Explaining Brazil

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The Brazilian Report is an independent media outlet uniquely positioned to offer an insider’s view on current affairs in Brazil.

The Brazilian Report

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    • Apr 25, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 23m AVG DURATION
    • 360 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Explaining Brazil podcast is an excellent resource for anyone interested in staying up to date on the latest political and economic happenings in Brazil. As a Brazilian-American, I appreciate the podcast's ability to keep me informed about news in my home country. The podcast features great guests who provide insightful analysis and answer important questions. It is straightforward and easy to follow, making it accessible to listeners of all backgrounds.

    One of the best aspects of The Explaining Brazil podcast is its ability to connect listeners with Brazilian culture. For those living outside of Brazil, it can be challenging to stay connected with the country's news and events. This podcast bridges that gap by offering a comprehensive look at political, economic, and cultural subjects that affect millions of people in Brazil. It serves as a valuable resource for individuals looking to deepen their understanding of Brazilian society.

    Another positive aspect of this podcast is its unbiased and centrist approach to reporting on Brazilian politics. It can be difficult to find objective coverage that provides a balanced view of current events in Brazil. The Explaining Brazil podcast fills this gap by delivering news that is well-researched, informative, and free from ideological bias. This makes it a trustworthy source for anyone seeking accurate information about what is happening in the country.

    While there are many positive aspects of The Explaining Brazil podcast, one potential drawback is that it may not cover all aspects of Brazilian society comprehensively. Given the wide range of topics that could be discussed regarding politics, economics, and culture, some listeners may feel that certain areas are not given enough attention or depth. However, considering the constraints of a podcast format, it is understandable that not every facet can be covered extensively.

    In conclusion, The Explaining Brazil podcast is an invaluable resource for staying informed about political and economic developments in Brazil. With its impressive reach and excellent reporting, it offers unbiased coverage that can be hard to find elsewhere. Whether you are a Brazilian-American, someone interested in Brazilian culture, or simply curious about current events in Brazil, this podcast is well worth your time.



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    Latest episodes from Explaining Brazil

    Social security scandals, Brazil's emissions beef and a papal funeral

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 11:54


    A major social security scandal causes a government headache. Brazil's beef sector needs major changes to hit emissions goals. And Lula is off to Rome for the pope's funeral, but who's going with him?Support the show

    COP 30: are locals ready to shape policies?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 4:45


    In this Explaining Brazil Plus episode, Lise Tupiassu of the Federal University of Pará gives us her on-the-ground perspective on what should be in the spotlight regarding COP30 in the AmazonSupport the show

    Penal populism, agro jobs and Bolsonaro under the knife

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 9:46


    Rio's mayor looks to El Salvador for inspiration on public security. Brazil's agro jobs are less and less done on farms. And Bolsonaro goes under the knife again in a 12-hour surgery.Support the show

    Trump's decline, Embraer's rise, and Lula in a gun fight

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 10:21


    Trump and the US become less popular in Brazil. Embraer wades into the aerial arms race. And the pro-gun caucus wants to take firearms away from Lula's security teamSupport the show

    Tariffs, loans and spy games

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 11:08


    Brazil learns its tariff fate amid Trump's Liberation Day announcement. Major demand for a new loan program offers hope for Lula's popularity. Brazil and Paraguay get into a tangle over espionage revelations. This episode refers to the newsletters:

    Special: Brazil braces for the tariff storm

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 6:00


    US President Donald Trump promises a significant tariff announcement on April 2. We gathered a team of experts to discuss how the looming threats of tariffs from the Trump administration may affect Brazil and reshape relations between the United States and Brazil — not just in the short-term future but also in the long run. Panelists:Tony Harrington, former US ambassador to Brazil. Founding Principal of Albright Stonebridge. He was previously Chair of the President's Intelligence Oversight Board and currently serves as Chair of the Wilson Center Brazil Institute. Kellie Meiman Hock, senior counselor at McLarty Associates and a board member of the Inter-American Dialogue. A former US Foreign Service Officer, she served in Porto Alegre, São Paulo and Recife in Brazil, as well as at the Office of the US Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President as Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone.Welber Barral, founding partner of BMJ, is an expert in international trade and investment with over 30 years of experience. He served as Brazil's Secretary of Foreign Trade between 2007 and 2011 and has acted as an arbitrator in Mercosur and WTO disputes. He currently advises Fiesp and presides over IBCI, the Brazilian Institute of Foreign Trade.This episode is exclusive for premium subscribers and subscribers of Explaining Brazil Plus on Apple Podcasts.Support the show

