Brazil

Economics

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Brazil's environment agency approved a license allowing state-run oil company Petrobras to carry out exploratory drilling at the Equatorial Margin, 500 kilometers (311 miles) from the mouth of the Amazon River, g1 reported on Oct. 20.

Brazil: Government Greenlights Petrobras' Exploratory Drilling in Equatorial Margin

United States

Politics

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Brazil's Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira met at the White House, g1 reported on Oct. 17.

U.S., Brazil: High-Level Bilateral Meeting Paves the Way for Trade Talks To Start

Brazil's Chamber of Deputies shelved a proposal to increase taxes on investments, letting a government provisional measure on the matter expire on Oct. 8, g1 reported the same day.

Brazil: Government To Seek Alternative Tax Increases After Congress Defeat 

U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a 30-minute call on Oct. 6 and agreed to meet in person ''soon,'' Folha de S.Paulo reported the same day.

U.S., Brazil: Trump and Lula Discuss Future Meeting, Tariffs During Phone Call

Military & Security

Left-wing demonstrators gathered in all of Brazil's 26 state capitals and in Brasilia to oppose bills being discussed in Congress to shield former President Jair Bolsonaro and lawmakers from the country's courts, g1 reported on Sept. 21. 

Brazil: Leftist Demonstrations Underline Polarization and Unrest Risks

Brazil's Chamber of Deputies approved a constitutional amendment proposal that expands parliamentary immunity in criminal and civil investigations, Folha de S.Paulo reported on Sept. 16. 

Brazil: Impunity Amendment Moves Forward, Risking Increased Corruption Over Time

Brazil's Federal Supreme Court convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven of his close allies of five crimes involving a coup attempt in 2022, g1 reported on Sept. 11. 

Brazil: Bolsonaro's Conviction To Trigger Additional U.S. Punitive Measures and Unrest Risks

Brazilians held peaceful demonstrations in favor and against former president Jair Bolsonaro, a bill to amnesty the far-right leader and rioters that stormed government buildings in Brasilia in 2023 and U.S. pressure on the Brazilian government, g1 reported Sept. 7.

Brazil: Pro- and anti-Bolsonaro Protests Held in Major Cities Ahead of Coup Verdict

Assessments

A digital illustration of the Brazilian flag with economic and financial indicators. 

The current administration's focus on boosting growth through public expenditure is delaying necessary fiscal consolidation, setting the stage for more difficult and potentially drastic economic adjustments after elections in 2026.

Brazil Faces an Inevitable Fiscal Reckoning

Columns

On Geopolitics

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sept. 7 in Brasilia, Brazil. Lula's failure to acknowledge changes in Brazilian society and power dynamics are leaving him struggling to resonate with voters.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's failure to acknowledge changes in Brazilian society and power dynamics is making it difficult for him to resonate with voters.

Lula's Old Playbook Meets a New Political Reality

Ethiopia

Israel

Japan

France

United Kingdom

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2025.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: France's Bayrou Faces a Confidence Vote, Ethiopia Inaugurates Its Mega-Dam

Argentina

Bolivia

Canada

Paraguay

Uruguay

Venezuela

Lebanon

United Arab Emirates

Indonesia

Singapore

South Korea

Vietnam

Europe

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Mercosur is increasingly opening its markets in pursuit of free trade agreements with partners around the world, particularly as U.S. protectionism shifts global trade dynamics.

The Geopolitics of Trade: What Changing Trade Dynamics Mean for Mercosur

Media

Podcasts

How will these recent developments influence the 2026 general election?

Essential Geopolitics: Brazil's Evolving Political Climate Amid Bolsonaro's House Arrest and Trump's Tariffs

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a press conference at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025. 

While most of Brazil's main exports are exempt, the additional U.S. tariffs -- along with Brazil's impending economic retaliation and the likely arrest of former President Bolsonaro -- will further strain bilateral ties.

