Brazil’s public debt could hit 90 percent of GDP

During the two years of the pandemic, Brazilian public debt jumped 27.2 percent. And even though the rate of growth for the country’s debt was lower than the emerging market average of 37.8-percent between 2019 and 2021, Brazil still has one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios among these countries. And this figure is poised to rise as President Jair Bolsonaro jacks up public spending in order to boost his re-election chances.

The pandemic effect. According to a report released this month by asset management group Janus Henderson, sovereign debt has grown all around the world in the last two years, but especially so in emerging markets. 

• “All countries suffered from a very...