PROMISES 1. The PAC2 stands for the Program for Growth Acceleration 2, and it’s not a midnight TV infomercial. It’s government’s gimmicky excuse to spend lots of money, $955 billion Reales over the next four years, or close to $600 billion U.S. The Program is for national development—highways, hydro-electricity projects, school and hospital building—the stuff you Read more about Dilma to the Legislature– A Few Promises[…]
President Dilma Rousseff addressed Brazil’s National Legislature on its opening yesterday. The next few posts will address a few concrete policies to expect in the coming years, as well as a few aspects of the speech that are worth further consideration: MINIMUM WAGE The minimum wage was $510 Reales per month in 2010 and the proposal—an executive decree issued by Lula Read more about Dilma to the Legislature- Wages will go up[…]
The latest of several worrying trends relating to informational freedom in Brazil, earlier this week the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Culture revoked the Creative Commons license that it has used since 2004. The move is yet one more indication that the Brazilian government continues to resist openness and strive for informational control. Brazil denies Read more about Brazil Government Bucking Trend Toward Informational Openness[…]
Yesterday’s post on philanthropy and economic optimism in Brazil appeared to be timely: Globo announced today that a group of businesses, including MRV, RJZ/Cyrela, Gafisa, PDG, Rodobens & Rossi, will be donating 2000 houses for those left without homes in the wake of recent mudslides. Stay tuned.
Booming Brazil and Buoyant Brazilians An Ipsos Public Affairs poll measuring national economic optimism in 24 countries placed Brazil far ahead of the pack, with 78 percent of people optimistic about the country’s economy, according to today’s Globo newspaper. India came a distant second at 61 percent and France a gloomy last, with just 3 Read more about Does the Rise of Economic Optimism Lead to More Charity?[…]
Globo reported today that the number of public officials ousted from the public service over the course of President Lula da Silva’s administrations (2002-2010) doubled. In 2003 the number of public officials punished tallied 264 and in 2010 this total had doubled to 521. Globo has produced a list of President Dilma Rousseff campaign pledges. Read more about Public Officials Ousted from Public Service Doubled Over Course of Lula’s Eight Years[…]
Canada’s Globe and Mail today reported on the specter of Brazilian of Brazilian inflation. Prices have surged over the last years; inflation was 10 percent last year and the Real is stronger than ever. So strong, reports the Globe, that Goldman Sachs dubbed it the most overvalued currency in the world. Good time for Brazilians Read more about The Specter of Brazilian Inflation[…]
I was surprised and delighted by Jornal Globo’s gutsy report (portuguese) on the 61 hydro electric plants planned from here until 2019, which will destroy 5300 square kilometers of forest– an area approximately four times the size of São Paulo, South America’s largest city. The hydro projects will require 7700 kilometers of transmission wires, and Read more about 61 Hydro-Electric Dams Threaten Amazon, Forests[…]
President Dilma Rousseff will apparently approve legislation advanced by the National Truth Commission, reports yesterday’s Jornal Globo. Brazil remains one of the few countries in Latin America whose leaders have not yet reckoned with human rights abuses committed during the last dictatorship. The military ruled Brazil from 1964-1985, during which time hundreds of people were Read more about Dilma Will Go Ahead with Truth Commission[…]
The Jornal Globo newspaper reported yesterday that “extermination” groups are operating in at least six states: Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Goiás, Mato Grosso, and São Paulo. These extermination groups, which gained international notoriety in 1980s, target the homeless and homosexuals, among others. According to Globo, the police are often involved in the killings. Read more about National Ombudman on Human Rights Reports Extermination Campaigns[…]