Jeferson Miola
The advance of the Washington Consensus in Brazil in the early 1990s materialized with the dominant oligarchies’ decision to elect Fernando Collor de Mello. Rede Globo played a decisive role, grossly manipulating the editing of the final televised debate on the eve of the 1989 election to harm Lula and favor Collor.
Once elected, Collor promised "neoliberal modernity," which consisted of fully opening the national market through economic deregulation and free capital flow.
The imported car became the symbol of this "new era" of "neoliberal modernization," marking the supposed end of the "era of carts in Brazil," as Collor mockingly referred to the domestically available vehicles at the time.
Now, more than 30 years later, at the end of 2024, the neoliberal media and elite sectors celebrate the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur as if Brazil had finally achieved the neoliberal modernity once promised by Collor.
CNN Brasil even celebrated the news, highlighting that the "2025 Ferrari 296 GTB model will be R$ 1.5 million cheaper under the agreement." According to the agreement, wealthy Brazilians will pay "only" R$ 3.39 million instead of the current R$ 4.52 million for a Lamborghini Huracan Coupé LP 640-2.
The colonized and dazzled media also rejoiced that luxury European goods such as olive oils, wines, cheeses, and imported cars, particularly from Germany, will become more affordable for Brazilian and Mercosur consumers.
The treaty still has a long journey through national parliaments and European bloc institutions before being signed and implemented. Fortunately, there is still a real possibility of rejection, given opposition from at least France and Italy.
The agreement is unfavorable to Brazil and its neighboring countries, exacerbating the deindustrialization process and further deepening the primarization of our economies.
The agreement entrenches Brazil and Mercosur nations in trade with the EU as suppliers of agricultural and mineral raw materials, heightening dependency on industrialized goods imported from European metropolises.
Brazil’s average import tax is 15%, but there is significant variation depending on each product's competitiveness against foreign goods. For instance, wine is taxed at 27%, luxury cars at 35%, cheese at 18%, and clothing and chemicals at 20%.
Meanwhile, the EU’s import tariff, which is below 2%, even when eliminated, will have an insignificant effect and will not enhance Brazil’s export profile in terms of variety or volume of industrialized products to the European bloc.
According to Itamaraty, the products that may marginally increase their market share are primary goods with low added value—such as meat, sugar, rice, and honey. Even so, this depends on the EU's promise to increase import quotas, which is not guaranteed.
For peripheral economies, import tariffs are an essential tool for protecting national interests and industrial production. These tariffs safeguard local companies and jobs in less developed countries, mitigating disparities in technology, productivity, and economic power compared to advanced capitalist nations.
By eliminating import tariffs, goods produced locally by domestic industries will be displaced by their European counterparts. This will lead to deindustrialization, destroying national companies and jobs.
Additionally, the removal of tariff and customs barriers could lead European multinationals operating in Brazil to close their local branches, choosing instead to increase production and generate jobs in their home countries to export more goods to the now barrier-free Mercosur market.
Brazil already has robust trade with the European Union. In 2023, trade exchange reached $91.7 billion, with $46.3 billion in exports and $45.4 billion in imports—a nearly $1 billion surplus.
Given such intense trade and the need to protect and expand the regional community market of Mercosur, the signing of this free trade agreement is inexplicable. Its impacts are profoundly negative for Brazil's productive structure and that of its South American neighbors.
The treaty with the EU condemns Brazil to economic primarization, trapping the country in a past defined by agricultural and colonial underdevelopment.
It also opens the door for other industrial powers—such as China and the US—to demand the same conditions granted to the Europeans, rendering Brazilian industrial, scientific, and technological development unfeasible.

