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☆ Brazil markets tumble on Lula's first full day in office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Anthony Boadle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Haddad, who is seeking to dispel market fears that he might not maintain fiscal discipline, took office on Monday, pledging to control spending. "The policies remind us of Dilma Rousseff's government rather than Lula's," Gracia said, referring to Lula's handpicked successor, who was impeached while in office. Allies said Lula's newfound social conscience was the result of his 580 days in prison, Reuters reported on Sunday. Lula kicks off his third presidential term after persuading Congress to pass a one-year, 170 billion-reais increased social spending package, in line with his campaign promises. Lula spent his first day in office meeting with more than a dozen heads of state who attended his inauguration.

☆ Brazil’s Lula sworn in, vows accountability and rebuilding
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Lula is assuming office for the third time after thwarting far-right incumbent Bolsonaro’s reelection bid. Many have gathered outside military barracks since, questioning results and pleading with the armed forces to prevent Lula from taking office. Furthermore, Santoro said, the credibility of Lula and his Workers’ Party were assailed by a sprawling corruption investigation. He had been camped outside Brasilia’s army headquarters with hundreds of other Bolsonaro supporters since Nov. 12. Instead of Bolsonaro, a group representing diverse segments of society performed the role of presenting Lula with the presidential sash to Lula atop the ramp of the presidential palace.

☆ Brazil’s Lula Returns to Power in Brazil, 20 Years After First Taking Office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Samantha Pearson | Luciana Magalhaes | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BRASÍLIA— Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , the 77-year-old icon of the Latin American left, returned to power Sunday, 12 years after his last stint as president. This time around he faces some of his toughest challenges yet, from uniting a bitterly divided nation to halting the destruction of the world’s biggest rainforest and boosting the incomes of millions of desperately poor families. Thousands of supporters, many singing and waving the Workers’ Party crimson flag, joined dignitaries from across the Americas in the capital for the inauguration and a festival of open-air concerts to celebrate Mr. da Silva’s return.

☆ Brazil’s Lula Makes Remarkable Return to Power After 12 Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Samantha Pearson | Luciana Magalhaes | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BRASÍLIA— Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , the 77-year-old icon of the Latin American left, returns to power Sunday afternoon 12 years after his last stint as president and this time faces some of his toughest challenges yet, from uniting a bitterly divided nation to halting the destruction of the world’s biggest rainforest and boosting the incomes of millions of desperately poor families. Thousands of supporters and dignitaries from across the Americas are expected to descend on this capital for the inauguration and open-air concerts to celebrate Mr. da Silva’s return. “We will make this country smile again, allow people to live in peace again,” Mr. da Silva said via Twitter in some of his last comments before he was sworn in. “We will bring back the harmony of the people.”

☆ Lula decrees extension for tax exemption on fuels in Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRASILIA, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Brazil's newly sworn-in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a decree on Sunday extending for 60 days an exemption for fuels from federal taxes, a measure passed by his predecessor aimed at lowering their cost. The decree was among the first batch of decisions taken by Lula hours after his inauguration as president, succeeding far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, and officially establishing his cabinet of 37 ministers. Prates said the exemption could be resumed by the new government in a "much more comfortable" way. He has said that one option under study was an extension for six months or until the end of the year for tax exemptions on diesel and liquefied petroleum gas. The extension for gasoline was opposed by sectors of the economy, such as the ethanol industry, which loses ground in its tax advantage over gasoline.

☆ Brazil acting president hits out at 'silent' Bolsonaro in New Year speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Brazil's acting president, Hamilton Mourao, on Saturday criticized outgoing far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro for allowing anti-democratic sentiment to thrive in the wake of this year's election, in a veiled dig in a New Year speech. Vice president under Bolsonaro, Mourao delivered the New Year speech after taking over on Friday, when the outgoing president flew to Florida to avoid handing over the presidential sash to leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at his Jan. 1 inauguration. Bolsonaro's exit follows weeks of near silence following his defeat in Brazil's most fraught election in a generation. Mourao was elected in 2018 as Bolsonaro's running mate but was ditched in this year's election, with the outgoing president choosing former Chief of Staff Walter Braga Netto to join his defeated ticket. Mourao instead ran for Senate and secured a spot in the upper house of Congress representing the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Jailed for graft in 2018 - the year right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro was elected - Lula's convictions were overturned in 2019, allowing him to oust Bolsonaro in October's election. The more ideological Lula who emerged from jail in 2019 should not be a cause for concern, friends and allies said. Lula's spokesman Jose Chrispiniano said the president supported fiscal responsibility and believes that strengthening the economy is the best way to combat poverty. "Good morning, President Lula," his devotees would chant as the day began, followed by "Good night, President Lula," as he went to bed. From his 15-square-meter cell on the third floor of the Federal Police headquarters in Curitiba, Lula set about reorganizing the PT and managing his legal defense.

