Argentina

Brazil

Politics

Argentina's far-right President Javier Milei will attend right-leaning Brazilian Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro's presidential campaign launch on July 25 in Sao Paulo, Reuters reported on July 24.

Brazil, Argentina: Milei To Attend Flavio Bolsonaro's Campaign Launch

United States

Economics

The United States announced 25% tariffs on some Brazilian goods on July 15 following the conclusion of a Section 301 investigation, Folha de S.Paulo reported the same day.

U.S., Brazil: U.S. Imposes 25% Tariffs on Brazil Following Section 301 Investigation

On July 6-7, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will hear arguments against a proposed 25% tariff on Brazilian goods as the final step of an ongoing Section 301 investigation, Veja reported on July 6.

Brazil, U.S.: Flavio Bolsonaro To Attend USTR Hearing on Brazil

Bolivia

Paraguay

Uruguay

Japan

The South American trade bloc Mercosur -- which includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay -- launched negotiations with Japan on June 30 for an economic partnership agreement, Reuters reported.

Latin America: Mercosur Bloc Launches Trade Talks With Japan

Brazil's Federal Police carried out a search ​and seizure warrant on Sen. Jaques Wagner, a close ally of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as ​part of an investigation into the financial fraud and corruption scheme involving Banco Master bank, CNN Brasil reported on June 18.

Brazil: Corruption Scandal Reaches Lula Ally and Lower House Speaker

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative concluded its Section 301 investigation on Brazil on June 1 and proposed a 25% tariff on many Brazilian goods from July as punishment for "unreasonable" trade practices, g1 reported on June 2.

U.S., Brazil: USTR Proposes 25% Tariffs on Brazil Under Section 301 Investigation

Military & Security

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump designated Brazil's two largest organized criminal organizations, Primeiro Comando da Capital and the Comando Vermelho, as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in a press statement May 28.

U.S., Brazil: U.S. Designates Two Brazilian Criminal Groups as Terrorist Organizations  

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva behind closed doors at the White House to speak about trade, security and critical minerals, g1 reported on May 7.

Brazil, U.S.: Trump-Lula Meeting Provides Respite, but Bilateral Tensions Remain

Assessments

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Guyana

Peru

Venezuela

Pilgrims with flags from different countries gather at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 23, 2013, as they wait for the official opening of the Catholic Church's World Youth Day, which will be celebrated with a holy Mass. 

Energy

As many South American countries embrace right-leaning governments, their policies will increasingly align with those of the U.S. Trump administration, opening them to increased security cooperation, although economic integration remains unlikely.

What South America's Rightward Political Shift Means for U.S. Relations

Snapshots

A passerby walks past the Banco Master building in Sao Paulo on Jan. 22, 2026, after Brazil's central bank ordered its shutdown due to a major liquidity crunch and "serious violations" of financial regulations.

Brazil faces severe institutional friction and heightened market volatility as a widening investigation into massive financial fraud threatens to ensnare prominent politicians, justices and businesspeople.

Deepening Corruption Scandal Could Upend Brazilian Presidential Race

Environment, Science & Technology

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

Science & Technology

If Flavio Bolsonaro wins in October, his right-wing administration would largely abandon Brazil's environmental and climate commitments, accelerate extractive investments and projects, and pursue strong geopolitical alignment with Washington.

The Balance Between Environmental and Extractive Policies in Brazil's Presidential Election, Part 2

If President Lula wins reelection in October, his administration would continue balancing the promotion of green initiatives with the expansion of mining and drilling, while retaining strategic neutrality in the U.S.-China competition.

The Balance Between Environmental and Extractive Policies in Brazil's Presidential Election, Part 1

Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez (C) gestures during the official picture of the new National Assembly in Caracas on Jan. 5, 2026. 

Venezuela's acting president is most likely to cooperate with the United States to keep the country's regime intact, but other, more volatile scenarios remain possible. 

Venezuela's Post-Maduro Outlook: Potential Scenarios

Iraq

Syria

China

Campaign posters Nov. 6 ahead of Nov. 11 Iraqi parliamentary elections in central Baghdad.

