Explaining Brazil

While rainfall continues to ravage Brazil's southernmost state, authorities warn about the plague of disinformation — which they say is hindering rescue operations. Read show notes Send us your feedback Support the show

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 Cap...

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.  Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

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 credit Send us your feedback Support the show

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.  Send us your feedback Support the show

Credited with turning JBS into the world's largest meat-packing company, billionaire brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista are now seeking a return to the firm's board of directors after years of legal troubles. An international advocacy group seeks to stop that. Read show notes . Send us your feedback Support the show

House Speaker Arthur Lira and the Lula government's Congress liaison Alexandre Padilha are engaged in a very public disagreement. But what does that mean for the administration going forward? And for Lira's 2025 succession plans? Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

In the third episode of our special series about the Brazilian military dictatorship, we fly over South America, dominated by authoritarian rule in the 1960s and 1970s. We tell the story of how Brazil supported coups in the region and how it operated internationally to persecute exiles. While you're at it, we have prepared a special playlist with songs that defined the resistance against the...

Musk has stated that Brazil is on the verge of becoming an Orwellian dystopia in which one man — Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes — decides what can be said online. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

In the second episode of the special series about the Brazilian military dictatorship, from within to abroad, we are starting our dive into the international connections of the regime, beginning with the U.S. We tell the story of how it participated in the coup, as well as how bilateral relations were conducted from then on. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

Negotiations with the U.S. and the opposition had led to hopes that Venezuela would hold clean elections in 2024. But the Maduro administration stopping adversaries from competing has put that optimism to rest. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

In 1964, in the midst of Cold War tensions, Brazil's President João Goulart was overthrown under pressure from both civil society and the Armed Forces, leading to 21 years of authoritarian rule in Brazil. In this episode, we'll explore the Brazilian military dictatorship in its social, economic, and institutional aspects. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

A new report maps and details the activities and ideologies of more than 20 far-right extremist groups operating in Brazil. Read show notes Send us your feedback Support the show

President Lula's approval ratings have fallen sharply in recent months. We asked a senior Brazil analyst whether it is already time for him to hit the panic button. Show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

Radical far-right politicians were chosen to be the heads of some of the most important standing committees in Brazil's House, showing some frailties in the Lula government's position in Congress. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

The Cerrado has a strategic significance beyond Brazil: no other biome has such a key role to play in furthering food security while continuing to protect such rich biodiversity. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

Jair Bolsonaro got thousands of supporters on the streets of São Paulo. But the rally, although big in size, was no game-changer for him. Euan Marshall, Isabela Cruz, and Cedê Silva explain why. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

Brazil's president created a diplomatic uproar for his latest comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict, but why would Lula take such a strong anti-Israel stance? Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

 More farmers in Mato Grosso are filing for bankruptcy; climate conditions are set to reduce crop yields this year … But is the Brazilian agro sector really facing a crisis? Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

The 2024 congressional year has plenty of pitfalls in store for President Lula and his administration. We explain what to look out for over the coming 12 months. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

Charged with carrying out the 2018 murder of city councilor Marielle Franco, ex-cop Ronnie Lessa has taken a plea deal. And press reports say the gunman has given up the name of the man in charge of ordering the assassination. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

Facial recognition tools, using AI-powered algorithms, have been used extensively in Brazilian law enforcement. But there is heated debate on whether these algorithms carry racist bias and propagate existing inequalities. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

The January 8 riots were proof of how polarized Brazilian society was. One year later, it might be even more polarized — so two experts believe. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

In the last podcast of 2023, we analyze the tax reform approved by Congress. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show

Brazil pledged to launch a global alliance against hunger during the year it will hold the G20 presidency. Read show notes. Send us your feedback Support the show