Explaining Brazil

Brazil registered 0.68-percent deflation in July, suggesting that prices are easing. But a look beneath the headline numbers makes for some sobering findings.Support the show

As President Jair Bolsonaro's anti-democratic antics grow in volume, banks and tycoons become vocal in their defense of democracy. A coup, after all, is bad for business.Support the show

Brazil has over 1,300 confirmed cases of monkeypox. With the exception of Peru’s 275 confirmed cases, no other Latin American countries have hit the 100-case mark, making Brazil the region's monkeypox hotspot.Support the show

The main candidacies in Brazil's presidential election in October have been made official by their parties. We discuss what that changes in the race.Support the show

Arguably Brazil's biggest pop star of the moment, singer Anitta has endorsed former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — and is even giving him campaign advice.Support the show

The murder of a Workers' Party official spells a bad omen for Brazil's upcoming general election.Support the show

The Brazilian president wants to sidestep election laws to jack up spending ahead of the election. Columnist Beatriz Rey warns of the risks of giving him such powers.Support the show

The opposition failed to remove Bolsonaro from office with last year's Covid hearings. They want a new congressional investigation to hurt him at the ballot box.Support the show

While the price of gas isn't exactly the best metric to understand the economy at large, the ubiquity of fuel and its direct impact on people's monthly budgets make it an easy shorthand for the broader economic scenario — especially when prices are going up.Support the show

It has been 11 days since journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira were reported missing. The police are yet to find the two.Support the show

A deflated Summit of the Americas won't bring many noteworthy resolutions, though it will be interesting to see what transpires from a bilateral meeting between Presidents Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and Joe Biden of the U.S.Support the show

Brazil thought the economic growth of the 2000s had rid the country of hunger. But this ghost of the past has returned to haunt the country.Support the show

The final spot in the presidential runoff in Colombia remains up for grabs. The dispute between populist Rodolfo Hernández and establishment conservative Fico Gutiérrez will be decided by a razor-thin margin.Support the show

April economic data from China came worse than expected. Given the sheer importance of the Asian giant to Brazil, that is something for President Jair Bolsonaro, who seeks re-election in October, to worry about. Support the show

Former President Lula officially began the race for an unprecedented third presidential term. The challenges he will face are far greater this time around. Support the show

A group of researchers from the U.S.-based Washington Brazil Office believes the threat of democratic rupture in Brazil is very real, and they want Joe Biden to react.Support the show

When the holder of the highest office in the land openly challenges judicial decisions, it spells a bad omen for the endurance of democratic institutions.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brazilianreport)

After over two years and more than 660,000 deaths in Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro is claiming "victory" over Covid-19 — but the government deserves no credit after its hapless pandemic response.  Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brazilianreport)

After years of economic debacle, President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela has adopted more pragmatic economic policies. And the results are showing.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brazilianreport)

Unpopular politicians, no unifying candidate, and erratic moves have scuppered the chances of Brazil's democratic right in the 2022 election.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brazilianreport)