☆ Lula returns to office in a troubled, divided Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Anthony Boadle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The ceremony in Congress begins at 3 p.m. (1800GMT), after which Lula will go the Planalto palace to don the presidential sash before a crowd of 30,000 supporters, while some 300,000 are expected to gather to celebrate on Brasilia's esplanade. Now, he faces the daunting challenge of improving Brazil's stagnant economy while also uniting a country that has become painfully polarized under Bolsonaro. His supporters have protested for two months that the election was stolen and called for a military coup to stop Lula returning to office in a climate of vandalism and violence. Organizers said delegations from 50 nations and 19 heads of state and governments, including the king of Spain, have confirmed their attendance. Reporting by Maria Carolina Marcello, Ricardo Brito, Lissandra Paraguassu and Anthony Boadle; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil’s Bolsonaro lands in Florida, avoiding handover of power to leftist Lula
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Bolsonaro’s exit from Brazil came after he repeatedly said he would not hand over the presidential sash to Lula at Sunday’s inauguration, breaking with Brazil’s democratic tradition. He may also face legal risks from remaining in Brazil as his presidential immunity expires when Lula takes office. Vice President Hamilton Mourao is now acting president after Bolsonaro left the country, his press office said. Bolsonaro’s exit follows weeks of silence, after he lost Brazil’s most fraught election in a generation. Some of Bolsonaro’s supporters have refused to accept Lula’s victory, believing his baseless claims that the October election was stolen.

☆ Brazil's Lula calls for peace at meetings with Russia, Ukraine representatives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met on Saturday with representatives of Russia and Ukraine ahead of his inauguration and called for an end to the war between the two countries. Lula, who will be sworn in on Sunday, said on Twitter he had separately met with the speaker of Russia's Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, and Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The two were in Brazil to represent their countries at Lula's inauguration and met both him and his future foreign relations minister, Mauro Vieira, according to pictures shared by the leftist leader. Lula said he told Matvienko that Brazil wishes for "peace and for the parties to find common ground to end the conflict," which began when Moscow sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Reporting by Gabriel Araujo, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

But Jean Paul Prates, nominated on Friday to be chief executive, has been advocating for higher investments in renewables. "Petrobras is a company for the long run and cannot just keep exploring sub-salt oil and paying dividends," Prates said in a press conference this month. Prates, a senator for the past four years, will become the first politician to hold a high-ranking office at Petrobras in several years. Petrobras, Prates and the transition team's press officer did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Prates has defended higher Petrobras investments in the refining sector as a way to secure Brazil's fuel supply.

☆ Next Petrobras CEO says he will change company's fuel price policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRASILIA, Dec 30 (Reuters) - The incoming chief executive of Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA) said on Friday he planned to tweak the country's fuel price policy, but said investors need not worry. Prates told journalists he will change the firm's pricing policy, which pegs fuel to global oil prices, but stressed that this does not mean prices will be completely unlinked to the international market. "Petrobras' pricing policy will be changed, but not necessarily to traumatize investors," he said. The company's pricing policy was at the center of turmoil during President Jair Bolsonaro's administration. Three of Petrobras' CEOs were ousted during his term, as fuel price hikes stoked inflation and hurt his popularity.

