Brazil

• Thursday, November 19th 2009 - 13:20 UTC

  Brazil unveils tax on ADR to help contain appreciation of the Real

  

  Brazil took another step on Wednesday aimed at containing the appreciation of its currency, unveiling a 1.5% tax on certain trades involving American Depository Receipts, ADR, issued by Brazilian companies. Finance minister Guido Mantega said the tax will be charged when foreign investors convert ADRs for Brazilian companies into receipts for shares issued locally.

• Thursday, November 19th 2009 - 13:08 UTC

  BG Group plans to invest 20 billion USD to develop oil and gas in Brazil

  

  The president of British Gas Group in Brazil, Nelson Silva said this week that the company plans to invest 20 billion US dollars in the country until 2020.

• Thursday, November 19th 2009 - 06:38 UTC

  Brazilian economy overcomes recession and expands at “Chinese rates”

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva stated that Latinamerica’s largest economy not only has left the global crisis behind, but also in the third quarter has expanded at a “Chinese rate”, close to 9%.

• Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 04:10 UTC

  Argentine fruit exports to Brazil loosing 300.000 USD per day

  

  Argentine exporters claim they are loosing huge sums of money because of Brazilian delays at Customs posts and in extending import licences. This is particularly sensitive for fruit and other perishable exporters.

• Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 03:44 UTC

  Cristina and Lula da Silva meet to address bilateral trade conflict

  

  Argentina and Brazil presidents are scheduled to address trade disputes, Mercosur and other coming foreign policy issues when they meet Wednesday in Brasilia for their agreed regular contacts.

• Tuesday, November 17th 2009 - 12:42 UTC

  Brazil begins “spy” aircraft surveillance against organized crime in favelas

  

  The Brazilian Federal Police announced that beginning December an unmanned “spy” aircraft will over-fly the shanty towns of Rio do Janeiro at a height of 7.000 metres, well out of range from the drug gangs and trades that last week shot down a police helicopter killing three men on board.

• Monday, November 16th 2009 - 16:32 UTC

  Brazil warns of “deterioration” of US relations with South America

  

  Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Celos Amorim warned that relations between United States and Latinamerica are deteriorating and called on President Barak Obama to begin a dialogue with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

• Monday, November 16th 2009 - 16:17 UTC

  Brazilian military launch Operation Lasso with the Itaipú dam in mind

  

  Brazil launched Sunday military exercises involving the three services and located in three states next to landlocked Paraguay with the “main target” being the recovery of a bi-national hydroelectric dam that has fallen into the hands of an enemy country.

• Monday, November 16th 2009 - 14:19 UTC

  Afro-Brazilians victims of discrimination, injustice and violence says UN

  

  While Brazil has an “impressive” set of laws and policies to promote human rights and improve socio-economic well-being, indigenous groups and Afro-Brazilians face serious discrimination, injustice and violence, warned the United Nations human rights chief.

• Saturday, November 14th 2009 - 13:54 UTC

  Lula da Silva orders in-depth investigation into the massive blackout

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva revealed Friday he had ordered all government offices linked to the power industry, an in depth investigation into the Tuesday blackout which he described as a “national disaster”.