Lawmakers from the Brazilian farm state of Mato Grosso do Sul asked President Dilma Rousseff's government to send troops to end land invasions by Indigenous people claiming their ancestral territory.
Brazil will pour 6.1 billion Reais (2.85 billion dollar) to fund renewable-power and bio-fuel technology research, accelerating its efforts to modernize its energy industry and shift away from a commodity-export based economy.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced this week plans to strengthen the fight against cross-border organized crime by equipping state and local governments with high-tech scanners and surveillance equipment.
Millions gathered on Sunday in Sao Paulo, Brazil to take part in one of the largest parades in the world. According to the organizers, 3.5 million people attended the parade and the festivities that followed.
Concern over Argentina's erratic policy on foreign investments is pushing regional business entrepreneurs toward caution and or keeping them away from South America’s second largest economy. Argentina nationalized Spanish oil major Repsol's majority stake in local energy giant YPF last year, a move that triggered alarm in the international investor community.
Paraguay is considering the announcement made by Uruguayan president Jose Mujica who suggested delaying the coming Mercosur summit in Montevideo scheduled for the end of June, ‘to wait and give time for Paraguay’ (currently suspended) to return to the block.
US Vice-President Joe Biden wound up a visit to Brazil on Friday saying it was high time the two largest economies in the Americas became closer partners in trade, investment and energy. He made the statement following a ‘wide-ranging discussion’ with President Dilma Rousseff at the Planalto palace in Brasilia.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden encouraged Brazil to open its economy further to keep up with free trade trends worldwide during a visit aimed at boosting business between the two largest economies in the Americas.
Brazil's economy grew 0.6% in the first quarter of 2013, compared with the final quarter of last year, the government said this week. The figure could confirm official projections that the economy would recover following the slowdown experienced over the past two years.
Brazil's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday to 8% from 7.5%, as part of an effort to battle high inflation in an economy that keeps struggling with slow growth.