If President Dilma Rousseff’s government can meet expectations, Rousseff might just be remembered as Brazil’s first ‘transparency president’. The expectations of which I speak are not just those of Brazil – they are the world’s. On April 17th and 18th, more than 50 countries will meet in Brasilia to unveil their commitments to the Open Read more about Brazil, Transparency and the Brasil Aberto Movement (Open Brazil Movement)[…]

“You get what you pay,” is a saying that doesn’t have an exact translation in Portuguese, much like other words, such as ‘enforcement[1],’ ‘check’ (as in a ‘check on authority), and ‘accountability’[2]. If language fashions our world view, as linguists suggest, it may help us understand why most Brazilians react limply to gross inequities, malfeasance, Read more about Police Strikes in Rio and Salvador — You Get What You Pay For[…]

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[…]