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English

Treaty with the European Union Pushes Brazil Towards the Status of an Agricultural Colony

Moisés Mendes
Braga Netto does not count on a single incisive, categorical, and unconditional defense to console him in his condition as an imprisoned coup plotter. All the public figures who defend him beat around the bush, saying he should be free.
There are merely formal statements, reported without much attention because they lack even a semblance of indignation. These defenses are lifeless, like those from Bolsonaro and Hamilton Mourão.
All follow the same line that it is an "unjust imprisonment," which essentially says nothing. Some even admit, like Mourão, that a group of generals may have dreamed of a coup, but only as a delusion, and that they were all retired.
Senator Mourão even disqualified his peers by referring to it as a “tabajara coup attempt.” Journalists who support the old and new right reinforce the idea that the plot involved only "people in pajamas." Thus, we could have a “culpable coup,” but without intent.
A central question now arises, considering the reactions and potential support from accomplices to Braga Netto’s situation: what damage will follow that could influence the course of investigations and alter the weak rhetoric of those pretending to defend him?
Is Braga Netto a bomb that could implode at any moment? How willing is the general to unload part of the burden that should be carried by others to try to lessen his own blame? Who else might Braga Netto bring down with him?
The general is a potential explosion, as his colleagues know his temperament. He is also much more than a repository of information. He is the leader, the most respected figure among all the uniformed and civilian coup plotters.
He was first in everything within his generation, received training few have had, is talented, and knows the corridors, kitchens, and undergrounds of politics and power since leading the 2018 intervention in Rio.
He knows things most people have never imagined. He heard things from Bolsonaro that no one else must have heard. He showed his face, as in the "don’t lose faith" video from November 18, as someone who believed in the success of what he was doing and was willing to take risks.
Braga Netto can go far beyond Mauro Cid’s back-and-forth information. He can reveal details that the aide-de-camp colonel doesn’t fully know.
And he knows how the November 12, 2022 meeting was organized and transpired, where the assassinations of Lula, Alckmin, and Alexandre de Moraes were allegedly planned—right in his house.
A single piece of information from Braga Netto could untie crucial knots to understand the coup's structure and Bolsonaro's involvement, including the financiers of the plan. But how long will the general hold out?
How long will his preventive detention last, knowing that the duration depends on random and often questionable factors? So far, Moraes has ordered 64 preventive detentions of Bolsonaro supporters, all with varying time frames.
How many months can Braga Netto remain imprisoned? The detention tests the resilience that military training requires them to endure. Colleagues who were inside or outside the coup must know how long he can hold on.

The damage Braga Netto can cause

Aloizio Mercadante, president Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)
The world is undergoing a historic period of profound economic, commercial, technological, climatic, and geopolitical transformations. It faces armed conflicts in Europe (between Russia and Ukraine) and the Middle East (Lebanon, Gaza, Syria), escalating tensions in Asia (Taiwan and the South China Sea), and decoupling among major powers, with unprecedented economic rivalry since the post-war era, putting trade rules and multilateral mechanisms into question.
Developed countries are increasingly adopting aggressive protectionist policies, based on massive subsidies across various industrial sectors and heightened tariff and non-tariff barriers. This approach has fueled a global protectionist spiral and reduced incentives for other countries to adhere to established international trade rules.
In the technological arena, the world is experiencing a revolution driven by Artificial Intelligence, which promises to transform production systems, labor, and global competitiveness. Regarding the climate crisis, we are witnessing increasingly extreme and frequent events that demand a new generational stance to address these challenges.
While the arrival of President Trump to the U.S. government may deepen many of these trends, it also opens a window of opportunity. Brazil, led by President Lula, is well-positioned to drive several of these transformational processes.
The most recent example of synergy between opportunity and historical leadership is the newly finalized agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, the world's largest trade and investment partnership, involving more than 718 million people and a combined GDP of $22 trillion. More than just a trade agreement, this initiative sends an important signal toward a more open and inclusive world, with fewer walls and barriers.
As with any complex agreement involving multiple countries and sectors, it faces challenges for approval. It is not perfect and does not uniformly benefit all stakeholders. On the European side, the agreement still requires internal ratification by member states. There are powerful interests and significant resistance from a few privileged sectors benefiting from substantial subsidies. Under the current structure, a few countries can block the agreement if at least four of them, representing 35% of the population, oppose it.
Despite internal challenges within European mechanisms and some necessary compensatory adjustments, the agreement is robust, endorsed by the President of the European Commission, and supported by an overwhelming majority of member countries. When implemented, it will create a free trade zone encompassing more than 25% of global GDP.
The Mercosur-European Union agreement, alongside the G-20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro—which resulted in an unprecedented global effort to combat hunger—and the COP 30 in Belém, at the heart of the Amazon, the world's largest biodiversity reserve, represents the construction of a world that does not close in on itself, erect walls, or create divisions among nations. The agreement demonstrates that bipolarity between the United States and China is not inevitable, that the growing protectionist spiral is reversible, and that common causes like combating hunger and environmental catastrophe are shared struggles.
Under the leadership of President Lula, Brazil and BNDES are committed to a more pluralistic, open, supportive, green, and inclusive world. And now, more than ever, the world needs Brazil.