☆ Brazil's Bolsonaro says no justification for attempted 'terrorist act' in capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends an inauguration ceremony for new judges of Brazil's Superior Court of Justice in Brasilia, Brazil December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File PhotoBRASILIA, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday there was no justification for what he called an attempted "terrorist act" after police foiled a man's plan to set off an explosive device in Brasilia last week in protest against his election defeat. The outgoing far-right leader, however, tried to distance himself from George Washington de Oliveira Sousa, who was arrested for the bomb plot and told police that Bolsonaro's call to arms inspired him to get an arsenal of guns and explosives. "The man had ideas that are not shared by any citizen, but now they classify him as a 'Bolsonarista'," the president complained in a social media broadcast before leaving office. Reporting by Ricardo Brito and Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Scholz, Macron may visit Brazil's Lula in early 2023, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Lisandra Paraguassu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRASILIA, Dec 30 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron may visit Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia in early 2023 after he takes office, two sources told Reuters. The French and German leaders may visit Lula in Brazil as soon as January, the two sources said, with exact dates still being negotiated. Scholz's office said it had no information about plans for such a trip, while the Elysee did not respond to a request for comment. Last year, even before he was formally a presidential candidate, Lula was welcomed by both Scholz and Macron in their countries. In addition to receiving counterparts in Brasilia, Lula is also planning trips of his own, including visits to the United States, China and Argentina early in his term.

[1/5] Federal prison officers take position in front of federal police headquarters during an action by Federal Police and agents of the Civil Police of Brasilia, to serve arrests and seizure warrants issued by the Federal Supreme Court in Brasilia, Brazil, Brazil December 29, 2022. REUTERS/Adriano MachadoBRASILIA, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian police said they arrested four people and carried out nationwide raids on Thursday in investigations into an alleged coup attempt during riots by supporters of defeated far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. Brazilian authorities, led by the Supreme Court, have been cracking down on a small but committed minority of Bolsonaro supporters who refuse to acknowledge leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's election victory and are calling for a military coup. The federal police said on Thursday they were serving 32 search and arrest warrants in eight states under Supreme Court orders. Two arrest warrants were served in the northwestern state of Rondonia, one in Rio de Janeiro and one in Brasilia, Mazzotti said in a press conference.

Among Thursday's highlights were Marina Silva for environment minister and Senator Simone Tebet as planning and budget minister. Lula gave them key positions after they provided crucial endorsements for his narrow Oct. 30 election victory over outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. One of Brazil's best-known environmentalists, Silva previously held the same ministerial position for five years during Lula's first term as president, overseeing a significant drop in deforestation. "She played an extremely important role in the campaign," Lula said of Tebet, who will oversee Brazil's budget and set up a multiannual plan with goals for the administration. Lula, who had previously disclosed 21 of the future ministers, also tapped other moderate figures to his cabinet in order to secure support in Congress.

☆ Top court bans guns from Brazil's capital ahead of Lula inauguration
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday banned registered gun-owners from carrying firearms in the federal district until after the inauguration of President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in reaction to recent episodes of political violence. Justice Alexandre de Moraes temporarily suspended licenses that permit hunters, marksmen and collectors to carry guns, firearms and ammunition in the region where the capital city of Brasilia is located. The measure will be in place from Wednesday evening to Jan. 2, the day after Lula’s inauguration, according to Moraes’ decision, which was reviewed by Reuters. Incoming Justice Minister Flavio Dino cheered the ruling, saying the move would ensure greater security at the inauguration. He said Lula’s team had requested the Supreme Court suspend firearm licenses.

☆ 'Coup-mongering' Bolsonarista's battle cry reveals a radicalized Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Gabriel Stargardter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Lots of people realized this wasn't a safe place," said Lucas Mello, a 22-year-old TikToker who has lived in the camp since Dec. 5. Three days after the riots, Moraes released Baldin, sent him home with an ankle bracelet, and barred him from talking to the media. "The heavily violent (protests) ... occurred in exactly the same context that motivated the temporary arrest of Milton Baldin," Moraes wrote in his sealed ruling. Bolsonaristas deride Moraes as an unelected despot who has censored free speech and trampled on the president's executive power. On Dec. 9, Bolsonaro broke weeks of post-election silence with an ambiguous message many viewed as encouragement to his protesting supporters.

