October 13th, 2011 by
Ruban Selvanayagam
1 Comment
After one year and fourth months living under plastic sheeting in very basic living conditions, the provision of new homes for the Alagoas flood victims have been accompanied with what were previously unstated financial compromises. Now close to completion, the new housing units are only being allocated to those who are willing to pay 20 percent of their monthly salary (or R$ 50 for those earning up to one times the Brazilian minimum wage of R$ 545) – despite being promised as donations when the floods happened.
An article entitled ‘Dilma’s New Broom’ in the Financial Times has praised the Brazilian President on her attitude to corruption within the country’s political system. Since her election in January 2011 a number of prominent exits have come to the forefront largely via media investigations and inter-governmental whistle blowing…
December 7th, 2010 by
Ruban Selvanayagam
1 Comment
A short article on Rio de Janeiro’s real-life ‘City of God’, an area depicted in the 2002 film of the same name which has undergone significant transformation in recent years, widely being viewed as a model example of modern Brazilian urbanisation and citizen integration.
A short post on the back of the news that Dilma Rousseff will be the first female President of Brazil examining the implications for property investors.
Interview with the author of “The New Brazil”, Riordan Roett (professor of international studies at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC) – we discuss the main economic growth characteristics of the country; the issues / problems; inflationary pressures on the economy; Brazil as a world ’superpower’; its position in relation to the other BRICs; the China / Brazil relationship; the United State’s attitude to the country; the country’s political stability amongst other topics.
A brief outline of the main candidates of the Brazilian 2010 elections manifestos, focused upon the interests of Brazil real estate and land investors.
An interview with Development Director of Walmart Brazil, discussing the company’s 15 year history in the country, opportunities, risks, market idiosyncrasies as well as future plans.
A short blog post looking at Brazil’s Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento (‘Growth Acceleration Programme’, also known as ‘PAC’). Aimed at assisting the country’s future economic progression, the PAC is essentially focused around improving Brazil’s infrastructure through a variety of means.
A blog post examining the issue of corruption in Brazil including a brief interview with Levy Brandão, leader of a campaign which successfully assisted in exposing the actions of José Roberto Arruda (who caught handing bags of money to his legislator allies in late 2009).
