Brazil

Brazilian army, police occupy Rio de Janeiro slums

By Rafael Azul, 15 November 2011

On Sunday Brazilian police and Government troops occupied three slums in Río de Janeiro as part of a pacification program in preparation for Soccer and Olympic competitions in 2014 and 2016.

Latin stock markets hit hardest by US credit downgrade

By Luis Arce, 12 August 2011

Latin America’s financial markets suffered the most severe losses of any in the world in the “Black Monday” global sell-off that followed the downgrading of US debt.

Brazil’s poor evicted to make way for Olympics

By Bill Van Auken, 4 May 2011

In preparation for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic games, authorities in Brazil are carrying out mass expulsions of favela (shantytown) residents in Rio de Janeiro and other cities.

BRICS summit denounces “use of force” against Libya

By John Chan, 18 April 2011

Global economic shifts are behind the push by the BRICS grouping for the Western powers to make room for the “emerging economies”.

Human rights report cites Brazil for torture, police killings

By Bill Van Auken, 27 January 2011

A report released this week by Human Rights Watch cited Brazil for widespread torture, police killings and a continuing amnesty for crimes carried out under the military dictatorship.

Hundreds dead in Brazilian flooding

By Bill Van Auken, 15 January 2011

The death toll from flooding and mudslides rose past 500 Friday, with hundreds more missing, as Brazil confronted its worst ever natural disaster.

Cables bare US operations in Brazil

By Bill Van Auken, 14 December 2010

Scores of cables between the US State Department and the American embassy in Brasilia released by WikiLeaks have laid bare the ruthless pursuit of US imperialist interests in Latin America’s largest country.

Brazil stock market rises on Workers Party election victory

By Rafael Azul, 2 November 2010

The Brazilian stock market reacted favorably to the victory of the PT candidate Dilma Rousseff in Sunday’s election. Eight years in power have confirmed the so-called Workers Party as a stalwart defender of capitalism.

Workers Party candidate fails to win first-round victory in Brazil

By Bill Van Auken, 5 October 2010

Workers Party candidate Dilma Rousseff, incumbent President Lula da Silva’s hand-picked successor, failed to win an outright majority in Sunday’s Brazilian election, forcing her into a run-off with José Serra, the candidate of the right.

Brazilian election points to continuity of “Lulaism”

By Bill Van Auken, 1 October 2010

Brazil’s October 3 election appears set to deliver the presidency to the Workers Party candidate Dilma Rousseff and cement the continuity of the pro-capitalist policies pursued by incumbent President Lula da Silva.

Hundreds killed in Rio de Janeiro mudslides

By Rafael Azul, 14 April 2010

For the second time this year, scores of Brazilians have been victimized and left homeless by storms in Rio de Janeiro state.

Brazil: Evangelical leader tied to Lula government charged with wholesale fraud

By Ali Ismail, 15 September 2009

Last month, prosecutors in Brazil charged the founder of one of the country’s largest evangelical churches with committing fraud against its followers, many of them poverty-stricken, as well as the church itself.

Brazil: students resist attacks by shock troops at University of Sao Paulo

By Julio Maia, 11 July 2009

On June 9, the University of Sao Paulo (USP), the largest university in Brazil, with nearly 80,000 students, was the scene of events that have not taken place in the country in 30 years, since the darkest days of the military dictatorship.

Brazil, China deals challenge US position in Latin America

By Luis Arce, 6 June 2009

Last month’s visit to Beijing by Brazil’s president pointed to the vast political-economic shifts taking place globally as economic rivals seek to fill the vacuum left by a US tied down in two wars and struggling to confront its deep financial crisis.

Brazil-Ecuador clash bares tensions between “left” governments

By Roger Silva, 5 December 2008

Relations between South America’s so-called left governments appear fraught with growing tensions in advance of the Union of South American nation’s meeting in Brazil later this month.

Brazilian workers demonstrate against social security cuts

By Bill Vann, 13 February 1998

On February 11 the lower house of the Brazilian parliament approved sweeping cuts in Brazil's social security system while thousands of workers confronted heavily armed police outside the parliament building in Brasilia.