U.S.-China Relations

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Iraqi Elections, a U.S.-China Deal Enters Effect

The COP30 logo at the central building is seen ahead of the COP30 Brazil Amazonia 2025 on Nov. 3, 2025 in Belem, Brazil. 

Social Issues

The 30th U.N. Climate Change Conference is poised to highlight the enduring impasse between developed and developing nations, particularly regarding financial responsibilities and the transition from fossil fuels.

A Breakthrough on Climate Targets is Unlikely at Brazil's COP30

A digital illustration of the Brazilian flag with economic and financial indicators. 

The current administration's focus on boosting growth through public expenditure is delaying necessary fiscal consolidation, setting the stage for more difficult and potentially drastic economic adjustments after elections in 2026.

Brazil Faces an Inevitable Fiscal Reckoning

Columns

On Geopolitics

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sept. 7 in Brasilia, Brazil. Lula's failure to acknowledge changes in Brazilian society and power dynamics are leaving him struggling to resonate with voters.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's failure to acknowledge changes in Brazilian society and power dynamics is making it difficult for him to resonate with voters.

Lula's Old Playbook Meets a New Political Reality

Ethiopia

Israel

France

United Kingdom

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2025.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: France's Bayrou Faces a Confidence Vote, Ethiopia Inaugurates Its Mega-Dam

Canada

Lebanon

United Arab Emirates

Indonesia

Singapore

South Korea

Vietnam

Europe

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Mercosur is increasingly opening its markets in pursuit of free trade agreements with partners around the world, particularly as U.S. protectionism shifts global trade dynamics.

The Geopolitics of Trade: What Changing Trade Dynamics Mean for Mercosur

Media

Podcasts

How will these recent developments influence the 2026 general election?

Essential Geopolitics: Brazil's Evolving Political Climate Amid Bolsonaro's House Arrest and Trump's Tariffs

<p>Larger in land mass than the contiguous United States, Brazil borders every country on the South American continent except Ecuador and Chile. Three features define Brazil&#39;s geography: the Amazon Basin, tropical savanna and the Brazilian Highlands. The Amazon River and rain forest, the world&#39;s largest, encompass most of northern Brazil and make this region inhospitable to agriculture and large populations. To its south lies the Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna. Advances in agricultural practices have allowed large-scale farming to thrive in this region. However, due to distance and geography, Brazil faces daunting challenges in getting agricultural commodities to international markets. The Brazilian Highlands and the narrow strip of land between the mountains and the coast are home to the majority of the country&#39;s 197 million people. Most of the country&#39;s economic activity occurs in this region. Brazil&#39;s geography largely shields it from external military threats. The Atlantic Ocean, the Amazon Basin and the buffer states of Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay insulate the country. Brazil&#39;s varied regions have made centralized control and integration difficult for the core states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. Infrastructure linking the coast and the interior, as well as connecting the various coastal cities is technically difficult and requires high levels of investment. Isolated from the rest of the continent both geographically and linguistically and lacking internal cohesion, Brazil has traditionally been inward looking. Brazil&#39;s primary geographic challenging is consolidating control over its vast peripheral territory and connecting these regions more efficiently with its population centers and ports.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Brazil, Argentina: Milei To Attend Flavio Bolsonaro's Campaign Launch

U.S., Brazil: U.S. Imposes 25% Tariffs on Brazil Following Section 301 Investigation

Brazil, U.S.: Flavio Bolsonaro To Attend USTR Hearing on Brazil

Latin America: Mercosur Bloc Launches Trade Talks With Japan

Brazil: Corruption Scandal Reaches Lula Ally and Lower House Speaker

U.S., Brazil: USTR Proposes 25% Tariffs on Brazil Under Section 301 Investigation

U.S., Brazil: U.S. Designates Two Brazilian Criminal Groups as Terrorist Organizations

Brazil, U.S.: Trump-Lula Meeting Provides Respite, but Bilateral Tensions Remain

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