The Implications of Trump's New Tariffs on Brazil

Iran

U.S.-Iran Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Netanyahu's U.S. Visit, a Franco-British Summit

Snapshots

A photo shows the national flags of Mercosur countries waving in the wind.

The South American trade bloc's July 2-3 summit will likely advance two key initiatives: increasing member state autonomy on tariff decisions and finalizing free trade deals with countries seeking to avoid U.S. tariffs.

The Mercosur Summit Will Focus on Advancing Tariff Autonomy and Trade Deals

Belize

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Cuba

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Peru

Suriname

China

(L-R) Colombian Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina attend a plenary session of the China-CELAC ministerial meeting at the Great Hall of the People on May 13, 2025, in Beijing, China. 

Latin America and the Caribbean will welcome China's increased engagement, but strong ties to the West and China's economic slowdown will limit Beijing's influence in the region.

Despite Stronger Trade Ties, China's Influence in Latin America Will Remain Limited

General view of the plenary session of Brazil's lower house in Brasilia during an April 2, 2025, vote on the reciprocity law, which allows the Brazilian government to retaliate against countries or economic blocs that impose trade barriers on products from Brazil. 

Although U.S. tariffs will hinder Brazil's economy and reduce foreign direct investment, unique opportunities for Brazilian exporters may mitigate the impact of the looming global trade war.

U.S. Protectionism Portends Opportunities and Hurdles for Brazil

Ukraine

Russia

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference Feb. 16 at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem. Senior Israeli officials from the security and intelligence ministries will visit the United States to discuss Iran's nuclear program and Israeli border demarcation talks with Lebanon.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The U.S. and Israel Coordinate on Iran, the U.K. Chancellor Seeks Fiscal Discipline

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks at a seminar in Brasilia, Brazil, on Feb. 20, 2025.

The former president will likely be convicted on charges that he helped stage an armed coup in 2022. But the far-right will remain strong, potentially threatening President Lula's re-election bid next year.

What Bolsonaro's Likely Arrest Means for Brazilian Politics

<p>Larger in land mass than the contiguous United States, Brazil borders every country on the South American continent except Ecuador and Chile. Three features define Brazil&#39;s geography: the Amazon Basin, tropical savanna and the Brazilian Highlands. The Amazon River and rain forest, the world&#39;s largest, encompass most of northern Brazil and make this region inhospitable to agriculture and large populations. To its south lies the Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna. Advances in agricultural practices have allowed large-scale farming to thrive in this region. However, due to distance and geography, Brazil faces daunting challenges in getting agricultural commodities to international markets. The Brazilian Highlands and the narrow strip of land between the mountains and the coast are home to the majority of the country&#39;s 197 million people. Most of the country&#39;s economic activity occurs in this region. Brazil&#39;s geography largely shields it from external military threats. The Atlantic Ocean, the Amazon Basin and the buffer states of Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay insulate the country. Brazil&#39;s varied regions have made centralized control and integration difficult for the core states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. Infrastructure linking the coast and the interior, as well as connecting the various coastal cities is technically difficult and requires high levels of investment. Isolated from the rest of the continent both geographically and linguistically and lacking internal cohesion, Brazil has traditionally been inward looking. Brazil&#39;s primary geographic challenging is consolidating control over its vast peripheral territory and connecting these regions more efficiently with its population centers and ports.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Brazil: Government Greenlights Petrobras' Exploratory Drilling in Equatorial Margin

U.S., Brazil: High-Level Bilateral Meeting Paves the Way for Trade Talks To Start

Brazil: Government To Seek Alternative Tax Increases After Congress Defeat

U.S., Brazil: Trump and Lula Discuss Future Meeting, Tariffs During Phone Call

Brazil: Leftist Demonstrations Underline Polarization and Unrest Risks

Brazil: Impunity Amendment Moves Forward, Risking Increased Corruption Over Time

Brazil: Bolsonaro's Conviction To Trigger Additional U.S. Punitive Measures and Unrest Risks

Brazil: Pro- and anti-Bolsonaro Protests Held in Major Cities Ahead of Coup Verdict

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