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Brazil

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Brazil. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Brasília

Head of State

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Head of Government

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

United Airlines planes at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on March 23. Photo: Reuters

Aviation

Aviation leaders face Iran war fuel shock, rising fare prices at Rio summit

The annual industry meeting comes as airlines also battle a shortage of new aircraft.

6 Jun 2026 - 10:31PM

India

Is US wielding new tariff threat to secure big bargain in India trade talks?

5 Jun 2026 - 5:03PMvideocam

SCMP Highlights

Trump urged Xi to resolve Ukraine war; China’s tech sanctions list: 7 highlights

5 Jun 2026 - 12:34PM

US-China trade war

US farm chief says reliance on China threatens American ‘freedom’

Agriculture secretary’s warning comes as tariffs weigh on China trade and Hormuz disruptions drive up fuel and fertiliser costs.

5 Jun 2026 - 5:49AMvideocam

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testifies before the House Agriculture Committee on Capitol Hill. Photo: AP.

China-Latin America relations

‘I will sell to someone else’: Brazil’s Lula hits back at US after China beef win

The president also branded Rubio a ‘frustrated Latino’ and vowed Brazil would ‘not be treated as an insignificant little republic’ by the US.

4 Jun 2026 - 3:25AMvideocam

China-Latin America relations

China opens door to all Brazilian beef, then slams it with a 55% surtax

Recognition lifts a long-standing sanitary barrier, but an import quota in force since January caps how far Brazilian beef sales can grow.

3 Jun 2026 - 7:11AMvideocam

United States

US proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices

The measures cover areas such as electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, intellectual property protection and the ethanol market.

2 Jun 2026 - 10:13PM

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer speaks with reporters at the White House in April Greer called the Brazil action “quite nuanced” because of the broad exemptions. Photo: Reuters

China-Latin America relations

US’ Cuba-China fears, Panama pressure: Latin America relations reads

From Argentina’s shrinking China lifeline to the US’ Cuba worries, here are highlights from the SCMP’s foreign correspondents in May 2026.

3 Jun 2026 - 12:38AM

China trade

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

2 Jun 2026 - 6:30PM

China-Latin America relations

China urges Brazil to jointly repel ‘external challenges’ as ties deepen

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira meets Wang Yi and Han Zheng as Brazil seeks key stable fertiliser supply amid US-Iran conflict.

2 Jun 2026 - 6:11AM

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira meets Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Donald Trump

US targeting of drug gangs seen as attempt to shake up Brazil’s election

Analysts say Trump’s designation of PCC and Red Command is a political boost for Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of October vote.

2 Jun 2026 - 10:08AM

Brazilian security forces regularly conduct large operations against the criminal groups, which often turn violent. Photo: EPA

Chinese tourists

Will the World Cup help Mexico dispel Chinese tourists’ safety fears?

A boost of visitor numbers for the tournament should also include travellers from China, though surveys show lingering safety concerns.

31 May 2026 - 10:00PM

India

India seals BrahMos missile deal with Vietnam, eyes Indonesia next

A senior Indian defence ministry official made the announcement at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.

31 May 2026 - 10:51AM

Hong Kong courts

2 footballers, bookie jailed up to 17 months in Hong Kong match-fixing scandal

Ex-Hong Kong Under-23 player Brian Fok, Luciano Silva da Silva and betting agent Waheed Mohammad undermined integrity of the sport, judge says.

29 May 2026 - 9:36PM

Brian Fok (left) received 17 months on three counts of offering an advantage to an agent and two counts of conspiracy to cheat at gambling. Photo: Sun Yeung

Venezuela

US labels major Brazilian crime groups as terrorist organisations

Washington equates PCC and CV with global terror groups like Isis, opening the door for aggressive US interventions.

29 May 2026 - 2:21PM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

‘We want teeth in it’: US farmers wary of Xi-Trump pledge without signed deal

American growers welcome China’s renewed buying commitments, but vague terms and tariff concerns cloud optimism.

