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Latin America Weekly

Recreational cannabis could be made legal in Mexico

Jun 30, 2021 13:15 8 min read (Updated: Jul 07, 2021 5:13)

Hello! Welcome back to the Latin America Weekly newsletter. In this issue, we explain Mexico’s decision moving towards allowing recreational marijuana; how Latin America is exposed to earthquake damage, and the lingering challenges for the region’s LGBTQIA+ population.

Mexico scraps recreational marijuana ban

marijuana legalization
Activists and citizens marched in Mexico City on May 8 for marijuana legalization. Photo: Gill Figueroa/Shutterstock

By an 8-3 majority, Mexico’s Supreme Court struck down laws criminalizing the recreational use of cannabis in the...

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putschist Bolsonaro erratic diplomacy
Power

A putschist meeting shows up Bolsonaro’s erratic foreign policy

The guest list for President Bolsonaro’s July 18 meeting with foreign diplomats lays bare the Brazilian president’s erratic approach to foreign policy, and highlights how he shuns key partners such as Argentina and China

1 day ago • Cedê Silva
debate Candidates for the São Paulo governor's office. Photo: Renato Pizzutto/Band
Power

Absences and presidents mark kickoff of debate season in Brazil

Gubernatorial candidates in ten states held debates on Sunday evening, though there were some high-profile absences. Besides regional issues, contenders focused on the Lula-Bolsonaro divide

2 days ago • Cedê Silva
Electoral court opens doors to digital influencers in defense of electronic voting
Power

Electoral court opens doors to digital influencers in defense of electronic voting

Brazil's Superior Electoral Court invited a group of 30 digital influencers to its headquarters, seeking to dispel myths and lies spread about the country's voting system

4 days ago • Cedê Silva
Bolsonaro's escalation leads Brazilians to shrug at independence anniversary
Power

Brazil shrugs at independence bicentennial amid coup threats

Brazil will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its independence from Portugal on September 7. But there is little enthusiasm around the date, amid fears that it may instead be marked by a pro-Bolsonaro uprising against democratic institutions

5 days ago • Amanda Audi
Jair Bolsonaro takes part in a motorcycle rally in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. Photo: Clauber Cleber Caetano/PR
Power

Why economy-boosting measures won’t save Bolsonaro

Jair Bolsonaro has been in full desperation mode, trying to increase benefits and win popular support — but it looks to be too little, too late

1 week ago • Amanda Audi
uae brazil ambassador
Insider

Bolsonaro withdraws nomination for Brazil’s ambassador to UAE

1 hour ago • Cedê Silva
Guedes scream France
Insider

Guedes says Brazil should “not give a f***” about France

8 hours ago • Euan Marshall
High food prices retail sales
Insider

High food prices push Brazilian retail sales to seven-month low

9 hours ago • Ana Ferraz
Accounts Court Car Wash prosecutors
Insider

Accounts Court tell Car Wash prosecutors to repay public purse

1 day ago • Amanda Audi
deflation services up
Insider

July deflation conceals soaring services prices

1 day ago • Constance Malleret
bolsonaro drugs covid
Coronavirus

Bolsonaro once again touts ineffective drugs against Covid

2 weeks ago • Lucas Berti
senators pro-Bolsonaro prosecutor
Coronavirus

Opposition senators accuse pro-Bolsonaro prosecutor of malfeasance

2 weeks ago • Amanda Audi
São Paulo fourth vaccine dose rollout
Coronavirus

São Paulo moves forward with fourth vaccine dose rollout

2 weeks ago • Eric Zalcman
oi roaming regulators
Coronavirus

Regulators threaten to cancel Oi Telecom sale amid stalemate on roaming prices

3 weeks ago • Fabiane Ziolla Menezes
covid Brazilians have dropped behaviors to prevent transmission, such as mask use. Photo: Thales Antonio/Shutterstock omicron
Coronavirus

Rate of positive Covid tests in Brazil on par with Omicron wave

1 month ago • Eric Zalcman
rosa weber supreme court
2022 Race

Rosa Weber to take over Supreme Court’s rotating presidency

3 hours ago • Cedê Silva
https://www.flickr.com/photos/supremotribunalfederal/52277050688/
2022 Race

Bolsonaro adversary to analyze president’s candidacy

3 hours ago • Amanda Audi
Manifesto for democracy targeted with 20,000 hacker attacks
2022 Race

Manifesto for democracy targeted with cyberattacks

7 hours ago • Amanda Audi
electoral Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga. Photo: Walterson Rosa/MS
2022 Race

Why Brazil’s Electoral Court blocked a televised address by the Health Minister

7 hours ago • Cedê Silva
favela favelas election lula bolsonaro
2022 Race

Bolsonaro is competitive among voters living in favelas

1 day ago • Amanda Audi
Why banks are now voicing concern about Brazilian democracy
Business

