Brazil

• Wednesday, September 16th 2009 - 08:15 UTC

  Lula da Silva tells BBC: “rich countries to blame for the financial crisis”

  

  Brazilian President Lula da Silva has heavily criticised the “rich countries”, the G8 and other international bodies over the global economic crisis.

• Tuesday, September 15th 2009 - 04:31 UTC

  French unions against military technology transfer to Brazil

  

  French unions are not pleased with the transfer of military technology to Brazil recently agreed between presidents Nicholas Sarkozy and Lula da Silva, according to press reports.

• Tuesday, September 15th 2009 - 03:59 UTC

  The fiscal cost of pulling Brazil out or recession was “very cheap”

  

  Brazilian Minister of Finance Guido Mantega said that the global crisis has a “very low cost” for the finances of Latinamerica’s largest economy which last week officially announced the end of recession.

• Monday, September 14th 2009 - 09:12 UTC

  Brazilian minister calls for the de-criminalization of marihuana

  

  Brazil’s Environment Minister Carlos Minc called on the country’s Supreme Court to imitate Argentina and de-criminalize possession of drugs by adults for personal consumption.

• Saturday, September 12th 2009 - 11:25 UTC

  Brazilian economy rebounds and returns to growth in second quarter

  

  The Brazilian government announced Friday that 2009 second quarter real GDP, adjusted for inflation increased 1.9% from the first quarter of 2009, according to data released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

• Thursday, September 10th 2009 - 11:31 UTC

  Petrobras, BG, Repsol confirm huge offshore oil deposit

  

  Petrobras, British Gas and Repsol-YPF announced Wednesday that the deepwater offshore Guara field holds between 1.1 and 2 billion barrels of oil. In an official release Brazil’s government managed oil company Petrobras said initial output may be as much as 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day by 2012.

• Thursday, September 10th 2009 - 05:00 UTC

  Repsol praises Brazil’s legal and fiscal stability for the oil industry

  

  Spain’s oil corporation Repsol-YPF CEO Antonio Brufau praised Brazil for its stability and clear rules of the game for the hydrocarbons industry. Brazil which holds huge reserves of offshore sub-oil this week announced a plan to reinforce control over the new deposits.

• Tuesday, September 8th 2009 - 10:38 UTC

  Brazil begins talks for the purchase of 36 French built Rafale combat aircrafts

  

  President Lula da Silva announced Monday that Brazil has entered negotiations with France for the purchase of 36 combat aircrafts Rafale, from Dassault. An official release from the Planalto said that negotiations include the transfer of French technology.

• Tuesday, September 8th 2009 - 08:34 UTC

  Obama’s “on line” strategy to promote Lula da Silva’s successor

  

  Brazil’s President Lula da Silva ruling Workers party has been in consultations with the communications team that worked with US president Barack Obama, with the purpose of helping design its campaign for the 2010 presidential election.

• Monday, September 7th 2009 - 14:52 UTC

  France consolidates as main supplier for Brazilian Navy re-equipment

  

  The military cooperation agreement to be signed Monday by Brazilian president Lula da Silva and his French counterpart, Nicholas Sarkozy will make Brazil the “leading naval power” in Latinamerica according to the O Estado de Sao Paulo.