    Bolsonaro charged, egg exports rise, Brazil rethinks defense ties

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 9:28


    The Supreme Court decides that Jair Bolsonaro will face trial over coup-plotting allegations. Brazilian producers are exporting eggs to the bird flu-hit US. And Brazil wants to chart its own course in purchasing defense tech. This episode refers to the newsletters:

    Tax exemptions, rate hikes and voluntary exile

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 11:45


    Lula announces major income tax exemptions. The Central Bank hikes interest rates once more. And one of Bolsonaro's sons flees to the US. This episode refers to the newsletters:

    Inflation, digital transformation and trade war frustration

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 9:42


    Inflation data shows little in the way of good news for Brazil. The country's planned digital currency moves through testing phases. And Trump's metal tariffs kick in — how is Brazil going to respond? This episode refers to the newsletters:

    Special: How Brazil can navigate the Trump trade storm

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 4:11


    We're launching Explaining Brazil Plus — a premium service bringing you exclusive content every month. As a subscriber, you'll get access to special episodes and expert interviews, offering deeper insights into Brazil's biggest stories. Subscriptions are just USD 1.99 a month on Apple Podcasts. But here's the best part: If you're already a subscriber to The Brazilian Report, you get it for free!This week: Reporter Isabela Cruz sits down with Rubens Barbosa, Brazil's former ambassador to the United Kingdom (1994-1999) and the United States (1999-2006), now a business consultant.Support the show

    Oscar wins, fake coffee and fiscal fiascos

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 11:34


    Brazil bags its Carnival Oscar glory with “I'm Still Here.” Consumers get rattled as “fake coffee” makes its way onto supermarket shelves. And a court precedent could spell trouble for Big Four auditors in Brazil.Support the show

    Carnival, cabinet and crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 11:26


    Carnival is here, and it's big business. Lula pulls the trigger and sacks his health minister. And STEM degrees are becoming less and less common in Brazil.Support the show

    Bolsonaro indictment, Trump's lawsuit and a shocking shift

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 12:09


    Bolsonaro faces criminal charges for coup plotting. Trump's media group is suing a Brazilian Supreme Court justice. And Brazil's organized crime groups are expanding far beyond the drug trade.Support the show

    Steel, drought and neopentecostalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 12:56


    How Trump's steel tariffs are expected to affect Brazil. A year after historic floods, Rio Grande do Sul now suffers from drought. And how Brazil's evangelical shift is changing national politics.Support the show

    Trade wars, health alerts, and oil

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 13:06


    As Trump's trade threats reshape global commerce, Brazil grapples with a mounting yellow fever outbreak ahead of Carnival. Meanwhile, controversial Amazon oil drilling plans gain momentum under new Senate leadership, testing the country's environmental commitments.Support the show

    Brazil's Congress elects new leaders

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 81:47


    Our podcast is back! For our first episode of 2025, we bring you a crucial topic for Brazil's political landscape: the upcoming elections for the leadership positions in Congress and how they will affect Brazil's political landscape, the tensions between the Lula administration and the far right, as well as how the new congressional outlook will affect landmark projects such as the tax reform.Support the show

    Delaying the EUDR?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 23:46


    The EU had approved a law demanding that products exported to the bloc would have to prove they are deforestation-free. After much adaptation and preparation, the implementation of that law has been delayed for an extra year, which will benefit Brazilian commodity exporters.Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies - The Beltway BriefingListen for of-the-moment insider insights, framed by the rapidly changing social and...Support the show

