Brazil lowered its benchmark interest rate to a near-historic low of 9% on Wednesday, as expected, but the central bank surprised with hints that more cuts may follow to revive Latin America's largest economy.
Brazil’s Mines and Energy minister Edison Lobao discarded that operations of Petrobras in Argentina could be affected by the decision from the administration of President Cristina Fernandez to expropriate YPF from Spain’s Repsol.
The Brazilian economy is set to grow 3% in 2012 after the modest 2.7% of last year, but following the relaxation of monetary policy it runs the risk of ‘overheating’, according to the IMF World Economic Outlook, WEO.
Argentina and Brazil agreed to work on a common defence agenda underlining the importance of strengthening Unasur and working to ensure that Latin America is a peace zone thus sending a strong message to the UK on the Falklands/Malvinas issue.
Cooperation in energy development, closer economic ties including a free trade agreement and praise for Brazil’s economic and political leadership were some of the issues discussed by visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her first day of meetings with Brazilian officials.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Argentina will have to justify and assume the responsibilities of its decision regarding the YPF dispute between Argentina and Spain, but at the same time defended models that include competition and market access.
Uruguay has fallen prisoner of Mercosur and Argentina because it did not sign the free trade agreement with the United States which was offered to the country in the previous government of Tabare Vazquez, said two-times President Julio Maria Sanguinetti.
Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff staunchly defended Latin American integration as she took part of the CEO forum at the 6th Summit of the Americas in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. She blasted rich countries over their so called “monetary flooding” because it attempts against the industrialization of emerging nations.
Do friendly countries make contingency plans for landing Marines in the big cities of other friendly countries? Even if it’s only to be done in a worthy cause—like supporting a military takeover of a democratically-elected government? During the recent trip to Washington of Brazilian President Dilma Roussief there was a public effort by both sides to “accent the positive” but perhaps there should have been some hard questions behind closed doors.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter is trying to schedule a trip to Brazil to speak at a public hearing about a controversial World Cup bill FIFA wants approved as soon as possible.