☆ Brazil's top court bans guns from capital ahead of Lula inauguration
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRASILIA, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday banned registered gun-owners from carrying firearms in the federal district until after the inauguration of President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in reaction to recent episodes of political violence. Justice Alexandre de Moraes temporarily suspended licenses that permit hunters, marksmen and collectors to carry guns, firearms and ammunition in the region where the capital city of Brasilia is located. The measure will be in place from Wednesday evening to Jan. 2, the day after Lula's inauguration, according to Moraes' decision, which was reviewed by Reuters. On Dec. 12, the day Lula's victory was certified, some of the camp dwellers attacked the federal police headquarters in Brasilia. Incoming Justice Minister Flavio Dino cheered the ruling, saying the move would ensure greater security at the inauguration.

☆ Simone Tebet seen accepting Lula's offer of Brazil planning minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRASILIA, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has invited centrist Senator Simone Tebet to be his planning minister, a close Lula aide said on Tuesday, and she is expected to accept. Tebet backed Lula over far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro after ditching her own presidential bid when she failed to make the run-off. Her support was seen as crucial for leftist Lula's election, helping him secure moderate votes in the second round. The planning minister job was first offered to economist Andre Lara Resende, a member of Lula's transition team, but he declined. On Monday, incoming Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said there would be no problems working with Tebet, whom he called "very qualified" and "someone who knows how to work in a team."

☆ Brazil police investigate suspected bomb threat ahead of inauguration
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/8] A member of the security forces works following a suspected bomb threat in the city's hotel section, close to where President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is staying before his Jan. 1 inauguration, according to the federal district's security department, in Brasilia, Brazil, December 27, 2022. REUTERS/Adriano MachadoBRASILIA, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Police in Brazil's capital, Brasilia, were investigating a suspected bomb threat in the city's hotel section, close to where President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was staying before his Jan. 1 inauguration, the federal district's security department said on Tuesday. A Reuters witness said sirens and helicopters could be heard from the hotel where Lula was staying. Brasilia's military police said a backpack had been found and the bomb squad had been called out of precaution. Reporting by Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Leslie Adler and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil's record 2023 bond bill underscores rising debt burden
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Marcela Ayres | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Redemptions on the LFT bonds, which are linked to benchmark interest rates, will reach 464 billion reais ($89 billion) in 2023, with 178 billion reais due in March and 286 billion in September. Former Treasury Secretary Mansueto Almeida pointed to real interest rates - adjusted for inflation - of above 6% over the longer term. "If the next government doesn't present and clarify a new fiscal rule soon, we'll be left with this very high interest rate," said Mansueto, now chief economist at BTG Pactual. Otherwise, it will hurt private investment a lot and lead to a very worrying trajectory of public debt growth." Brazil's public debt is expected to close this year at around 74% of GDP, its lowest since 2018.

George Washington de Oliveira Sousa was arrested on Saturday, the day after police said they foiled his plot to set off an explosive device near the Brasilia airport. A 54-year-old gas station manager from the northern state of Para, Sousa told police that Bolsonaro's sowing of election doubts inspired his Dec. 12 journey to the capital. He added that he planned to share his weapons with other CAC-holders in the Brasilia camp. After the Dec. 12 attack, he said police and firemen near the camp told him they would not arrest any protesters for vandalism, as long as they did not attack cops. That same day, Sousa saw on the news that police had found the bomb near the airport.

☆ Brazil election-denier camps 'incubators of terrorism,' new minister says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Gabriel Stargardter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Yesterday's serious events in Brasilia prove that the so-called "patriotic" camps have become incubators for terrorists," tweeted Flavio Dino. In a later tweet, Dino said he would propose the creation of "special groups to combat terrorism and irresponsible weaponry. News of the bomb added a new dimension to post-election violence in Brazil, where tensions remain high after Brazil's most fraught election in a generation. The Brasilia camp, outside the army headquarters, has become one of the country's most extreme. Police also found assault-style rifles and other explosives at an apartment rented by the man in Brasilia.

☆ Brazil's Guedes predicts monetary easing by mid 2023, GDP rising 3%
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRASILIA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Brazil's Economy Minister Paulo Guedes projected on Thursday interest rates would start to fall by mid-2023 and the economy would expand by 3% again. Speaking at an event hosted by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), he stated the country is living through a long growth cycle after reforms implemented by outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. Still, "poor quality policies" may end it, he added. Reporting by Marcela Ayres Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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