2 Jun 2026 - 10:40PMvideocam

Artificial intelligence

How MuleRun plans to outpace OpenClaw: Alibaba bets on ‘always-on AI workforce’

MuleRun lowers adoption hurdles, positioning Alibaba’s agentic AI as a safer alternative, with reach across 43 countries.

28 May 2026 - 9:00PM

Science

How Lionel Messi’s favourite drink is sparking a major health craze in China

Ancient South American fusion may reduce risks of Parkinson’s and is enjoyed by top footballers, but the indigenous drink should be shared.

26 May 2026 - 5:26PMvideocam

The yerba mate plant is native to the Paraguay and Parana river basins in South America. Photo: Getty Images

New Zealand

Suspected sea lion bite halts New Zealand surfing event

A photographer shooting the World Surf League was bitten on the foot while in the water.

25 May 2026 - 11:48AM

Science

China’s desire for endless youth is wiping out donkeys – can scientists help?

Brazilian researchers are developing a lab-grown alternative to ejiao, a traditional medicine made from donkey skin.

24 May 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Aviation accidents

Air France 2009 crash verdict sparks mixed emotions among families

Seventeen years after the Atlantic disaster, an appeals court delivers a corporate blow that some relatives say stops short of true justice.

22 May 2026 - 4:35PM

Divers recovering part of the tail section from Flight 447 in 2009. Photo: AFP

France

Paris court finds Airbus, Air France guilty in 2009 crash

Flight AF447 ‌vanished from ‌radar screens on June 1, 2009, with people from 33 nationalities on board.

21 May 2026 - 8:56PM

Brazilian Navy sailors pick a piece of debris from Air France flight AF447 out of the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. Photo: Reuters

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Jailed banker ties roil Flavio Bolsonaro’s Brazil presidential hopes

Bolsonaro’s poll numbers take a hit from scandal over disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro’s US$24 million film funding pledge.

21 May 2026 - 2:34PM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Bought the farm? Details still fuzzy on scope of US-China agriculture deal

China granted five-year export licenses to 77 US beef facilities, while renewing expired licenses of 425 other plants for another five years.

16 May 2026 - 10:06PM

China-Latin America relations

China restores US beef trade amid Trump-Xi summit, alarming Brazilian exporters

Beijing’s renewal of import licences for US beef plants comes as Brazil nears its annual quota cap and scrambles for alternative markets.

15 May 2026 - 4:46AMvideocam

People shop for beef at a supermarket in Fuzhou, Fujian province. China has renewed import licences for hundreds of US beef plants. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

Shanghai

Brazil visa-free entry for Chinese visitors sparks South America travel demand

Search volume for Brazil-related keywords has increased by more than 15 times, providing a boost to China’s long-haul travel products.

12 May 2026 - 7:00PM

Christ the Redeemer statue at sunrise in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Diplomacy

Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent

The grouping has a future, not as a binding structure demanding policy alignment but as a tool for members to enhance leverage and maximise options.

12 May 2026 - 7:43AMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

Spanish, Brazilian flotilla activists released after detention in Israel

Israel deported two activists it detained near Greece for leading an aid flotilla attempting to break the naval blockade on Gaza.

10 May 2026 - 6:06PM

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Brazil

Aviation leaders face Iran war fuel shock, rising fare prices at Rio summit

The annual industry meeting comes as airlines also battle a shortage of new aircraft.

Is US wielding new tariff threat to secure big bargain in India trade talks?

Trump urged Xi to resolve Ukraine war; China’s tech sanctions list: 7 highlights

US farm chief says reliance on China threatens American ‘freedom’

Agriculture secretary’s warning comes as tariffs weigh on China trade and Hormuz disruptions drive up fuel and fertiliser costs.

‘I will sell to someone else’: Brazil’s Lula hits back at US after China beef win

The president also branded Rubio a ‘frustrated Latino’ and vowed Brazil would ‘not be treated as an insignificant little republic’ by the US.

