative offense until other branches of government agree on the maximum amount marking the difference between personal use and traffic

    Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) issued a ruling Tuesday decriminalizing marijuana consumption for personal use, albeit only in private places. As per Brazil's current legislation dating back to 2006, the unauthorized acquisition or transport of drugs for personal use including marijuana carried penalties. Drug use in public areas has been maintained. Another debate revolved around how much marijuana would signal the difference between users and dealers. The case reached the STF following an appeal filed by a prison inmate hiding 3 grams of marijuana in his cell.

  • Wednesday, June 26th 2024 - 17:33 UTC

    Milei has nothing to apologize to Lula for, says Spokesman Adorni

    Lula and Milei are to attend the July 8 Mercosur Summit in Paraguay unless something happens, Adorni noted

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva insisted that he was not talking to his Argentine counterpart Javier Milei until the latter apologized to him and his country for his derogatory remarks during last year's campaign in which the Libertarian leader spoke of a “corrupt Communist” while remaining close to Lula's adversary and then incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

  • Wednesday, June 26th 2024 - 10:53 UTC

    Mercosur summit first week of July; Brazil and its domestic integration policy

    The relative success of the 33-year-old trade block is still fighting for a major trade and cooperation deal with the European Union, finalized over two decades ago, but facing rejection

    Next month, from Thursday, July 4th to 8th, the Mercosur pro tempore presidency will be handed by Paraguay to Uruguay, at the capital Asunción during the regional presidential summit. On the occasion, Paraguayan president Santiago Peña will be giving the Mercosur presidency to Uruguay's Luis Lacalle Pou. Still, it will be interesting to see how leaders of the two major members, Argentina's ultra-liberal Javier Milei and Brazil's populist Lula da Silva, who are not on talking terms, will approach circumstances if they effectively attend the summit.

  • Tuesday, June 25th 2024 - 21:11 UTC

    Brazil: Lula visits ailing linguist Noam Chomsky and other “Over 90s”

    Lula spent 40 minutes with Chomsky

    Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva paid a visit Monday to renowned linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky who is recovering from heart surgery at his home in Sao Paulo. The 95-year-old US thinker has resided in South America's largest city since marrying Brazilian national and fellow linguist Valeria Wasserman.

  • Tuesday, June 25th 2024 - 09:41 UTC

    Brazil's yearly inflation projection adjusted slightly upwards

    According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the IPCA has accumulated 3.93% in 12 months

    Brazil's Central Bank (BCB) Monday released the latest edition of its Focus Bulletin showing a slight upward adjustment in the Broad National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) from 3.96% to 3.98% this year, Agencia Brasil reported. The index is considered the country's official inflation. The weekly survey among leading financial institutions also projected an increase from 3.8% to 3.85% next year while for 2026 and 2027 the forecasts were 3.6% and 3.5% respectively.