    Lula in a currency chokehold

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 34:43


    The Brazilian real is plummeting, borrowing costs are climbing, and market confidence has been in free fall.Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies - The Beltway BriefingListen for of-the-moment insider insights, framed by the rapidly changing social and...Support the show

    The tax reform gridlock

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 28:56


    Many thought the tax reform regulations would clear Congress before the October elections. With just a few weeks left in the 2024 calendar, many wonder if it will pass at all this year.Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies - The Beltway BriefingListen for of-the-moment insider insights, framed by the rapidly changing social and...Support the show

    Taking stock of the G20 Summit in Rio

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 10:59


    With the G20 Summit and Brazil's presidency of the group now at an end, we look back at the results of the major international gathering in Rio de Janeiro, and Lula's date with XiSupport the show

    The Amazon at war - To Be Read: Where authors translate Brazil

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 43:22


    In our book club, journalist Marcos Colón talks about the existential crisis that criminals, multinational companies and also the State have historically imposed to the AmazonSupport the show

    How the U.S. election influences Latin America

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 21:20


    As the U.S. selects its next leader, the choice will reverberate through Latin America, influencing political and economic landscapes across the region.Support the show

    A Brazilian MAGA?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 40:17


    Jair Bolsonaro is working to reshape Brazil's Liberal Party into a political vehicle firmly under his influence — much like Donald Trump has redefined the Republican Party in the U.S. as his MAGA party.Support the show

    The Pantanal's jaguars

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 31:54


    A particularly harsh wildfire season in Brazil's Pantanal has caused major impacts on the population of jaguars, the biome's most emblematic species. We speak to a big cat expert to find out moreSupport the show

    Brazil has a gambling problem

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 24:22


    Seemingly from nowhere, the online sports betting market has swept across Brazil like a tsunami, and the pernicious effects of gambling addiction are already having clear signs on society. Support the show

    What to make of Brazil's municipal elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 37:23


    Brazilians in almost 5,600 municipalities went to the polls to pick new mayors and city council members. The dispute was settled on Sunday in all but 52 cities. This week, we will discuss what conclusions can be drawn from the results, the key races still in play, and the effects of these local races on national politics.Support the show

    Has Lula's star dimmed?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 30:32


    For Lula's third term as president, international prominence and influence was set out as a priority — but a Pew survey shows that things are moving in the opposite directionSupport the show

    Musk flinches in X standoff

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 19:56


    X has been banned in Brazil for more than three weeks now, with billionaire CEO Elon Musk refusing to comply with Supreme Court demands. He seems to now have backed down, but what of the future of the platform in Brazil?Support the show

    Brazil on fire

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 30:48


    Smoke-filled skies, wildfires, lack of rain, and scorching heat that have lingered for weeks offer a glimpse of what's in store for Brazilian cities as climate change takes hold in the coming years.Support the show

    The post-Bolsonaro Bolsonaro?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 36:38


    Pablo Marçal, a candidate for mayor of São Paulo who has become a hot name within Bolsonarism — despite not being endorsed by Bolsonaro. Marçal defends many of the values espoused by Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters. More importantly, he deploys a social media strategy that seems to be a version of the Bolsonaro campaign on steroids. Support the show

    Brazil's hidden racism: the truth behind the numbers

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 30:57


    In our book club, economist Alysson Portella discusses the figures that unravel the structures of racial inequality in the country and points out ways to overcome it.Support the Show.

    Cutting the Central Bank's cord?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 43:43


    Brazil's Central Bank has enjoyed political autonomy since 2021, and Congress is analyzing a bill to make it financially independent, too. But this freedom has not come without controversySupport the Show.

    X marks the spat

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 32:33


    After months of feuding between tech mogul Elon Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the billionaire announced the closure of X's Brazil operationsSupport the Show.

    50 years of Brazil-China relations

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2024 34:25


    Over the past five decades, Brazil and China have forged a complex and dynamic partnership, evolving from cautious diplomatic ties to becoming key economic and political allies on the global stage.Support the Show.