Javier Milei, Luis Lacalle Pou, Ursula von der Leyen, Lula, Santiago Peña

Mercosur-European Union Agreement: The Rescue of Multilateral Diplomacy

Joaquim de Carvalho
The Canadian Parliament’s summons of Jackson Wijaya confirms the correctness of the decision by Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) regarding Eldorado Brasil Celulose. About a month ago, Cade revoked the political rights of Paper Excellence within the company.
Wijaya is accused by Canadian lawmakers of deceiving the country's authorities by claiming he had no ties to Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), a company notorious for environmental and financial violations, particularly in Indonesia, its home country.
CBC News, in collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, conducted an extensive investigation that revealed a network of offshore entities concealing APP as the true controller of Paper Excellence. Wijaya denied these links to gain approval to take over companies, making Paper Excellence the largest pulp producer in Canada. Recently, Wijaya's hereditary control over APP was exposed.
"Asia Pulp and Paper has a notorious environmental record," said Canadian MP Charlie Angus during a Natural Resources Committee hearing. "No one would have allowed Asia Pulp and Paper or the Wijaya family to take over Canadian forestry operations if they had known the truth. That’s why Paper Excellence was created as a Trojan horse to enter Canada."
Upon learning of the Canadian press investigation, I wrote that Wijaya deceived Canadian authorities and published an interview with an Indonesian Greenpeace official.
"The acquisition of a pulp mill in Brazil by Sinar Mas (APP’s parent company) is bad news for local communities and forests. More investments in destructive industries by a company with the worst track record is a disaster in the making," said Syahrul Fitra, a senior forest activist with Greenpeace Indonesia.
Fitra further explained that Sinar Mas/APP and its suppliers deforested over one million hectares of native forests in Sumatra for plantations by 2010. Despite introducing a zero-deforestation policy in 2013 and promising to protect and restore one million hectares of forests, only about half that area has been safeguarded. Worse, APP has made minimal progress in ending operations in peatlands.
For Canadian lawmakers and environmental activists, Wijaya’s commitment to the truth is non-existent. The same holds true in Brazil, where Wijaya is allegedly supported by the far right and suspected of financing movements nearly leading to a coup against President Lula.
Despite this, Brazilian media has largely portrayed Wijaya as a legitimate investor. Even when he posed with a fake check alongside far-right figure Eduardo Bolsonaro, it failed to raise alarms in Brazil’s specialized journalism circles.
Paper Excellence/APP competes with Brazilian pulp mills but owns 49.41% of Eldorado and, as a board member, has accessed strategic information and blocked new investments. The company also announced plans to build a factory in Brazil, making it a domestic competitor. Cade intervened, revoking its political rights, a decision upheld last week.
This decision aligns with precedent, such as the Usiminas case, where CSN was barred from board participation and forced to sell most of its shares in the competing company.
Some media criticized Cade, particularly far-right aligned outlets, but both the author of the injunction, Alexandre Barreto de Souza, and the appeal rapporteur, Victor Oliveira Fernandes, deserve praise for their technical precision and courage.
Elizabeth Thompson, a leading Canadian journalist behind the exposé, confirmed the investigation but declined an interview, citing journalistic objectivity. She referred me to the Natural Resources Committee for further information.
Brazil is not a banana republic. Laws exist here and must be upheld.

