Brazil

• Sunday, March 13th 2016 - 21:50 UTC

  More than a million people fill the streets of Brazil demanding removal of Rousseff

  

  More than a million people have poured onto the streets of Brazil to demand the removal of the country's president Dilma Rousseff. The president is struggling to hold on to power in the face of a massive corruption scandal and the worst recession in decades.

• Sunday, March 13th 2016 - 16:50 UTC

  Brazil's largest party agrees that if Rousseff is forced out, Temer will replace her

  

  Brazil's largest political party and decisive member of the ruling coalition said on Saturday it will take 30 days to decide whether to break with President Dilma Rousseff as she faces an impeachment battle. Calls within the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, PMDB, to ditch the coalition have been growing as Rousseff faces a bruising recession, a spiraling corruption scandal and a probe of alleged electoral violations, as well as possible impeachment.

• Saturday, March 12th 2016 - 06:59 UTC

  Brazilian political leaders discuss strategy in the event of a presidential removal

  

  After expressing support for former president Lula da Silva, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) met with main opposition leaders who are demanding President Dilma Rousseff be impeached. President of the Senate and member of the PMDB Renán Calheiros held extensive talks with the strongest opposition force, the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), led by Aécio Neves, and agreed a joint strategy to face the crisis.

• Friday, March 11th 2016 - 20:47 UTC

  Odebrecht's involvement in Petrobras corruption scandal costing the conglomerate dearly

  

  The Odebrecht group of companies, whose top officials have been sentenced to prison for involvement in the corruption scheme of Brazil's largest company Petrobras, has come under strong pressure from its creditors to use the crown jewel, the petrochemical company Braskem as collateral to avoid filing for bankruptcy.

• Friday, March 11th 2016 - 20:06 UTC

  Brazil's February inflation down, but central bank calls for structural reforms and budget control

  

  Brazil’s consumer-price index slowed in February, providing relief for the country’s central bank amid its efforts to curb inflationary pressures. The consumer-price index, IPCA, rose 0.90% in February, compared with an increase of 1.27% in January, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, or IBGE, said.

• Friday, March 11th 2016 - 20:03 UTC

  Rousseff rejects calls for her resignation and confirms Finance minister Barbosa

  

  Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff rejected calls for her resignation on Friday midst a political storm deepened by a massive corruption scandal and blamed her opponents for causing a crisis that has damaged the Brazilian economy. She also confirmed her Finance minister Nelson Barbosa.

• Friday, March 11th 2016 - 06:16 UTC

  Sao Paulo prosecutors insist on an arrest warrant for ex president Lula da Silva

  

  Sao Paulo state prosecutors in Brazil are seeking the arrest of former President Lula da Silva on charges of money laundering and identity fraud for concealing ownership of a beachfront apartment, his foundation said on Thursday. The effort to arrest the former president raised the stakes dramatically in the current crisis and was likely to further polarize protests on Sunday calling for the impeachment of president Dilma Rousseff.

• Thursday, March 10th 2016 - 06:47 UTC

  Prosecutors ask for Lula da Silva to be placed under formal investigation

  

  Prosecutors in Brazil asked Wednesday that powerful ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was questioned this week in a huge corruption probe, be placed under formal investigation. The press service of the Sao Paulo state prosecutors' office said precise details of the request were not yet known and that a news conference would be held Thursday.

• Wednesday, March 9th 2016 - 06:28 UTC

  Falklands, “an indescribable mix of emotions and experiences”

  

  A group of Brazilian academics, students and journalists recently visited the Falkland Islands, invited by the local elected government. One of the visitors, Guilheme Lacerda wrote a small piece in the social network about what the describes as an incredible experience.

• Wednesday, March 9th 2016 - 05:14 UTC

  Construction tycoon sentenced to 19 years in prison for Petrobras corruption scandal

  

  Brazilian construction tycoon Marcelo Odebrecht, 47, was sentenced Tuesday to 19 years in prison for corruption and money laundering in the giant Petrobras embezzlement scandal shaking Latin America's biggest country Petrobras in what prosecution has identified as Operation Car Wash.