    Brazil's Olympic fever

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 34:43


    A look at Brazil's big medal wins, prospects for the final days of the Games, and how Brazilian athletes are funded.Support the Show.

    Venezuela's vexed vote

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 30:14


    Nicolás Maduro claimed victory in Venezuela's presidential election on Sunday, but the opposition and a long list of observers find the announced results difficult to believeSupport the Show.

    Brazilian democracy: stronger than we thought? To Be Read: Where authors translate Brazil

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 41:39


    In our book club, professor Carlos Pereira argues that certain institutional features ensured that Bolsonaro's authoritarian initiatives never became a credible threatSupport the Show.

    Can Lula fix his relationship with Congress?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 20:44


    Despite strategic moves to distribute cabinet positions to center and center-right parties, this has not guaranteed Lula a stable coalition. Some in the president's camp are calling for a reset in negotiations with Congress — but is that possible?Support the Show.

    Gun debate becoming ubiquitous in Brazil's Congress

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 41:32


    Debates about gun rights and regulations are becoming more and more common in 21st century Brazil, and we explore the forces behind the most prominent arguments.Support the Show.

    Markets give Lula a Real reality check

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 38:30


    The Brazilian real turns 30 next week. But the currency is reaching the landmark amid an incredible rout, caused by fiscal concerns.Support the Show.

    Global ambitions, domestic neglect?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024 16:07


    Since returning to the Brazilian presidency, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has shown something of a preference for foreign policy, potentially to the detriment of domestic politics. He's traveled the world, appearing at almost every international summit that will have him, with the articulated goal of "repositioning" Brazil on the world stage.Support the Show.

    Strike as an environmental risk

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024 18:02


    Why disgruntled civil servants are a risk to Brazil's environmental goalsSupport the Show.

    The Brazilians evangelizing the Middle East - To Be Read #02

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024 36:09


    A family left Brazil for Afghanistan in the 2000s, aiming to convert Muslims to Christianity. @Adriana Carranca talks to @Isabela Cruz about this story and the political dynamics surrounding it, as she explained in her work "Soul By Soul." Watch the full interview on Patreon for free!Support the Show.

    Privatizing Brazil's beaches?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 18:22


    A bill pending in the Senate proposes transferring control of coastal land to state governments, municipal authorities, or private interests, raising fear about the future of Brazil's beaches.Support the Show.

    Taxing the tops

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 19:27


    Shein, AliExpress, and Shopee have become ubiquitous in Brazil, causing much controversy along the way. Now, a bid from domestic retailers to bump up taxes on these platforms seems to have taken hold.Support the Show.

    Lula switches on intervention mode

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2024 18:38


    Swapping out the head of state-controlled oil firm Petrobras, it seems that the Lula government is going full steam on intervention to push through its developmentalist goalsSupport the Show.

    When tragedy becomes a culture war

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 27:52


    While rainfall continues to ravage Brazil's southernmost state, authorities warn about the plague of disinformation — which they say is hindering rescue operationsSupport the Show.

    Brazil, Britain, and the slave trade - To Be Read: Where authors translate Brazil

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2024 25:43


    A new series featuring authors talking about Brazil. The Brazilian Report's To Be Read will be a space for conversations about books that translate the country's history and contemporary political life. In its first meeting, "The Brazilian Report's To Be Read" book club will talk to Adriane Sanctis about the slave trade in the Atlantic, based on her work "Seeking Capture, Resisting Seizure."Support the Show.

    The Rio Grande do Sul floods

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2024 22:27


    Brazil's southernmost state is underwater after days of severe heavy rains, with the human and material tolls mounting by the hour. We examine the extent of the crisis in Rio Grande do Sul Support the Show.

    Lula's farming feuds

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 27:08


    The relationship between farmers and the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration is by no means a warm one. The government is trying to change that with shedloads of creditSupport the Show.

    Love It or Leave It, Ep. 4: Coup praisers, coup plotters

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 36:29


    In the last episode of our special series about the Brazilian military dictatorship, we tell the story of how the country dealt with its authoritarian past and recently returned to the brink of a coup d'état. Support the Show.

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