Canadian Press Exposes Jackson Wijaya, the Fox Who Wanted to Guard the Henhouse

247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sent a direct message to the financial market on Wednesday (4), countering pessimistic GDP projections amid recent data confirming robust growth in the Brazilian economy. Lula stated that the market is "rooting against" the return to economic normalcy and the improvement in the population's quality of life, reaffirming his commitment to the country's social and economic progress.
"The 2024 GDP won’t be 1.5% as the market predicted; it will be over 3%. Gradually, we are returning to normalcy and improving the lives of Brazilians, despite those rooting against us," Lula wrote on the X platform.
Earlier, data released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) showed that the Brazilian economy grew by 0.9% in the third quarter compared to the previous three months. Compared to the second quarter of 2023, GDP increased by 4.0%. For the year through September, Brazil accumulated a 3.3% growth compared to the same period in 2023.

Lula sends a message to the markets: "rooting against us"

Marcia Carmo (247) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will attend the Mercosur summit in Montevideo, Uruguay, scheduled for this Thursday and Friday. Lula approaches the meeting with optimism regarding progress in the free trade agreement negotiations between the bloc and the European Union. “Our expectation is positive,” one negotiator told Brazil 247.
The agreement has been under discussion since 1999. The world was different back then – Trump had not been re-elected to the White House, Milei was not Argentina's president, and China did not hold the global presence it does today. New developments include Panama’s interest in joining Mercosur and the presence of Uruguay's president-elect Yamandú Orsi, from the Frente Amplia, who met Lula in Brasília shortly after his election. Both Orsi and Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino confirmed their attendance at this Mercosur summit.
Last week, technical meetings between Mercosur and European Union representatives were held at Itamaraty. According to sources involved, “there are reasons for Brazilian optimism.” The Montevideo meeting will be the bloc’s first since last week’s negotiations in Brasília. The European Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, holds the mandate to negotiate the agreement and supports its advancement. Von der Leyen participated in the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, led by President Lula. However, any agreement must be approved by the European Council (27 heads of state and government) and the European Parliament. France remains strongly opposed, but Brazilian negotiators believe the agreement could open EU markets to Brazilian agribusiness without harming the country’s industry.
At the summit in Montevideo, Milei is expected to reiterate his support for the free trade agreement while advocating for greater Mercosur trade openness. For now, he does not intend to leave the bloc, particularly given Argentina’s dependence on Brazil and China as its main trading partners. Despite Milei’s enthusiasm for Trump’s election, Argentina’s struggling economy in Milei’s first year in office has led to a 20% drop in Brazil’s exports to Mercosur. The economic “chainsaw” Milei is wielding has reduced consumption, affecting Brazilian sales in the Argentine market.

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Brazil's Optimism with Mercosur-European Union Agreement

