POLITICS: Corruption – Transparency International

Unfortunately, this hasn’t improved a great deal over the last 20 years.  When corruption comes up in conversations, Brazilians say “You have corruption everywhere.”  This is true, but not to the same degree and with little to no punishment.  To make it to the first tier of world powers, Brazil must resolve these problems.  Until [...]

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POLITICS: Brazil Can’t Be Leader In The Region

BY CARLOS ALBERTO MONTANER WWW.FIRMASPRESS.COM
The United States isn’t in the slightest interested in continuing to be the power responsible for stability and good governance in Latin America. That was an uncomfortable task in the 20th century. But it’s over. Now that the Soviet Union is gone, American politicians see no potential danger to [...]

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POLITICS: The French Are Coming

President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to arrive in Brasil Sunday, 6 September 2009 and is expected to officially close on an arms deal worth 8.6 million Euros. Brazilian newspapers report the French are very interested in expanding beyond the military cooperation into the private sector, where France would utilize Brazil as a platform for business [...]

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IN THE BRAZILIAN NEWS: June 09

AF 447: The news month started off with the crash of Air France flight 447 about 1000 km of the coast of Brazil.  This was a difficult operation for the Brazilian Navy and Air Force, but they seem to have done a good job under the circumstances.
The Senate: Big scandal in Brasilia.  The President of [...]

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POLITICS: Obama’s Choice for Ambassador to Brazil

Term of Appointment: 10/07/2005 to present
Read the Assistant Secretary’s remarks.
Thomas A. Shannon was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs on October 7, 2005.
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Shannon served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council [...]

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ECON STUFF: Obama Calls Lula

President Obama called Lula yesterday and they talked for 25 minutes.   Obama invited Lula to stop by the White House in March when Lula will be in New York attending a Biofuels conference.   Lula inturned invited Obama to come down in April, but Obama said probably August or Septemebe would be better.
I would [...]

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POLITICS: Sarkozy Irritated by Journalists in Bahia

Sarkozy was in Rio with President Lula to sign several agreements….arms deals, eco projects…etc.   Mrs. Sarkozy (Carla Burni whose Italian father has lived in São Paulo on and off for many years) got more attention than either President.   There were numerous photo shots of her in the favelas; few shots of Sarkozy and [...]

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POLITICS: The Imperalist are coming! Americans? No, Brazilians!

 
Over the years, it would come up political discussions Brazil’s role in the world.  When I would mention that one day Brazil might be considered the “bad buy” on the block, they would laugh and say “never”.  Well, never has arrived.  Brazilians being called or treated as imperalist is amazing.  Just goes to show, if [...]

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POLITICS: The USA Election

 
 
November 4, 2008 — Who? 
Brazilians are following the US elections.  It is all a bit confusing to them.   Elections here are well run and there are seldom serious problems.  The Electoral College baffles Brazilians as well.  The vote here is direct.  The 2000 US elections left Brazilians shaking their heads and asking how a [...]

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POLITICS: Elections

Yesterday, 5 Oct. 2008, Brazilian voters went to the polls to elect Mayors and City Council members.  Actually, here the county and city are one and are called “municipios”.  There are 5,564 counties (municipios) in Brazil.  The US has 3,141.   I don’t know the actual number, but a high percentage of Brazilian municipios require Federal [...]

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POLITICS: McCain In Brazil

 
 
In the Globo Online newspaper today was an article about the Carioca gal (Maria Gracinda) who was McCain’s girlfriend for a week back in 1957, when McCain’s ship visited Rio.  She reportedly is mentioned in McCain’s book “Faith of My Family”. 
Globo tracked her down and did an interview with her.  I don’t know how much [...]

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POLITICS: Japanese in Brazil

The largest Japanese population outside Japan is in Brazil; most in the States of São Paulo and Paraná. However, there are Japanese or Japanese descendants in all parts of Brazil.

A 100 years ago the first Japanese immigrantes arrived at the Port of Santos. Prince Naruhito of Japan is here in Brazil to celebrate the anniversary.

LINKS:
> [...]

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POLITICS: Lula Meets Sarkozy in French Guiana

The reason these two are meeting in Saint-Georges, French Guiana just across from the Brazilian town of Oiapoque, and the river of the same name, is the launching of the construction of a new bridge, which will link the two countries by highway. It should be completed sometime in 2010. When completed you [...]

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POLITICS: Welcome to 2008 in Brazil!

 

Christmas, New Years, Summer vacation and Carnival are all over!
Brazil started back to work yesterday, Thursday, February 8, 2008!
The next national slowdown (not shutdown) is July; Winter school vacation. Compared to the shutdown, July slowdown is pretty mild. However, we still have several holidays before the Winter break.
Jan 1 New Year’s Day
Feb [...]

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