Author Archive
Brazil’s growing international presence
The BBC recently had an optimistic profile of Brazil’s position on the world stage. The article argues that Brazil has been largely successful at putting its own house in order, and is increasingly seen as a strong force in the international arena as well. Democracy and democratic institutions have been strengthened. At the same time, [...]
Venezuela’s bid to join Mercosur
For those who might be unaware, Mercosur is a regional trade agreement between Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. It is somewhat comparable to NAFTA, though there are some significant differences. Recently, Venezuela has been actively trying to join Mercosur, but before it can, all four member countries have to give their approval. So far the [...]
Bursting India’s myths about skin color
A few months back IndusLatin spotlighted the expansive use of skin whitening creams in India and Latin America. Recently the issue has been back in the news in India. Vogue magazine’s India edition dedicated its May cover story to the issue, and declared that it is time “to say we love, and always have loved, [...]
Brazil’s crisis philosophy: Foreign currency reserves trump IMF credit lines
One reason for Brazil’s relative success at navigating the current economic crisis is that it maintains US $243 billion in foreign exchange reserves. These reserves have acted as a crisis fund, of sorts, for the Brazilian government. Brazil has been able to use the fund to avoid having to rely on credit lines from international [...]
Brazil’s agricultural output expected to rise
Brazil is an agricultural powerhouse and a world leader in exports of soybeans, sugar, orange juice, and coffee. It is also one of the top producers and exporters of cotton, poultry, and beef. This trend of Brazilian dominance in agriculture seems poised to continue with an expected 8.5% increase in production for grains, legumes, and [...]
Chile learns how trust its military, 20 years after Pinochet
Chile has made great strides since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship in 1990. Under Pinochet there was extreme political repression, including at least 3,000 people who were “disappeared” and murdered because of their political opposition to the regime. In the last 20 years Chile has enjoyed rapid improvements in its economy and society, but [...]
Venezuela strays from its policy of nationalization
Venezuela has been particularly hard hit by the global recession over the last few years. Last year alone, the country experienced 27% inflation and a 2.9 percent decline in economic output. Times are tough enough, in fact, that famed “anti-capitalist and Marxist” Hugo Chávez has declared that, “Investment and experience from foreign oil firms is [...]
Brazil’s Ascendency as an Oil Power
Over the next decade Brazil may become one of the largest oil producing nations in the world. In late 2007 a new and sizable oil field, dubbed the “Tupi” field, was discovered in the Santos Basin in deep water off the Brazilian coast, and it holds the promise of energy self-sufficiency for Brazil. As Dilma [...]
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