Tereza Cruvinel (247) - The Federal Police inquiry report on the coup attempt completely disproved Jair Bolsonaro's denials of involvement, hours after he rejected any participation. Based on a wealth of evidence, the report confirmed that Bolsonaro “planned, acted, and had direct and effective control” over the entire coup plan.
While military coup-style takeovers have fallen out of favor, replaced by more modern forms of democratic erosion, Bolsonaro's coup and his allies' plans were old-fashioned. The plan failed due to a lack of support from the Army and Air Force commanders. Facing failure, Bolsonaro sought refuge in the U.S., abandoning his conspirators, who, in desperation, resorted to a last-ditch attempt by mobilizing campers stationed across the country to attack centers of power.
The coup details were outlined in a document, previously undisclosed, found at the headquarters of the Liberal Party (PL) on the desk of General Braga Netto's aide, Colonel Peregrino. The handwritten document was in a folder labeled "important memories" and titled "Operation 142," referring to the far-right's misinterpretation of Article 142 of the Constitution, which they falsely claimed allowed military intervention in cases of conflict between government branches or serious disruption of order.
The document included the phrase "Lula does not climb the ramp," encapsulating the coup's goal: to prevent the legitimately elected president from taking office. It detailed planned actions under the heading "Lines of Effort," which included:
<ul>
 <li>Legal framing under Article 142 (Attorney General and Ministry of Justice).</li>
 <li>Political commitment: convening the Council of the Republic and Defense.</li>
 <li>National TV and radio address.</li>
 <li>Preparation (rehearsals) of troops for direct actions.</li>
 <li>Mobilizing jurists and opinion leaders.</li>
 <li>Preparing releases for later dissemination.</li>
 <li>Halting the transition process.</li>
 <li>Nullifying STF's arbitrary acts.</li>
</ul>
What was left unsaid but already known: eliminating Lula, Alckmin, and Alexandre de Moraes. Like in 1964, it would have been followed by the removal of opponents, suspension of constitutional guarantees, and an act of force symbolizing the spirit of dictatorship, like the infamous AI-5 decree.
If Brazil narrowly escaped this plot, those responsible must not escape justice, ensuring no one dares attack the democratic state and the will of the people again.

Jair Bolsonaro durante participação em evento em Goiânia, 04/04/2024

New document reveals coup plan in detail, with Bolsonaro's full approval

José Reinaldo Carvalho 
Journalist, international editor of Brasil 247
The 19th G20 Summit in Brazil, held on November 18 and 19 under the theme "Building a Fair World and a Sustainable Planet," holds political significance that transcends pragmatic negotiations and signals a shift in the direction of this group, which has historically been polarized by the interests of imperialist powers.
This year's event reflects Brazil's and other developing and less-developed countries' expectation of confronting the global crisis through the lens of multipolarity, the fight for justice, democratic global governance, and addressing serious environmental problems. Brazilian diplomacy successfully negotiated an agenda to navigate insoluble controversies on the most contentious issues of today, related to the war in Ukraine and Israel's genocide in Palestine. Regarding these conflicts, the Final Declaration offered a generic approach to achieve consensus and had the merit of advocating for a ceasefire, which in practice means demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza.
Lula emphasized his proposal to create an alliance against hunger and poverty and tax the super-rich, achieving full success. Brazil assumed leadership with an agenda that reflects the urgent demands of the Global South. By prioritizing the fight against poverty and inequality, promoting sustainability, and reforming global governance, the Brazilian government demonstrated a clear commitment to progressive values.
The G20 in Rio de Janeiro may be remembered as a moment when opportunities opened up for comprehensive action to redefine the direction of the planet.
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty has already gained widespread support. The proposal was conceived by Brazil with the aim of accelerating global efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty. In addition to more than 80 countries, the European and African Unions, 24 international organizations, nine financial institutions, and 31 philanthropic and non-governmental organizations have announced their adherence.
The Global Alliance aims to reach 500 million people with income transfer programs in low- and lower-middle-income countries by 2030, expand quality school meals to 150 million more children in countries with endemic child poverty and hunger, and raise billions in credit and donations through multilateral development banks to implement these and other programs.
A significant aspect of the summit that underscores efforts to establish a new standard of international cooperation is the role of China and its leader Xi Jinping, who captured the spirit of the moment by advocating for inclusive globalization and a multipolar world where all nations have a voice and relevance. This vision aligns with progressive ideals that view multilateralism and multipolarity not only as pragmatic necessities but also as opportunities to redefine the foundations of the international system, traditionally marked by structural inequalities and unilateral hegemonies. Over the past decades, China has shown that it is possible to combine economic development with large-scale poverty reduction and actively participate in international forums for genuine multilateralism and multipolarity.
Another noteworthy aspect of this G20 summit is the role of the African Union, whose presence in the group is solidifying, a fact that should be seen as a historic milestone. This inclusion recognizes the relevance of developing nations in tackling contemporary challenges.
The final declaration, an extensive document, expresses in its 85 points generic intentions to build a world where social and inter-nation inequalities are overcome, crises are addressed, and policies leading to development, peace, environmental protection, and new standards of global governance are adopted. "We remain resolute in our commitment to combat hunger, poverty, and inequality, promote sustainable development in its economic, social, and environmental dimensions, and reform global governance," states the Declaration.
The document reflects the possible consensus among such disparate countries. Obviously, the achievement of the proclaimed goals is still distant in a world dominated by imperialist powers, capitalist oppression and exploitation, neoliberal economic policies, and the militarism and wars of these powers.
Building a multipolar, inclusive world with social justice will not be achieved through speeches alone. It is necessary to go beyond promises and adopt concrete measures. Reforming global institutions to make them more democratic is essential. The struggle of peoples and nations for their independence is indispensable to achieving these gains.

