Explaining Brazil
324 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 11 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 121 ratingsNews from Brazil, by The Brazilian Report — an independent media outlet uniquely positioned to offer an insider’s view of current affairs in Brazil.
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Episodes
Special: How Brazil became the Land of Football #2
June 23, 2020 13:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBPelé is the greatest footballer of all time, and the 1970 World Cup in Mexico is seen as his crowning achievement. But just months before the tournament, people in Brazil thought he was finished. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Special: How Brazil became the Land of Football #1
June 21, 2020 13:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBFifty years ago, the greatest national football team of all time won the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. We tell the full story in this three-part series. Read show notes. — Support the show
Covid-19 made Brazilian elections more exposed to fake news
June 18, 2020 13:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBThe coronavirus has made regular meet-and-greet campaigns impossible. And that will favor political fake news rings. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Covid-19 made Brazilian elections more exposed to fake news
June 18, 2020 13:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBThe coronavirus has made regular meet-and-greet campaigns impossible. And that will favor political fake news rings. Support the show
Lifting the lid on a Brazil divided by race
June 10, 2020 14:00 - 19 minutes - 13.1 MBAs anti-racist protests break out around the world, we pick apart at the deep racial divides in Brazilian society and take a look at our own heritage. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Has the opposition to Jair Bolsonaro come to life?
June 03, 2020 14:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBBrazil saw anti-Bolsonaro protests this weekend. Does it mean that opposition to the far-right leader has finally come out of hibernation? Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Bolsonaro's "miracle" cure for Covid-19
May 27, 2020 14:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBThe world has abandoned chloroquine as a possible cure against the coronavirus. But Brazil's Bolsonaro is doubling down on his bet. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
The price of a human life
May 20, 2020 15:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBIf Covid-19 is a war, then heads of state must choose the fighting lanes that will cause the least casualties. Which is best? Enacting a lockdown, or reopening the economy? These economists believe they know the answer. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
All the president's Covid tests
May 13, 2020 10:00 - 26 minutes - 18.4 MBJair Bolsonaro fought tooth and nail to keep his Covid-19 tests a secret. Johns Hopkins professor Filipe Campante explains what was at stake in this case. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
All the president's Covid-19 tests
May 13, 2020 10:00 - 26 minutes - 18.4 MBJair Bolsonaro fought tooth and nail to keep his Covid-19 tests a secret. Johns Hopkins professor Filipe Campante explains what was at stake in this case. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brazilianreport)
Why is support for Bolsonaro so resilient?
May 06, 2020 14:00 - 22 minutes - 15.6 MBLinks to paramilitary mafias, poor economic results, controversial cabinet firings … and a botched pandemic response. None of this has dented Jair Bolsonaro's core group of supporters. Until now. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Moro puts Jair in the corner
April 29, 2020 15:00 - 27 minutes - 19.2 MBSergio Moro's resignation has left the Bolsonaro government in a delicate situation: it has lost its anti-corruption poster boy, and Moro's revelations could lead to a presidential indictment. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Pandemic power plays in Brazil and the U.S.
April 22, 2020 17:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBWhile not a perfect nickname, Bolsonaro has often been referred to as the “Trump of the Tropics”, a comparison that he's always welcomed and fueled himself. And Covid-19 has made the two far-right leaders even more alike. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Do Brazil's coronavirus numbers even mean anything?
April 15, 2020 14:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBDespite Brazil releasing updated figures on Covid-19 cases and deaths every day, inconsistencies in the data have left policymakers in the dark over the real spread of the virus. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Shopping for a new Health Minister
April 08, 2020 19:00 - 13 minutes - 9.29 MBAmid the worst pandemic in a lifetime, President Jair Bolsonaro has gone after his own Health minister, stopping just shy of sacking him. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Brazil facing a job apocalypse
April 02, 2020 13:00 - 16 minutes - 11.2 MBBrazil's employment rates will be decimated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Brazil's public health enemy #1
March 27, 2020 16:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBWhile the world goes into self-isolation and governments pass stimulus packages to save their economies from collapse, the Brazilian president resists such moves, and wants "business as usual." Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brazilianreport)
Brazil's public health enemy #1
March 27, 2020 16:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBWhile the world goes into self-isolation and governments pass stimulus packages to save their economies from collapse, the Brazilian president resists such moves, and wants "business as usual." Read show notes. — Support the Show.
