Brazil

• Monday, August 24th 2009 - 11:28 UTC

  Brazil reaffirms influence in Bolivia and support for Evo Morales

  

  President Lula da Silva reaffirmed Brazil’s influence during his visit to Bolivia where he announced the opening of the Brazilian market to Bolivian textiles and extended a loan to build a leg of the bi-oceanic corridor which will eventually join Santos in the Atlantic with Iquique on the Pacific.

• Monday, August 24th 2009 - 11:09 UTC

  Presidential bid from former minister could undermine Lula da Silva’s plans

  

  Brazil's former environment minister Senator Marina Silva has left the ruling Workers' Party, paving the way for an expected presidential run in the October 2010 election. The opposition praised her attitude and her former party companions said they have no resentment towards her.

• Saturday, August 22nd 2009 - 11:27 UTC

  Brazilian president arrives in Bolivia with strong tone-down message

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva considers that differences inside the Union of South American Nations, Unasur are more “a matter of form than content” because “our main objectives are compatible and at the same time convergent” according to an interview in Bolivia’s leading newspaper La Razon.

• Saturday, August 22nd 2009 - 11:08 UTC

  Lula da Silva suggested to Obama a meeting to discuss US forces in Colombia

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva suggested to his peer Barack Obama that he should meet with South American leaders to address the announced presence of US forces in seven Colombian bases.

• Friday, August 21st 2009 - 13:16 UTC

  Brazil becomes Chile’s third largest trading partner

  

  Brazil has become Chile’s third largest trading partner, displacing Japan, according to recently released government trade figures. Total July trade between Chile and Brazil was US$547 million, compared to the US$446 million in trade between Chile and Japan during July.

• Thursday, August 20th 2009 - 16:05 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil moving towards “financial integration”

  

  Argentina and Brazil signed Wednesday an agreement to swap domestic currencies for the equivalent of a total 1.8 billion US dollars, which could be used to increase international reserves. The accord was described as an important effort towards “financial integration” in the framework of Mercosur.

• Thursday, August 20th 2009 - 15:54 UTC

  Brazilian Senate corruption scandal closing in on President Lula da Silva

  

  A former high ranking officer from Brazil’s Tax Office directly accused President Lula da Silva’s handpicked candidate for October 2010 presidential election of trying to stop a probe into the finances of the Senate’s chief family.

• Tuesday, August 18th 2009 - 13:29 UTC

  Governor Serra leads vote intention for Brazilian presidential election

  

  Jose Serra, Sao Paulo governor and main reference of the opposition leads comfortably in public opinion polls for next year’s presidential election in Brazil when the successor of President Lula da Silva is to be chosen.

• Monday, August 17th 2009 - 12:28 UTC

  Congress scandal has not influenced Lula da Silva’s record approval rating

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva has an approval rating of 67% and his image has not been tarnished by the corruption scandals involving his powerful ally Senator Jose Sarney, according to the latest public opinion from Datafolha, published Sunday by Folha de Sao Paulo.

• Monday, August 17th 2009 - 12:26 UTC

  Brazilian government and private sector differ on rates and strong Real

  

  Brazilian private banks should follow state lenders and lower interest rates to help drive a rebound of the economy, said Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles during a seminar last week in Sao Paulo. He also stated that the Central Bank policy is geared to an accumulation of reserves “to improve the country’s resistance to the crisis”.