China opens door to all Brazilian beef, then slams it with a 55% surtax

Recognition lifts a long-standing sanitary barrier, but an import quota in force since January caps how far Brazilian beef sales can grow.

US proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices

The measures cover areas such as electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, intellectual property protection and the ethanol market.

US’ Cuba-China fears, Panama pressure: Latin America relations reads

From Argentina’s shrinking China lifeline to the US’ Cuba worries, here are highlights from the SCMP’s foreign correspondents in May 2026.

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

China urges Brazil to jointly repel ‘external challenges’ as ties deepen

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira meets Wang Yi and Han Zheng as Brazil seeks key stable fertiliser supply amid US-Iran conflict.

US targeting of drug gangs seen as attempt to shake up Brazil’s election

Analysts say Trump’s designation of PCC and Red Command is a political boost for Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of October vote.

Will the World Cup help Mexico dispel Chinese tourists’ safety fears?

A boost of visitor numbers for the tournament should also include travellers from China, though surveys show lingering safety concerns.

India seals BrahMos missile deal with Vietnam, eyes Indonesia next

A senior Indian defence ministry official made the announcement at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.

2 footballers, bookie jailed up to 17 months in Hong Kong match-fixing scandal

Ex-Hong Kong Under-23 player Brian Fok, Luciano Silva da Silva and betting agent Waheed Mohammad undermined integrity of the sport, judge says.

US labels major Brazilian crime groups as terrorist organisations

Washington equates PCC and CV with global terror groups like Isis, opening the door for aggressive US interventions.

‘We want teeth in it’: US farmers wary of Xi-Trump pledge without signed deal

American growers welcome China’s renewed buying commitments, but vague terms and tariff concerns cloud optimism.

How MuleRun plans to outpace OpenClaw: Alibaba bets on ‘always-on AI workforce’

MuleRun lowers adoption hurdles, positioning Alibaba’s agentic AI as a safer alternative, with reach across 43 countries.

How Lionel Messi’s favourite drink is sparking a major health craze in China

Ancient South American fusion may reduce risks of Parkinson’s and is enjoyed by top footballers, but the indigenous drink should be shared.

Suspected sea lion bite halts New Zealand surfing event

A photographer shooting the World Surf League was bitten on the foot while in the water.

China’s desire for endless youth is wiping out donkeys – can scientists help?

Brazilian researchers are developing a lab-grown alternative to ejiao, a traditional medicine made from donkey skin.

Air France 2009 crash verdict sparks mixed emotions among families

Seventeen years after the Atlantic disaster, an appeals court delivers a corporate blow that some relatives say stops short of true justice.

Paris court finds Airbus, Air France guilty in 2009 crash

Flight AF447 ‌vanished from ‌radar screens on June 1, 2009, with people from 33 nationalities on board.

Jailed banker ties roil Flavio Bolsonaro’s Brazil presidential hopes

Bolsonaro’s poll numbers take a hit from scandal over disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro’s US$24 million film funding pledge.

Bought the farm? Details still fuzzy on scope of US-China agriculture deal

China granted five-year export licenses to 77 US beef facilities, while renewing expired licenses of 425 other plants for another five years.

China restores US beef trade amid Trump-Xi summit, alarming Brazilian exporters

Beijing’s renewal of import licences for US beef plants comes as Brazil nears its annual quota cap and scrambles for alternative markets.

Brazil visa-free entry for Chinese visitors sparks South America travel demand

Search volume for Brazil-related keywords has increased by more than 15 times, providing a boost to China’s long-haul travel products.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent

The grouping has a future, not as a binding structure demanding policy alignment but as a tool for members to enhance leverage and maximise options.

Spanish, Brazilian flotilla activists released after detention in Israel

Israel deported two activists it detained near Greece for leading an aid flotilla attempting to break the naval blockade on Gaza.

Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent