Explaining Brazil

The Brazilian Report

News 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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391 episodes
Updated July 24

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Episodes391

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Oct 16, 2025 · 9 min
Who will be Brazil's next Supreme Court justice? (preview)
Justice Luís Roberto Barroso is retiring. We unpack how factors such as trust, political ties, and electoral considerations may guide President Lula’s next choice for the court. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Oct 14, 2025 · 5 min
2026 election: A year away, what do polls say? (preview)
President Lula’s popularity has risen. We examine how this might impact the political landscape ahead of the next presidential election. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Oct 1, 2025 · 8 min
Brazil's tax system fuels income inequality (preview)
Brazil’s Congress is discussing a proposal for income tax reform. Backed by the Lula administration, the bill seeks to make the country’s system more progressive. But just how unequal are taxes in Brazil? This week, we host economist Davi Bhering, who co-authored a Paris School of Economics study on Brazil’s tax income system. In our newly released episode of the Explaining Brazil podcast, he unpacks: Why Brazil’s income inequality may be higher than previously estimated. How the Brazilian system’s regressivity compares to other countries. Why his findings may indicate that global inequality is higher than anticipated. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Sep 24, 2025 · 14 min
Self-serving politics (preview)
Crowds on Sunday fanned out across Brazil’s 27 state capitals to denounce two measures moving through Congress: a constitutional amendment proposal that would essentially shield lawmakers from prosecution, and a bill that could forgive or soften penalties for those convicted of a coup attempt masterminded by former President Jair Bolsonaro and his acolytes. The demonstrations, initially organized in a spontaneous, online fashion and later embraced by left-of-center parties, were notable not only for their scale but also for how they reframed Brazil’s political symbolism and fault lines. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Sep 17, 2025 · 10 min
The PCC’s sprawling presence in Brazil’s economy (Preview)
A massive police operation exposed how deep Brazil's largest criminal organization has penetrated the legitimate economy. Rafael Alcadipani, a professor at the FGV’s School of Public Administration and a member of the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety, unpacks: How the PCC evolved into a mafia-like organization, with multiple economic activities. The impacts of this expansion on democracy. Brazil’s federal and state-level capacity to combat organized crime. How the United States might play a role — and the risks. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Sep 11, 2025 · 17 min
Bolsonaro: from the barracks, to the presidency ... to prison? (preview)
The Brazilian Supreme Court has reached a majority to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of leading a conspiracy to overturn his 2022 electoral defeat. The trial is about to bring an end to a political career long marked by authoritarian views and practices. To review Bolsonaro's political path, the Explaining Brazil podcast invited journalist Juliana Dal Piva. She is the author of the book “O Negócio do Jair” (“The Business of Jair”), published in 2022 by Editora Zahar, and the host of the podcast series “A Vida Secreta de Jair” (“The Secret Life of Jair”), released in 2021 by the website UOL. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Sep 4, 2025 · 13 min
Brazil's trial of the century (Preview)
The final stage of Jair Bolsonaro’s coup trial kicked off on September 2 in Brasília. After months of evidence-gathering, arguments and testimonies, the justices are expected to deliver their ruling by September 12, in what is arguably the most consequential trial in Brazil’s recent history. At the center of the case are the riots that occurred on January 8, 2023. They looked eerily like January 6 in the United States — but worse: crowds stormed not only Congress, but also the presidential palace and the Supreme Court itself. But prosecutors say those riots were just the visible edge of something larger — a vast conspiracy to push the military into breaking democracy. So what happens now? How will the justices rule, and what will it mean for Brazil’s fragile democracy — and its powerful military? Our guest today is Davi Tangerino. He’s a criminal lawyer and a professor at State University of Rio de Janeiro. Tangerino also served on Brazil’s National Council for Criminal and Penitentiary Policy, and helped lead the Brazilian Institute of Criminal Sciences. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Aug 26, 2025 · 13 min
Can Brazil own its digital destiny? (Preview)
At a time when US President Donald Trump is pressuring Brazil on both trade and military fronts, the country’s digital vulnerabilities have come into focus. The notion of sovereignty now extends beyond borders to the infrastructure, systems and data that underpin the digital world. How prepared is Brazil to secure its digital sovereignty? Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Aug 19, 2025 · 9 min
The battle for control over Brazil's Congress (Preview)
A political drama has unfolded inside Congress. It started with a show of force: after former President Jair Bolsonaro was placed on house arrest, lawmakers loyal to him occupied both chambers, bringing the legislature to a halt. But beneath the theatrics, something more profound is unraveling — a leadership crisis. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts or on The Brazilian Report. Send us your feedback Support the show
Aug 5, 2025 · 8 min
Supreme Court places Bolsonaro under house arrest (Preview)
In this edition of #InsiderTalks, we’ve invited experts on law, democracy and electoral trends to analyze the trial of Bolsonaro and his allies for an alleged coup plot. Subscribe to Explaining Brazil Plus on Apple Podcasts for the full episode or go to The Brazilian Report and subscribe to get all of our content. Send us your feedback Support the show
