Brazzil

In June of 2004 I wrote the following: "Every September 7 is time to commemorate Brazilian Independence Day, but most Americans never heard of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva. He is the most important man in Brazilian history. He was responsible for Brazilian independence, and for keeping Brazil together as one country.

Recent statistics published by the Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) indicated that Brazil's Gross Domestic Product of unreported economic activity reached 578 billion reais (US$ 334 billion) in 2009, 18.4% of Brazil's GDP, rising from 357 billion reais (US$ 206 billion) in 2003.  

The biggest economic question facing Brazil, as for most developing countries, is when it will achieve its potential economic growth. For Brazil, there is a simple, most relevant comparison: its pre-1980 - or pre-neoliberal - past.

Since its transition from dictatorship to democracy in the mid 1980s, Brazil has undergone an extraordinary transformation, becoming the political and economic leader of Latin America. But despite Brazil's rise as a world power, willing on occasion to challenge the hegemony of the United States, a dark stain of human rights violations can still be found in the country's prison system.

When Marina Silva was still Brazil's environment minister, she took a trip to the Xingu River in the Amazon. On the day she began her travels, José Dirceu, President Lula's incorrigible former chief of staff, invited Germano Rigotto, the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, to fly to Brasília.

As one of the country's well-recognized industries, the future importance of Brazil's biofuels sector cannot be understated particularly with regards to the ever-increasing need for global environmental protection; the depletion of fossil fuels as well as an increased need for business leaders and investors to make ethical and sustainable decisions.

If there is a connection between cleanliness and public affection, it is being played out on the streets of Brazil. Here people continually exhibit their passion for both rituals.

Since 1986, former Planning Minister João Paulo dos Reis Velloso has assembled a group of people in the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES) to debate themes of national importance. In May, the National Forum held its 22nd session.

From a general perspective, Brazil's commitment to environmental sustainability is widely considered commendable compared to other countries witnessing rapid growth. In contrast, the construction sector has continued to lag behind and has become under increased scrutiny for failure to adhere to the increasingly important global standards of environmental protection.

It should come as no surprise that a country whose population is 74% Roman Catholic bans abortion. In Brazil, the prohibition of abortion dates back to 1940. Today, the procedure can only be legally practiced if medical complications threaten a woman's life, or when a pregnancy results from incest or rape.

The story I'm about to tell is important reading for any Brazilian who loves this great country and wants it to move forward on a good path. The story is also a warning for any foreigner who visits Brazil, especially by boat...

The ongoing growth of Brazil's property market has become ever apparent with some estimations pointing to a doubling of prices between 2009 and 2010. Whilst most professionals consider such figures to be hugely speculative and based on 'one-off' sales there are, nevertheless, several indications of a very bright future including a lowly leveraged debt market, improved inflation control, social housing programs, national credit rating upgrades, a rising middle class, higher wages and lower unemployment to name a few.

Last June, the heads of government of the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (G-20) met in Toronto, for the fourth G-20 summit to discuss global finance reform, and problems and prospects facing the world economy.

Power is a strong drug, it's addictive and causes dependency. So much is known. So nothing more natural than the sadness of a president when his mandate, and to top it all, of eight years, is nearing its end. Everything is allowed. Complaints, discomforts, tutting, choking and even tears.

With the increasing amount of Brazilian and international property buyers acquiring pre-construction real estate (commonly referred to as 'na planta'); the numbers of related concerns have also witnessed growth. 

As a result of higher disposable income levels, lower unemployment and a healthy banking system, the flow of credit cards into the Brazilian marketplace has been increasing rapidly, witnessing a 122 percent growth rate between 2004 and 2009 - a statistic that is expected to expand by 20 percent by the close of 2010 (representing 48 percent of gross domestic product). 

In the mid-1950s, I was an economist at the American Embassy in Rio de Janeiro, and worked in the Escritório Técnico de Agricultura (ETA) Our office was across the street from Santos Dumont Airport in the city.. One incident of my fifty-year (off and on) Brazilian experiences leaps out like a character from an Amigo da Onça (a double-face character from the 1940s and 50s) cartoon.

Tião was a famous monkey in the Rio de Janeiro Zoo. For many Rio citizens, or Cariocas, Tião was a symbol of Carioca playfulness and irreverence, and his antics were sure to attract large crowds. As a confirmation that the average Carioca is as humorously contemptuous as Tião, in the 1988 mayoral elections, the monkey received 9.5% of the popular vote.

I've read there are some Brazilians who don't like the World Cup, which is shocking, and here's another shocker - some Americans do. Experiencing the Event for the first time in Brazil, I was enthralled by World Cup fever.

Brazil's Clean Criminal Record (Ficha Limpa) aims to moralize Brazilian politics, establishing some ethical standards. The idea is simple: candidates with criminal records will be ineligible to run for office.