Brazil and Paraguay: Powerful Neighbors, Complicated Relationships

For Americas Quarterly

Today’s Mercosur presidential meeting, in Mendoza, Argentina, is getting rather more international attention than it likely anticipated.  Previously expected to be little more than tussling over tariffs and a perfunctory discussion of fiscal woes in Europe, the focus now will be Fernando Lugo’s sudden removal from the Paraguayan presidency last Friday.

But what does this mean for Brazil? Read more here.

A Weekend Visit in the Capital, Brasília

For The Rio Times

With much of the world’s political attention focused on the marvelous city for Rio+20 last week, and celebrities posing for fashion bloggers in São Paulo the week before, some could be been forgiven for overlooking the real capital of Brazil – Brasilia. Yet to do so would be a mistake.

Read more here.

 

Brazil and China in R$60B Currency Swap

For The Rio Times

Wary of dependence on the dollar, Brazil and China on Thursday agreed to a R$60 billion currency swap, shoring up their economies and increasing liquidity in the wake of continued instability in Europe and the United States.

Read more here.

A Brazil Perspective on Rio+20

For Americas Quarterly

The Rio+20 summit is a global coming-out party for Brazil. But could the government’s controversial environmental policies be a black mark on its hosting status?

Read more here.

Rousseff in Mexico for G-20 Summit

For The Rio Times

President Dilma Rousseff arrived in Los Cabos, Mexico Sunday to attend the 7th G-20 Summit of the world’s leading economies, where the Eurozone crisis and its effect on global growth took center stage.

Read more here.