Six Ministers got the axe during President Dilma Rousseff’s first year in office, but that’s not all she cut. Rousseff has also pruned some small but significant taxes, improving the climate for business. Brazil’s economic vigor was on display in 2011. The Folha de São Paulo reports today that imports and exports broke all previous Read more about President Dilma Rousseff the Malfeasant Slayer, yes, but Tax-Cutter?[…]

Folha de São Paulo reports today that, for the second time this year, President Dilma Rousseff has let de-foresters off the hook. This Monday the President issued a decree to extend the date at which fines will be levied for failures to re-forest and register legally protected land. The last extension occurred in June, and Read more about Addendum to last post: The Forest Code[…]

This editorial was written by Sergio Abranches for Brazil In Focus and provides a brief overview of how Brazil’s environmental prospects are being compromised by short-termism and a government that easily succumbs to powerful lobbies: Brazil sacrifices the enviroment on the altar of growth A year ago presidential hopeful Dilma Rousseff went on record as a strong Read more about “Development at Any Cost?”– Post on Brazil In Focus[…]

On the 25th of October 2011, The Brazilian Senate enacted a keystone measure to shore up the country’s growing transparency infrastructure, a freedom of information law.  Signed by President Dilma Rousseff on the 18th of November, the law will go into effect 180 days from the date of promulgation, on May 18th, 2012. The question Read more about Surrendering Secrecy in the Senate[…]

Back after more than a month-long hiatus, I am overwhelmed by recent events deserving of attention. Most importantly, the week of the 25th of October 2011 will go down in history as one of Brazil’s great democratic moments of reckoning: the country enacted a freedom of information law after more than 3 years of deliberation, Read more about The Next Couple Posts– Historic Democratizing Advances in Brazil[…]