G20 Faces Challenges in Combating Hunger, Inequality, and Establishing New Global Governance

247 – The First Lady, Rosângela Lula da Silva, known as Janja, didn’t hold back and hurled insults at the far-right billionaire Elon Musk, owner of the social platform X and supporter of the U.S. President-elect, Donald Trump. Musk will be part of the future White House administration, heading the "Department of Governmental Efficiency."
"Fuck you, Elon Musk," said Janja during a G20 Social event in Rio de Janeiro (RJ).
Trump and Musk were targets of several criticisms during the event, which precedes the Leaders' Summit, where Presidents Lula and Joe Biden are expected to meet. The First Lady has been warning about the dangers of the upcoming administration in Washington, especially concerning environmental issues.
In response to criticism from Janja, he posted a direct message: “They will lose the next election”.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated this Saturday that the G20 Social campaigns, such as the one to combat global hunger, are not aimed at attacking anyone, but rather at promoting awareness. 
 
"This is a campaign in which we don't have to offend anyone or curse anyone. We just need to outrage society, the people who have won their right to eat", said Lula during the "Festival Aliança Global: Pro Dia Nascer Feliz", on the sidelines of the G20, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). The event was broadcast on the president's YouTube channel. 
 
When addressing the First Lady, Lula said: "I want anyone who doesn't like us to hear this girl's phrase: The powerful may kill one or two roses, but they will never be able to stop the spring."

Janja sends a direct message to Elon Musk: "f*** you"

247 - Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes, reacting to Wednesday's (13) Bolsonarist terrorist attack, where a man tried to blow up the Court and killed himself, attributed the event to the ideology of hatred promoted by Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters.
"This event constitutes yet another attack on democratic institutions," Mendes said in a Court session this Thursday (14). "What happened last night is not an isolated incident, unfortunately."
The magistrate added, "The shallow ideology that led to the coup attempt did not emerge suddenly" and stressed that "The discourse of hatred and misinformation was encouraged during the previous government," referring to Jair Bolsonaro.
"With the new government in 2019, this strategy influenced the discourse of the Presidential Palace and its supporters, criminalizing the opposition and systematically attacking oversight institutions," he added, also mentioning former congressman Daniel Silveira's incitement of assaults against STF justices.
The explosions were heard at the end of a session taking place in the STF plenary, and the Court's ministers were evacuated safely. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was not in the Palácio do Planalto at the time; he had left around 5:30 PM.
The Federal Police (PF) opened an investigation into the case. Forensic experts will investigate the explosions using a strategy similar to the reconstruction of events used to identify the crimes of January 8 of last year, when the buildings of the Three Powers were attacked by Bolsonarist terrorists. (With information from Agência Brasil).