Jul 28, 2025 · 6 min
US tariffs: Brazil is negotiating with an “elected autocracy” (Preview)
Professor Felipe Campante of Johns Hopkins sees little room for success in negotiations between Brazil and the US, as only the former is following the rule of law. Subscribe to Explaining Brazil Plus on Apple Podcasts for the full episode or go to The Brazilian Report and subscribe to get all of our content. Send us your feedback Support the show
Jul 14, 2025 · 12 min
Trump declares (trade) war on Brazil (Preview)
In this episode of Explaining Brazil Plus, we analyzed Donald Trump’s threat of a 50% tariff on Brazil and its possible impacts on the country's economy and politics. Subscribe to Explaining Brazil Plus on Apple Podcasts for the full episode or go to The Brazilian Report and subscribe to get all of our content. Send us your feedback Support the show
Apr 25, 2025 · 11 min
Social security scandals, Brazil's emissions beef and a papal funeral
A major social security scandal causes a government headache. Brazil’s beef sector needs major changes to hit emissions goals. And Lula is off to Rome for the pope’s funeral, but who’s going with him? Send us your feedback Support the show
Apr 23, 2025 · 4 min
COP 30: are locals ready to shape policies? (Preview)
In this Explaining Brazil Plus episode, Lise Tupiassu of the Federal University of Pará gives us her on-the-ground perspective on what should be in the spotlight regarding COP30 in the Amazon Send us your feedback Support the show
Apr 18, 2025 · 9 min
Penal populism, agro jobs and Bolsonaro under the knife
Rio’s mayor looks to El Salvador for inspiration on public security. Brazil’s agro jobs are less and less done on farms. And Bolsonaro goes under the knife again in a 12-hour surgery. Send us your feedback Support the show
Apr 11, 2025 · 10 min
Trump’s decline, Embraer’s rise, and Lula in a gun fight
Trump and the US become less popular in Brazil. Embraer wades into the aerial arms race. And the pro-gun caucus wants to take firearms away from Lula’s security team Send us your feedback Support the show
Apr 1, 2025 · 6 min
Brazil braces for Trump's tariffs (Preview)
US President Donald Trump promises a significant tariff announcement on April 2. We gathered a team of experts to discuss how the looming threats of tariffs from the Trump administration may affect Brazil and reshape relations between the United States and Brazil — not just in the short-term future but also in the long run. Panelists: Tony Harrington, former US ambassador to Brazil. Founding Principal of Albright Stonebridge. He was previously Chair of the President’s Intelligence Oversight Board and currently serves as Chair of the Wilson Center Brazil Institute. Kellie Meiman Hock, senior counselor at McLarty Associates and a board member of the Inter-American Dialogue. A former US Foreign Service Officer, she served in Porto Alegre, São Paulo and Recife in Brazil, as well as at the Office of the US Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President as Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone. Welber Barral, founding partner of BMJ, is an expert in international trade and investment with over 30 years of experience. He served as Brazil’s Secretary of Foreign Trade between 2007 and 2011 and has acted as an arbitrator in Mercosur and WTO disputes. He currently advises Fiesp and presides over IBCI, the Brazilian Institute of Foreign Trade. This episode is exclusive for premium subscribers and subscribers of Explaining Brazil Plus on Apple Podcasts. Send us your feedback Support the show
Mar 28, 2025 · 9 min
Bolsonaro charged, egg exports rise, Brazil rethinks defense ties
The Supreme Court decides that Jair Bolsonaro will face trial over coup-plotting allegations. Brazilian producers are exporting eggs to the bird flu-hit US. And Brazil wants to chart its own course in purchasing defense tech. This episode refers to the newsletters: 🧨 Charges accepted (Mar. 27) 🐣 Hatching a new market (Mar. 26) ⚖️ Facing the music (Mar. 25) Send us your feedback Support the show
Mar 21, 2025 · 11 min
Tax exemptions, rate hikes and voluntary exile
Lula announces major income tax exemptions. The Central Bank hikes interest rates once more. And one of Bolsonaro’s sons flees to the US. This episode refers to the newsletters: 🎰 Lula goes all in (Mar. 19) 📈 Different in form, not content (Mar. 20) Send us your feedback Support the show
Mar 14, 2025 · 9 min
Inflation, digital transformation and trade war frustration
Inflation data shows little in the way of good news for Brazil. The country’s planned digital currency moves through testing phases. And Trump’s metal tariffs kick in — how is Brazil going to respond? This episode refers to the newsletters: 😢 Brazilian wallets weep (Mar. 12) 🔐 Drex files: Privacy vs oversight (Mar. 12) Send us your feedback Support the show

Explaining Brazil

Support the show

Who will be Brazil's next Supreme Court justice? (preview)

2026 election: A year away, what do polls say? (preview)

Brazil's tax system fuels income inequality (preview)

Self-serving politics (preview)

The PCC’s sprawling presence in Brazil’s economy (Preview)

Bolsonaro: from the barracks, to the presidency ... to prison? (preview)

Brazil's trial of the century (Preview)

Can Brazil own its digital destiny? (Preview)

The battle for control over Brazil's Congress (Preview)

Supreme Court places Bolsonaro under house arrest (Preview)

US tariffs: Brazil is negotiating with an “elected autocracy” (Preview)

Trump declares (trade) war on Brazil (Preview)

Social security scandals, Brazil's emissions beef and a papal funeral

COP 30: are locals ready to shape policies? (Preview)

Penal populism, agro jobs and Bolsonaro under the knife

Trump’s decline, Embraer’s rise, and Lula in a gun fight

Brazil braces for Trump's tariffs (Preview)

Bolsonaro charged, egg exports rise, Brazil rethinks defense ties

Tax exemptions, rate hikes and voluntary exile

Inflation, digital transformation and trade war frustration