News of brazil

Mercosur’s future up for debate at key meeting

01-05-2021 00:21 Member nations agree to debate ‘flexibilisation’ of bloc’s rules at key meeting in May. Uruguay continues to push for liberalisation of tariffs, rules on free-trade deals.

Brazil registers record 14.4 million unemployed

30-04-2021 15:53 Pandemic-battered Brazil registered a record 14.4 million unemployed workers in the three-month period to February 2021, up two million from the year before, officials said Friday.

Brazil hits record Covid death toll in April

26-04-2021 15:22 Argentina's giant neighbour recorded 67,977 deaths so far in April, making it the deadliest month yet before it ends, topping March's 66,573 fatalities.

Uruguay presents plan to make Mercosur trade talks more flexible

26-04-2021 15:19 According to the draft document released by the Foreign Ministry in Montevideo, the proposal would allow member states, under some conditions, to initiate negotiations "either as a group or individually." 

Fernández hits back at Bolsonaro over military's role during pandemic

15-04-2021 12:47 President Alberto Fernández responded to a mocking attack from his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday, following the Argentine leader's announcement of tightened restrictions to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brazil judge halts parts of Bolsonaro's decrees to relax gun laws

13-04-2021 14:14 Judge Justice Rosa Weber on Brazil's Supreme Federal Court on Monday suspended parts of four decrees issued by President Jair Bolsonaro relaxing the country's gun control laws.

More than 80% of intubated Covid patients die in Brazil

31-03-2021 10:27 More than 80% of Covid-19 patients who have to be intubated in Brazil have died since the start of the second wave of infections ravaging the country, according to researchers.

Brazil military chiefs exit in new turmoil for Bolsonaro

30-03-2021 20:36 Three commanders of Armed Forces out, confirms Bolsonaro government. Some Brazilian media reports trio had resigned in protest at president's surprise decision to replace defence minister Fernando Azevedo as part of a sweeping reshuffle.

Pandemic spins out of control in Brazil: 3,650 dead in just one day

27-03-2021 08:30 São Paulo’s Butantan biomedical institute announces it is developing a “100 percent Brazilian” vaccine against Covid-19.

Mercosur’s murky future

27-03-2021 07:27 Mercosur will have problems selling itself to the rest of the world while it cannot sell to itself.

by Michael Soltys

Brazil's 24-hour Covid deaths surpass 3,000 for first time

24-03-2021 12:38 Brazil's daily Covid-19 death toll soared past 3,000 for the first time Tuesday as the country struggled to contain a surge of cases that has pushed many hospitals to breaking point.

Brazil's Supreme Court rules Moro was 'biased' against Lula

23-03-2021 19:14 Brazil's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that judge Sergio Moro was "biased" in convicting ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of corruption in 2017, a new victory for the left-wing leader as he eyes a political comeback.

Start-up Tiendanube raises US$89 million in funding round

22-03-2021 13:03 Argentine e-commerce start-up Tiendanube will use fresh financing to roll out a major expansion across Latin America.

Covid surges back in Brazil, sparking fears in Argentina

20-03-2021 07:30 Covid-19 is raging in Brazil, where intensive care units are more than 80 percent full in 25 out of 27 states. In Rio, the rate is 95 percent.

Brazil shunned as a Covid superspreader by nervous neighbours

14-03-2021 07:39 Leading the world in daily deaths and the source of a worrying Amazonian variant, Brazil is a cause of deep anxiety for world health officials and its neighbours, who are barring their gates.

No Bolsonaro in BA – Government takes Mercosur ceremony online

13-03-2021 15:50 Argentina has suspended a historic ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Mercosur regional trade bloc, due to be held later this month, and will instead take it online.

Vaccine hope, but enduring fear one year after pandemic declared

11-03-2021 22:50 One year on from the declaration of the coronavirus pandemic, vaccinations are offering hope. But much of humanity still enduring highly restricted lives, with no clear path back to normality.

Lula comes out swinging at Bolsonaro, slams 'imbecile' Covid policies

10-03-2021 18:13 Lula makes instant return to politics, attacking President Jair Bolsonaro and his "imbecile" Covid-19 policies, though the ex-PT leader declined to say whether he would run against him next year.

Cities in Brazil tighten restrictions amid record Covid surge

04-03-2021 13:53 Brazil's Health Ministry has recorded an average of more than 1,300 Covid-19 fatalities per day over the past week, the worst yet for the hard-hit country of 212 million people. 

Brazil ends new 'lost decade' with GDP drop of 4.1% in 2020

03-03-2021 10:26 The economy of Argentina's giant neighbour registered a 4.1% contraction in 2020, according to official data.