Bolsonaro Fostered Hatred, Says Gilmar Mendes After Bolsonarist Terrorist Attack Against the STF

247 - The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, stated on Monday (11) that some ministries are included in the government’s spending cut package. According to the minister, the project will be accepted or not by Wednesday (13) or, at the latest, Thursday (14).
Representatives from at least 12 ministries have already discussed the topic with the federal government. The government has yet to disclose which ministries will be impacted by the fiscal package, which aims to reduce spending. Proposals affecting five ministries have been completed.
"Meetings with the Ministers of Labor, Social Security, Social Development, Health, and Education have already concluded. The president [Lula] requested the inclusion of one more ministry in this effort, and the negotiation should be completed by Wednesday. I won’t disclose which one because I’m not sure if there will be enough time to incorporate his request, but I believe there will be goodwill to add this additional measure," Haddad said as he left the Ministry of Finance.
According to the minister, the Civil House, led by Rui Costa, is reviewing the government's proposal, but further meetings with the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate will be necessary. "Tomorrow afternoon, we will have a meeting with the president [Lula] to discuss the proposal for Congress. On Wednesday, we will receive, or not, the green light for the president's request."

Fiscal Adjustment Advances and Haddad Says the Package Will Be Announced Soon

247 – After hours of meetings this Thursday (7) discussing proposals for spending cuts, President Lula's government postponed an announcement. The meeting will resume on Friday afternoon (8), reported the Palácio do Planalto, as cited by Infomoney.
The mandatory spending cut package will be announced after the president explains the proposals to the Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco. If the discussions had concluded by early Thursday afternoon (7), the measures could have been announced the same day, as stated by Finance Minister Fernando Haddad on Wednesday.
According to the minister, only two legal details are missing to finalize the package before President Lula makes a definitive decision on the measures.
The package will consist of a proposed constitutional amendment and a complementary law project.

Government Postpones Announcement of Spending Cuts

247 - Venezuela's state news agency published a cartoon on Sunday (3) suggesting a supposed shady involvement between Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. embassy in the country. The attack comes amid an escalation of the crisis between the Brazilian government and Nicolás Maduro's regime, accompanied by criticism of Itamaraty.
According to Metrópoles, the artist Vicman, responsible for the cartoon, used the term "Itamaraty pitiyankee," a mocking expression referencing Americans, originating from the way the British used to refer to U.S. settlers. The provocation coincides with Venezuela's discontent after the BRICS guest list was released, excluding Venezuela.
In the cartoons, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) is depicted inside a Trojan horse, an allegory suggesting manipulation, implying that Lula disguises himself as an ally of Venezuela while actually serving U.S. interests. Vicman captioned it with the phrase “nothing surprising.”
Further, in another illustration, Lula emerges from a closet, dressed in a suit with the colors of the U.S. flag, with Vicman commenting, “How disgusting this old man is, but at least he came out of the closet.” In a third cartoon, the president watches as Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands, while Lula wears a symbolic U.S. hat.
The fourth and final cartoon portrays Lula alongside the presidents of Argentina, Javier Milei, and Chile, Gabriel Boric, all depicted as pets of a figure draped in the American flag, with Vicman referring to them as the "pitiyankee litter." Despite their ideological differences, Milei and Boric are critics of Maduro's regime.
The diplomatic crisis between the two countries intensified after Maduro summoned Ambassador Manuel Vadell back to Caracas following Brazil's veto on Venezuela’s entry into BRICS. On the same day, the Venezuelan government issued a statement condemning Brazil's recent positions and criticizing former Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, claiming he “acts more like a messenger of American imperialism.”
Amorim, considered one of President Lula's key advisors on foreign policy, stated during a meeting of the Chamber of Deputies’ Foreign Relations and National Defense Commission that Venezuela does not meet the necessary criteria for inclusion in the bloc.
Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the Venezuelan criticisms, expressing “surprise” at the “offensive” tone of the statements. The Brazilian government emphasized that opting for “personal attacks and rhetorical escalation” does not reflect the respectful manner in which Brazil engages with Venezuela and its people.