Every year police in Brazil are responsible for around 2,000 deaths, Amnesty International said as it marked the 20th anniversary of the infamous Candelária massacre in Rio de Janeiro. On the night of 23 July 1993, eight young men and women died after a gang of hooded men opened fire on a group of some 50 street children sleeping on the steps of Rio de Janeiro’s Candelária church.
President Dilma Rousseff was repeatedly interrupted while giving a speech by hecklers protesting the coming World Cup hosted by Brazil and who are demanding more funds should be invested in health care, education and improved transportation.
Volkswagen said on Thursday it will lay off 900 autoworkers at two Brazilian plants, one of the biggest recent efforts to cut output in the face of sluggish demand for cars in Latin America's largest economy. Brazil is the No. 4 market for Volkswagen after China, Germany and the United States.
Ever-optimistic Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said a recent rise in consumer prices was expected, ('there's always a villain factor pushing inflation')' anticipating that in May/June the index will be lower. Mantega also denied local news reports that the government was seeking a change in the index methodology as a way to eliminate the impact of volatile food prices.
Argentina's economic situation has hit Brazil harder than its other commercial partners, as China has been making inroads into Brazilian trade with Argentina. Chinese exports to Argentina have more than tripled in the last ten years, according to a study carried out by Brazil's National Confederation of Industry, (CNI).
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said at the Wednesday opening of a gathering in Sao Paulo that no country can have “more weight than another” in governing cyberspace. Delegations from more than 85 countries are attending the NETMundial international conference which during two days will debate Internet issues and try to reach an agreement on a new oversight model.
Brazil's ex-President Juscelino Kubitschek was not murdered by the country's 1970s military regime despite previous claims, according to a national investigation. The National Truth Commission said the car crash in which Mr Kubitschek died in 1976 was a genuine accident.
Violent protests broke out in Rio do Janeiro's tourist heart of Copacabana on Tuesday following the death of a professional dancer less than two months before the World Cup.
Brazilian soy crushing association Abiove said on Tuesday the nation would export 43 million tons of soybeans from this season's nearly harvested crop, down from its forecast of 44 million tons a month earlier due to weaker Chinese demand.
US Commerce Department's decision to ease its governance over the Internet and open it up to other countries will be the subject of much debate in Brazil starting Wednesday. Government representatives from around the world are heading to Sao Paulo for Net Mundial, a two-day meeting to discuss how the future of Internet governance will be handled.