Why banks are now voicing concern about Brazilian democracy

Fearful of the economic consequences of a Bolsonaro-led coup attempt, Big business has belatedly decided to speak up, signing manifestos in defense of democracy

3 days ago • Amanda Audi
Market roundup interest rates fixed income
Business

Market roundup: Higher interest rates push retail investors to fixed income

The returns on fixed income fluctuate in opposite direction to the benchmark interest rate. With rates at a six-year high, investors are fleeing from variable interest

5 days ago • Ana Ferraz
Brazil's Central Bank signals pivot on interest rates
Business

Brazil’s Central Bank sends ambiguous message on interest rate hikes

The monetary authority raised benchmark rates by a half percentage point and said it is appropriate to continue tightening "significantly into even more restrictive territory." But many policy wonks believe it might not pull the trigger

1 week ago • Ana Ferraz
brazilian retailers
Business

Retailers will benefit from recent stimulus measures. But it won’t last

The case of Brazilian retail behemoth Magazine Luiza illustrates the challenges facing the country’s retail sector. The government’s electorally-motivated stimulus measures will provide a boost for retailers after a post-pandemic slump, but only in the short term

1 week ago • Ana Ferraz
Eldorado eucalyptus stocks in Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul. Paper Excellence and J&F fight over Eldorado in court. Photo: Danilo Verpa/Folhapress
Business

J&F’s beef with Paper Excellence not over yet

A court decision that was supposed to end Brazil’s largest corporate dispute in years might still be challenged

1 week ago • Fabiane Ziolla Menezes
5g debut brazil
Tech

Tech roundup: A look at the 5G debut in Brazil

5G officially launches in São Paulo, but we take a look at how companies are already using the technology around the country

2 days ago • Ana Ferraz
video game addiction
Tech

Tech roundup: Brazil’s video game problem

The flip side to the boom in Brazil’s video game industry is excessive usage, and high levels of associated problems, among young Brazilians

1 week ago • Ana Ferraz
Brazil big ICT spenders
Tech

Tech Roundup: Brazil big ICT spenders

With a growing digital economy, Brazil is spending much more on ICT, with the sector hitting its highest forecasts in eight years

2 weeks ago • Ana Ferraz
youtube bolsonaro elections
Tech

YouTube removal of Bolsonaro video is more PR than policy

The big tech giant pats itself on the back for removing disinformation spread by the president, but its moves have not been consequential

3 weeks ago • Cedê Silva
Eve urban air mobility flying 2026
Tech

How Eve plans to get its urban air mobility vehicle flying by 2026

The Embraer spin-off has attracted some heavyweight partners since the start of its solo flight in 2020. The key to bringing in investors is Eve's capacity to actually produce such a machine on a commercial scale

3 weeks ago • Fabiane Ziolla Menezes
democracy lula bolsonaro
Podcast

Explaining Brazil #210: Pro-democracy pushback

As President Jair Bolsonaro's anti-democratic antics grow in volume, banks and tycoons become vocal in their defense of democracy. A coup, after all, is bad for business

11 hours ago • Gustavo Ribeiro
monkeypox brazil
Podcast

Explaining Brazil #209: The state of monkeypox in Brazil

Brazil has over 1,300 confirmed cases of monkeypox. With the exception of Peru’s 275 confirmed cases, no other Latin American countries have hit the 100-case mark, making Brazil the region's monkeypox hotspot

1 week ago • Euan Marshall
conventions Explaining Brazil #208: Electoral gears start to heat up
Podcast

Explaining Brazil #208: Electoral gears start to heat up

The main candidacies in Brazil's presidential election in October have been made official by their parties. We discuss what that changes in the race

2 weeks ago • Gustavo Ribeiro
anitta lula bolsonaro election
Podcast

Explaining Brazil #207: Anitta enters the presidential race

Arguably Brazil's biggest pop star of the moment, singer Anitta has endorsed former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — and is even giving him campaign advice

3 weeks ago • Gustavo Ribeiro
murder Fears political violence grow
Podcast

Explaining Brazil #206: Fears of political violence grow

The murder of a Workers' Party official spells a bad omen for Brazil's upcoming general election

4 weeks ago • Gustavo Ribeiro
massacre Mothers of slaughtered Carandiru inmates ask for justice during a 2016 event. Photo: Rovena Rosa/ABr
Society

House committee to vote on amnesty for Brazil’s worst prison massacre

The 1992 Carandiru massacre is the bloodiest episode of prison violence in Brazil’s recent history. A House committee could now vote to get the ball rolling on amnestying the perpetrators

1 week ago • Cedê Silva
monkeypox threat Covid failures
Society

With monkeypox threat, Brazil risks repeating Covid failures

The Health Ministry claims to have ordered vaccines but The Brazilian Report understands that approval has not been sought

