Brazilians tell architect Niemeyer to let it be

Associated Press, 01/30/2009
Preservationists say they are fighting to protect Brasilia’s signature skyline designed by legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer _ from Oscar Niemeyer himself.
The 101-year-old architect envisions building a “Plaza of Sovereignty,” including a low-lying, curved building and a soaring 1,000 foot (300 meter) obelisk, in the heart of Brazil’s capital, according to plans unveiled by [...]

Internal Brazil fight may hamper Amazon protection

Associated Press, 01/31/2009
A global counterculture gathering dedicated partly to preserving the world’s rain forests has become a bureaucratic battleground for two Brazilian officials squabbling over what to do with the vast Amazon region.
Environment Minister Carlos Minc used the World Social Forum that ends Sunday to take shots at Agriculture Minister Reinhold Stephanes, who is accused [...]

Camargo Correa to Buy Votorantim’s CPFL Energia Stake

Francisco Marcelino and Laura Price-Bloomberg, 01/30/2009
Camargo Correa SA agreed to pay Grupo Votorantim 2.56 billion reais ($1.12 billion) for the 50 percent it doesn´t already own of VBC Energia SA, a holding company which has 28 percent of power supplier CPFL Energia SA.
The purchase will be completed by Feb. 20, VBC said in a [...]

Rio Tinto to sell assets to Vale for $1.6bn

Peter Smith-Financial Times, 01/30/2009
Rio Tinto has struck a deal to sell assets in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay for $1.6bn in a move that will help the indebted Anglo-Australian mining group achieve its target of reducing borrowings by $10bn in 2009.
The assets – including a potash project in Argentina, and the Corumbá iron ore mine in [...]

Brazil Loan Defaults Rise to 6-Year High on Slowdown

Telma Marotto and Katia Cortes-Bloomberg, 01/27/2009
Brazilian loan defaults surged last month to the highest since September 2002 as Latin America’s largest economy slowed and the credit crisis increased borrowing costs, making it more difficult for consumers to repay debt.
The default rate on personal loans in Brazil increased to 8.1 percent in December from 7.8 [...]

Brazil’s Lula, Obama to work on trade, biofuels

Reuters, 01/26/2009
President Barack Obama wants to work with Brazil on biofuels and pledged to advance global trade talks as a way to stoke economic growth, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s spokesman said on Monday.
Lula and Obama spoke by phone for about 25 minutes and agreed to meet in March in Washington, Lula spokesman Marcelo [...]

Brazil Freezes 37.2 Billion Reais of 2009 Budget

Andre Soliani and Iuri Dantas-Bloomberg, 01/27/2009
Brazil’s government froze about 6 percent of this year’s planned spending before interest payments as flagging economic growth erodes tax collection.
The government, which in the past has held back money released by yearend, is freezing 37.2 billion reais ($16.1 billion) of its 609.8 billion reais budget spending, Budget Minister [...]

Italy Recalls Brazilian Ambassador Over Extradition

Steve Scherer-Bloomberg, 01/27/2009
Italy recalled its ambassador to Brazil “for consultations” after the Brazilian government decided against extraditing Cesare Battisti, who has been convicted in Italy of involvement in four murders.
Ambassador Michele Valensise was told today to return to Rome after “the grave decision taken on the Battisti case,” according to an e-mailed statement from [...]

Brazil stocks open up for third day, real steady

Reuters, 01/27/2009
Brazilian stocks rose on Tuesday, boosted again by commodity and banking shares, while the national currency seesawed around the break-even mark early in the session.
The Bovespa index of the Sao Paulo stock exchange rose 0.62 percent to 38,746.78, rising for a third straight session.
Petrobras, the state-run energy company, was up 0.63 percent, trading at [...]

Brazil vice president recovering from surgery

Associated Press, 01/26/2009
Doctors say Brazilian Vice President Jose Alencar is in stable condition after undergoing a 17-hour surgery to remove abdominal tumors.
The press office of the Hospital Sirio-Libanes says Alencar is recovering at the facility’s intensive care unit. Alencar’s doctors told local media on Monday that the surgery went “very well,” but it was [...]