20 rough weeks ahead
March 18, 2020 12:00 - 13 minutes - 9 MBBrazil has recorded its first Covid-19 death, and cases are growing exponentially. Authorities warn it will get much worse before it gets any better. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Is recession inescapable?
March 11, 2020 13:00 - 26 minutes - 18.1 MBThe coronavirus outbreak is cooling off the global economy—but the Brazilian government resists the use of stimulus packages. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Should Congress impeach Jair Bolsonaro?
March 04, 2020 13:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBBy asking supporters to take to the streets and ask for the shutdown of Congress and "the end of the Supreme Court," Jair Bolsonaro may finally have gone too far. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
For Brazil, 5G can mean more than just fast internet
February 26, 2020 14:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBThe implementation of 5G in Brazil still has many obstacles in its way, not least pressure from the country's two leading trading partners. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Human rights abuses, powered by CIA technology
February 19, 2020 14:00 - 25 minutes - 17.2 MBNew revelations show the CIA sold encryption tools which allowed them to spy on South American dictatorships during some of the most brutal and deadly periods of the continent's recent history. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Brazil’s climate crisis has already begun
February 12, 2020 14:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBHeavy rains and other extreme weather events have become the norm in Brazil, with much of the blame lying with climate change and poor urban planning. Read show notes. — https://brazilian.report/podcast/2020/02/12/explaining-brazil-podcast-95-brazil-climate-crisis-already-begun/ Support the Show.
Bolsonaro, season 2 begins
February 05, 2020 14:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBThe start of the legislative year kicks off the political calendar in 2020. And President Bolsonaro has plenty on his plate: pressing reforms, a Supreme Court vacancy, and much intrigue. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Coronavirus: the real risks for Brazil
January 29, 2020 15:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBThe risks of a coronavirus outbreak in Brazil are less substantial for the country's public health, and more for its struggling economy. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
PCC, Brazil's uber-powerful criminal brotherhood
January 22, 2020 17:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBThe PCC has just staged a Hollywood-esque prison escape in the Brazil-Paraguay border. We explain how a union of prisoners founded by eight men has become Brazil's (and South America's) biggest drugs gang. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Antarctica, Brazil's icy Amazon
January 15, 2020 13:00 - 20 minutes - 13.8 MBBrazil is inaugurating a new research base in Antarctica. The country's top researcher in the field explains to us why the South Pole is as important for Brazil's climate as the Amazon rainforest. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
One year of Jair Bolsonaro, explained
December 18, 2019 12:00 - 26 minutes - 18.1 MBTaking stock of the first 12 months of the Jair Bolsonaro government, we speak to two experts to break down what has gone right, and what has gone wrong. Guests: Carlos Goes (Ph.D. researcher at UCSD, formerly at IMF) and Claudio Couto (Fundação Getulio Vargas). Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Some humans still own other humans
December 11, 2019 13:00 - 20 minutes - 14.1 MBSlavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888, but there are still thousands of modern slaves working around the country. Guests: Camilla Costa (BBC), and Augusto de Arruda Botelho (Human Rights Watch). Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Latin America's dangerous game
December 04, 2019 13:00 - 24 minutes - 16.5 MBRecent crises in Latin America show how the Armed Forces remain key power brokers in the democratic game. But using the Army as a legitimizing force brings back old demons from Latin America's not-so-distant past—when most of the region was ruled by military dictatorships. And this puts civilian leaders in an immensely fragile position. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Brazil's age of extreme politics
November 27, 2019 13:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBPresident Jair Bolsonaro has broken away and launched the only overtly far-right party in Brazilian politics. This week we look at the rise of extremism and polarization in Brazil's political arena. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
The turbulent path of Brazil's republic
November 20, 2019 03:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBThe Brazilian Republic is 130 years old. The democratic dream remains not entirely fulfilled, but Brazil has made many strides. So we ask: what is the state of our union? Read show notes. — Support the Show.
How Lula's story explains Brazil
November 13, 2019 13:00 - 23 minutes - 16 MBLove him or hate him, there's one thing you can't take away from Brazilian former President Lula: his story epitomizes Brazil more than any other politician. Guest: André Pagliarini, a lecturer at Dartmouth College. Read show notes. — https://brazilian.report/videos/2019/11/18/explaining-brazil-85-how-lulas-story-explains-brazil/ Support the Show.
Can blockchain fix Brazil's bureaucracy?
November 06, 2019 12:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBBrazil is known for its mammoth bureaucratic system. But blockchain could help business in Latin America's top economy. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Latin America's veins are wide open
October 30, 2019 03:00 - 24 minutes - 16.5 MBFrom Chile to Catalunya, Lebanon to Hong Kong … it seems like we're seeing protests erupt everywhere. But one region seems to have been hit harder than others by this massive wave of disgruntlement: Latin America. It seems that Latin America's veins are as wide open as they've ever been. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Green and yellow (nuclear) submarine
October 23, 2019 09:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBBack in 2008, Brazil formulated its National Defense Strategy, selecting the construction of a nuclear submarine as one of its priorities. To find out more about this mission, we spoke to Anne Bianchi, who oversees the construction of Brazil's first nuclear submarine. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Oil, Brazil's underwater treasure
October 16, 2019 10:00 - 21 minutes - 14.7 MBIn just a couple of weeks, Brazil will hold the largest oil auction in its history. This week, we look back at how the country rose to become a key player in offshore drilling. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Odebrecht's Peruvian wrecking ball
October 02, 2019 14:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBThe Brazilian construction group admitted to paying USD 29 million in bribes over a decade in Peru. And it has caused the downfall of four former presidents—and potentially a fifth. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Bolsonaro flips off the world
September 25, 2019 14:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBWith references to God, socialism, and gender issues—not to mention skirting the blame for Amazon deforestation—Jair Bolsonaro's speech at the United Nations General Assembly made people all over the world cringe. Read show notes. — https://brazilian.report/videos/2019/09/25/explaining-brazil-podcast-79-bolsonaro-flips-off-the-world/ Support the Show.
How will Amazon Inc disrupt Brazilian retail?
September 18, 2019 15:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBThe world's largest retailer has just improved its position in Brazil. What will be the impact on local players? Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Rio's war on a gay kiss
September 11, 2019 13:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBRio de Janeiro Mayor Marcelo Crivella is staged a homophobic crusade against an Avenger comic. It is part of a calculated move to get him re-elected. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
How Napoleon invented Brazil
September 04, 2019 14:00 - 21 minutes - 14.7 MBBrazil celebrates its independence day on September 7. This week, we explain how former French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was influential to this process. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
WhatsApp-induced fires
August 28, 2019 14:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBRanchers in Northern Brazil used WhatsApp to coordinate massive—and simultaneous—Amazon fires. The worst part? The government knew beforehand. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Brazil's role on the global stage
August 21, 2019 14:00 - 27 minutes - 18.6 MBBrazil has hit the headlines worldwide thanks to Jair Bolsonaro's inflammatory statements and lack of environmental policy, but there are deeper origins to Brazil's image problem abroad. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Is Brazil capable of protecting the Amazon on its own?
August 14, 2019 12:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBA Harvard professor believes that international powers could start pressuring (and even threatening) Brazil due to its environmental shortfalls. Guest: Stephen M. Walt, professor of international affairs at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Can Brazil approve a tax reform?
August 07, 2019 14:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBAfter six months of constant power struggles with the government, what can we expect from Congress in the second half of 2019? Read show notes. — Support the Show.
How Brazil's prisons became war zones
July 31, 2019 14:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBSince the turn of the year of 2016 to 2017, over 200 inmates were killed within government-run prisons. In other countries, this would spark outrage, protests, and public disgust. Not in Brazil, a country where more and more people believe that the only good criminals are dead criminals. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
In Brazil, new terms and conditions will apply
July 24, 2019 14:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBBrazils new data protection law will only come into force next year, but businesses should already start adapting to the new rules. The burden is expected to fall harder on small companies... and penalties can be quite hefty. Read show notes. — Support the Show.
Why Argentina's presidential election matters to Brazil
July 17, 2019 14:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBOn October 27, Argentinians are heading to the polls to choose who will lead their nation for the next four years. And, based on what we have seen so far, the race to the Casa Rosada will be extremely hard-fought and polarized. Read show notes. — Support the Show.