2 weeks ago • Cedê Silva
vaccines children shortage
Society

After six months, Brazil still has not rolled out enough vaccines for children

Following an analysis of public data, The Brazilian Report understands that Brazil still doesn't have enough Covid jabs for children

2 weeks ago • Cedê Silva
coronavac vaccine sinovac
Society

Anvisa greenlights CoronaVac for kids aged 3 to 5

Regulators have authorized the use of the Sinovac-developed Covid vaccine on children aged 3 to 5, but officials have already used the lion's share of available stocks

4 weeks ago • Cedê Silva
brazil drug shortage
Society

Brazil is on the verge of a drug shortage

A recent survey shows that there is a lack of drugs and other medical supplies in Brazil’s hospitals and health centers. The government says it has already done all it can in response

4 weeks ago • Fabiane Ziolla Menezes
congress pesticides regulation
Environment

‘Poison bill’ could progress this month, environment and human rights bodies are furious

The controversial bill would drastically change pesticide regulations, making it considerably easier for new and potentially harmful products to be licensed for use

9 hours ago • Constance Malleret
Petrobras refinery in Paraná state. Photo: Gel Lima/Código19/Folhapress
Environment

Petrobras fines being used to set model for environmental compensation

Over BRL 100 million in compensation paid by Petrobras for a 2001 diesel leak has taken decades to reach its intended target, but environmental agencies hope latest deal will set an example

2 days ago • Amanda Audi
mato grosso deforestation
Environment

The disappearing vegetation of Mato Grosso

Literally translated as 'thick vegetation,' the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso has been changed dramatically by the power of major agribusiness, and the forest cover which gave it its name is now largely gone

6 days ago • Euan Marshall
carbon credit market Cattle grazing during the dry season in the Caatinga biome in Uirauna, Paraíba. Photo: Cacio Murilo/Shutterstock
Environment

Caatinga region to have Brazil’s first carbon credit cooperative

Landowners in the semi-arid Northeast are keen on getting involved in the carbon market, but their properties are too small to generate credits in the traditional manner

2 weeks ago • Ana Ferraz
amazon fund brazil norway germany
Environment

Bolsonaro feigns a return of the Amazon Fund

After ignoring and gutting the Amazon Fund for years, the Jair Bolsonaro administration now appears to want to revive it. Experts remain skeptical, however

2 weeks ago • Cedê Silva
Bolivia protesters clash with police forces. Photo: Martín Alipaz/EFE
Latin America

How the census has provoked mass protests in Bolivia

Regional conflict between the ruling MAS party and the country’s easternmost provinces has often turned bloody. This time, the sides are at loggerheads over demography

4 days ago • Ignacio Portes
Violence and arrests compound swirling crisis in Guatemala
Latin America

Violence and arrests compound swirling crisis in Guatemala

Unpopular head of state Alejandro Giammattei was shot at during a visit to Guatemala's western highlands, while he faces criticism over arrest of prominent journalist

5 days ago • Lucas Berti
President Alberto Fernández of Argentina (left) and newly-appointed Economy Minister Sergio Massa hug each other. Photo: Néstor J. Beremblum/Alamy Stock Photo
Latin America

Despite market-friendly turn, Kirchnerites support new Economy Minister

Upon taking office as the country's new economic tsar, Sergio Massa announced big subsidy cuts — which have been taboo for left-leaning Peronists

6 days ago • Ignacio Portes
Boric Chile rejects new constitution
Latin America

Boric has a plan B if Chile rejects the new constitution

The president has proposed a new Constituent Assembly should the draft document be voted down in the September 4 referendum. But campaign leaders remain optimistic about victory

1 week ago • Ignacio Portes
peru Poll suggest that three-quarters of the population do not approve of the president. Photo: Presidencia Perú/Shutterstock
Latin America

Castillo’s annus horribilis in Peru

President Pedro Castillo completes one year in office today, with little assurance that he will remain in charge for that much longer

2 weeks ago • Lucas Berti
Lower consumer prices give Bolsonaro a fighting chance in October
Opinion

Lower consumer prices give Bolsonaro a fighting chance in October

If the elections were today, former President Lula could beat Bolsonaro in a landslide. But there is still a long way to go

1 day ago • Luciano Sobral
President Jair Bolsonaro and Defense Minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira (left), a recently-retired Army general, have hinted that they may not accept the October election results. Photo: Marcos Corrêa/PR
Opinion

Bolsonaro’s authoritarian pursuits put the West in a bind

Two months ahead of the presidential elections, Western diplomats face a dilemma as Jair Bolsonaro signals he will not recognize the result if he loses

1 week ago • Oliver Stuenkel
bolsonaro Pro-democracy demonstration in Salvador, Bahia. Photo: Thales Antonio/Shutterstock
Opinion

