Courtesy: Government of Brazil/Wikimedia Commons
Brazil’s advantages – including resources of oil and gas, no historical baggage, an absence of terrorism and military conflicts – and regional leadership, make it a potential global power. But it also has to tackle many challenges in the medium-term, such as poverty, poor infrastructure, healthcare and education
Courtesy: Google Maps
In 'Latin America Update' Gateway House lists some of the important events in Latin America over the past month
Courtesy: @Doug88888
Gateway House’s Akshay Mathur recently visited Brazil to attend a BRICS-themed conference, organised by the National Association of Research and Graduate Programs in the Social Sciences. In this blog, he writes about his first impressions of the country and the similarities between India and Brazil that he observed.
Courtesy: Semilla Luz/Flickr
Though Brazil is a vibrant democracy, grievances over inadequate provision of public services and government overspending will not be resolved quickly due to the political disconnect with the needs of the people. Fernando Veloso blogs about the possible determinants and consequences of the protests
Courtesy: Semilla Luz/ Flickr
Brasilia seems to have responded fairly to the mass protests in the country. However, the issue of corruption is the most resonant of the protester’s grievances and must be addressed. Real political and economic reforms also need to be put in place, especially in the areas of education and health.
Courtesy: Government/ZA/Flickr
At the 5th BRICS Summit that begins in South Africa today, the heads of state of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are expected to ratify the creation of the BRICS Bank. After discussion and study for over a year by the respective governments, the bank will be launched with seed money estimated at between $50 billion to $100 billion, and most likely an equal share of voting rights for the management of the bank. What remains
The enigmatic former president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (or simply Lula), will visit India to receive the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development. Though India and Brazil share many commonalities, a belief in inclusive growth amidst huge social challenges is perhaps most significant.