Explaining Brazil

A look into the billion-dollar gospel market. With sociologist Paul Freston and journalist Amin Guedara. Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

Operation Car Wash's weapon of choice has been used against its members. Thousands of messages exchanged between prosecutors and Sergio Moro—who is now Jair Bolsonaro's Minister of Justice—cast doubt on the legality of several convictions. Read show no...

Operation Car Wash's weapon of choice has been used against its members. Thousands of messages exchanged between prosecutors and Sergio Moro—who is now Jair Bolsonaro's Minister of Justice—cast doubt on the legality of several convictions. Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

After five months of squabbles with Congress, President Jair Bolsonaro wanted to show his political strength. A massive crowd would corner lawmakers into bending to his will. A flop, however, could spell the ruin of his administration. Before Mr. Bolso...

After five months of squabbles with Congress, President Jair Bolsonaro wanted to show his political strength. A massive crowd would corner lawmakers into bending to his will. A flop, however, could spell the ruin of his administration. Before Mr. Bolsonaro, Brazil wasn't exactly a perfect example of how to protect the rainforest. Now, it is on its way to becoming one of the world's bigge...

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's recent call to arms is a strategic bet on polarization. The pro-Bolsonaro protests gave him breathing room—but for how long? Read show notes. — Send us your feedback Support the show

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's recent call to arms is a strategic bet on polarization. The pro-Bolsonaro protests gave him breathing room—but for how long? Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

The Brazilian government has suggested reducing the number of questions in the 2020 Census as a way of cutting public spending. Will this compromise the results? Read show notes. — Send us your feedback Support the show

The Brazilian government has suggested reducing the number of questions in the 2020 Census as a way of cutting public spending. Will this compromise the results? Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

Brazil has 138 federally-owned companies—and the government wants to privatize every single one of them. But only 17% of Brazilians support the idea. Guests: Sandro Cabral, head of the Master's Degree in Public Policies at São Paulo's Insper Business S...

Brazil has 138 federally-owned companies—and the government wants to privatize every single one of them. But only 17% of Brazilians support the idea. Guests: Sandro Cabral, head of the Master's Degree in Public Policies at São Paulo's Insper Business School; and former Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles.  Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

Deemed the country's "national sport," Brazilian football remains amateur on the business side of it—which interferes with on-the-pitch action. Guest: Fernando Monteiro, managing director and partner in L.E.K. Consulting’s São Paulo office. He produced...

Deemed the country's "national sport," Brazilian football remains amateur on the business side of it—which interferes with on-the-pitch action. Guest: Fernando Monteiro, managing director and partner in L.E.K. Consulting’s São Paulo office. He produced a study on Brazilian club's financial woes. Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

It is no wonder Brazilians call their tax authority the "Lion," due to its ferocious pursuit of tax dodgers. Guests: Fundação Getulio Vargas professors Linneu de Albuquerque Mello and Antonio Carlos Porto Gonçalves. Read show notes. — Send us your feed...

It is no wonder Brazilians call their tax authority the "Lion," due to its ferocious pursuit of tax dodgers. Guests: Fundação Getulio Vargas professors Linneu de Albuquerque Mello and Antonio Carlos Porto Gonçalves. Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

Jair Bolsonaro has been ambivalent towards China, the Asian juggernaut that is—by far—Brazil's top trading partner. But that could change soon. Guests: Charles Tang (head of the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry), and Mauricio Santoro (Head...

Jair Bolsonaro has been ambivalent towards China, the Asian juggernaut that is—by far—Brazil's top trading partner. But that could change soon. Guests: Charles Tang (head of the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry), and Mauricio Santoro (Head of the Department of International Relations at the State University of Rio de Janeiro). Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the...

The Church's efforts to protect the Amazon and indigenous people led Brazil's intelligence agency to spy on Catholic priests. Guests: journalists Rubens Valente, Mauricio Savarese, Paula Schmitt (and voice-over of Alex Hochuli). Read show notes. — Send...

The Church's efforts to protect the Amazon and indigenous people led Brazil's intelligence agency to spy on Catholic priests. Guests: journalists Rubens Valente, Mauricio Savarese, Paula Schmitt (and voice-over of Alex Hochuli). Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

After a year in jail, how does Lula still fit into the Brazilian political landscape? What does the future hold for him, or his Workers' Party—and for the Brazilian left? Read show notes. — Send us your feedback Support the show

After a year in jail, how does Lula still fit into the Brazilian political landscape? What does the future hold for him, or his Workers' Party—and for the Brazilian left? Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

For decades, political elites and the military have tried to sweep Brazil's recent authoritarian past under the rug. It was a time in which kidnappings, torture, and rape became state policy. Now, Brazil's ultra-right wing is trying to rewrite history....

For decades, political elites and the military have tried to sweep Brazil's recent authoritarian past under the rug. It was a time in which kidnappings, torture, and rape became state policy. Now, Brazil's ultra-right wing is trying to rewrite history. Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show

After five years, Operation Car Wash's gravitational center has shifted from Curitiba to Rio, where investigators have opened up a sordid bottomless pit of corruption in that state. How will the anti-corruption probe look like moving forward? Read show...

After five years, Operation Car Wash's gravitational center has shifted from Curitiba to Rio, where investigators have opened up a sordid bottomless pit of corruption in that state. How will the anti-corruption probe look like moving forward? Read show notes. —  Send us your feedback Support the show