Brazil

• Saturday, January 24th 2026 - 14:13 UTC

  Brazil courted by U.S., EU over critical minerals amid geopolitical competition

  

  Brazil has positioned itself as a strategic player in the global competition for critical minerals such as graphite, nickel, and niobium, which are essential for clean energy technologies, batteries, and defense systems. Both the United States and the European Union have stepped up diplomatic and commercial engagement with Brasília to secure supply deals and cooperation in value chains considered vital for the energy transition and industrial security.

• Saturday, January 24th 2026 - 02:32 UTC

  Lula says Trump wants to “create a new UN” as he attacks proposed Gaza Peace Council

  

  Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Friday that global politics is entering a critical phase in which “multilateralism is being thrown out by unilateralism,” and argued that US President Donald Trump is effectively proposing “to create a new UN in which he alone is the owner,” referring to Washington’s plan to set up a Peace Council tied to the administration of Gaza.

• Wednesday, January 21st 2026 - 00:26 UTC

  Brazil revives naval industry through Petrobras-led investment drive

  

  Petrobras, through its logistics subsidiary Transpetro, signed contracts worth R$2.8 billion (around US$570 million) on Tuesday for the construction of five gas carriers, 18 pushboats and 18 barges at shipyards in Rio Grande do Sul, Amazonas and Santa Catarina, as part of a government-backed effort to revive Brazil’s shipbuilding industry and reduce reliance on chartered vessels.

• Monday, January 19th 2026 - 11:18 UTC

  Rio’s Carnival Kicks Off with 462 Street Parades and 6 Million Expected Attendees

  

  The street Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, one of the world’s largest public cultural celebrations, begins this weekend with 462 scheduled street parades (blocos) and an expected attendance of around six million people, Brazilian state media Agência Brasil reported.

• Monday, January 19th 2026 - 11:01 UTC

  Orsi on Lula’s absence at EU-Mercosur signing: “Any absence does not leave a good impression”

  

  Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi expressed disapproval over the absence of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the signing of the landmark free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Mercosur bloc, held in Asunción on January 17.

• Sunday, January 18th 2026 - 23:20 UTC

  With Milei present and Lula absent, Mercosur and EU sign landmark deal in Asunción

  

  The European Union and South America’s Mercosur bloc signed their long-negotiated association and free trade agreement on Saturday in Paraguay, with Argentina’s President Javier Milei attending the ceremony and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva absent, represented instead by his foreign minister.

• Saturday, January 17th 2026 - 10:55 UTC

  Mercosur and EU sign historic trade agreement in Asunción after 26 years of negotiations

  

  On January 17, 2026, the Mercosur bloc and the European Union (EU) will formalize a comprehensive association and free trade agreement in Asunción, Paraguay, marking the culmination of nearly 26 years of negotiations, according to international and regional news outlets.

• Friday, January 16th 2026 - 19:07 UTC

  Lula and von der Leyen say Mercosur-EU deal advances multilateralism

  

  Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed on Friday that the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union (EU), due to be signed Saturday in Asunción, will benefit global trade, democracy and multilateralism, EFE reported.

• Friday, January 16th 2026 - 11:02 UTC

  Brazil transfers military equipment to Uruguay and Paraguay to bolster regional security

  

  Brazil has enacted two laws formalizing the transfer of military aircraft and equipment to Uruguay and Paraguay, as part of an initiative to upgrade operational capabilities of neighboring countries and enhance regional security, Agência Brasil reported.

• Thursday, January 15th 2026 - 15:41 UTC

  US to suspend immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Uruguay; Orsi calls it a “worrying signal”

  

  Uruguay’s President Yamandú Orsi said he was concerned by Washington’s decision to pause immigrant visa issuance for citizens of 75 countries —including Uruguay— starting January 21, with no end date announced. “In numerical terms it’s not very important, but as a signal it certainly worries us,” Orsi said after meeting US Ambassador Lou Rinaldi at the presidential residence in Montevideo.