Brazil goes Back to the Future for October’s election

Without the credibility as an outsider, Jair Bolsonaro is taking lessons from Trump's 2020 defeat: speaking to his base and bashing the electoral system

1 week ago • Mauricio Moura
corruption scandal President Jair Bolsonaro and House Speaker Arthur Lira (right) have worked in tandem to jack up budgetary grants for lawmakers. Photo: Marcos Corrêa/PR
Opinion

Why Bolsonaro’s “secret budget” is much worse than Lula’s Mensalão

Many have equated the main corruption scandal during the Lula years to Jair Bolsonaro's so-called "secret budget." But the comparison is not accurate

3 weeks ago • Beatriz Rey
nearshoring china Port of Manzanillo, Mexico. Even Mexico, far better placed to attract U.S. companies concerned about the geopolitical risks of depending on China, has not seen a significant increase of manufacturing exports to the U.S. yet — contrary to countries like Vietnam and Taiwan, which so far seem to be the biggest beneficiaries of U.S. attempts to reduce its economic dependence on China. Photo: Ungureanu Catalina Oana/Shutterstock
Opinion

U.S. nearshoring doesn’t automatically benefit Latin America

Expectations that region will attract massive investments as a result of a U.S.-China decoupling will likely turn out to be overly optimistic

4 weeks ago • Oliver Stuenkel
cuisine "People became desperate to discover regionalities, to discover traditions," says Tuca Mezzomo, chef at Charco, a restaurant in São Paulo. Photo: Julia Rodrigues/Charco
Tourism

Rediscovery of local ingredients earns Brazilian cuisine international recognition

As globalized gastronomy seeks local ingredients and techniques, Brazilian food is reaping the rewards with its own culinary revolution

3 weeks ago • Eric Zalcman
travel industry
Tourism

War in Ukraine slowing down long-awaited recovery of Brazil’s travel industry

High oil prices, a still-unfavorable exchange rate, and inflation that bites into consumers’ discretionary spending mean the sector still faces a hard post-Covid road ahead

4 months ago • Ana Ferraz
gay tourism Farme de Amoedo Street, in Ipanema. Photo: Lazyllama/Shutterstock
Tourism

Brazil is an emerging gay tourism hotspot, but the government doesn’t want to know

Actions to promote gay tourism in the country have been actively ignored since Jair Bolsonaro came to power, despite Brazil having some of the world's best LGBTQ+-friendly spots

5 months ago • Amanda Audi
Marshal looking for survivors in Petrópolis
Tourism

Petrópolis disaster leaves a scar on Brazil’s historical landmarks

With hundreds dead and much physical destruction, evidence emerges of authorities’ negligence in preparing prevention and mitigation strategies

6 months ago • Renato Alves and Ana Ferraz
tourism canyon The Lake of Furnas, in Capitólio, Minas Gerais. Photo: Ricardo Benichio/Folhapress
Tourism

Idyllic canyon region tries to keep tourism alive after deadly disaster

A deadly cliff collapse in Capitólio has left tourists scared to return, and locals afraid they will lose their revenue

6 months ago • Renato Alves
visa remote work
Guide to Brazil

Brazil creates a visa for foreign “digital nomads”

The country follows in the footsteps of dozens of nations around the world, offering temporary residence to people working remotely for foreign countries. Justice Ministry officials say it will attract foreign capital and boost tourism

6 months ago • Iure Pontes Vieira
october 12 People light candles to celebrate the day of Our Lady of Aparecida. Photo taken on Oct. 12, 2016. Photo: Nelson Antoine/Shutterstock
Guide to Brazil

October 12: a celebration of Brazil’s patron saint

According to legend, fishermen were inundated with fish to catch soon after finding an image of a black Virgin Mary. Since then, Our Lady of Aparecida has become Brazil's most popular and important saints

10 months ago • Euan Marshall
Rio's Christ the Redeemer. Photo: Ricardo Cohen/Shutterstock
Guide to Brazil

The story of Christ the Redeemer, 90 years old

Brazil's most popular tourist attraction, the story of how Christ the Redeemer came about is a fascinating one. This week's Rio celebrates the statue's 90th anniversary

10 months ago • Renato Alves
brazilian inquisition
Guide to Brazil

The lesser-known story of the Brazilian Inquisition

After terrorizing much of Spain and Portugal, the inquisition spread to many of these countries' colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Americas — including to Brazil

10 months ago • Renato Alves
Paulo Mendes da rocha
Guide to Brazil

Paulo Mendes da Rocha leaves behind incomparable legacy in Brazilian architecture

Among the most influential modernists in Brazilian history, Paulo Mendes da Rocha designed many of São Paulo's most famous tourist attractions and left a legacy of devoted followers

1 year ago • Renato Alves

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