Speakers:

• Luis Bitencourt, Professor of National Security Affairs, Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University
• Monica de Bolle, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
• David Fleischer, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Brasilia
• Samar Maziad, Vice President, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody's Investors Service
• Elcior Santana, Director, Brazil Studies Program, Georgetown University
• Claudia Trevisan, Washington Correspondent, O Estado de São Paulo
• Brian Winter, Editor-in-Chief, Americas Quarterly
• Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas (moderator)

Two expert panels discussed what is in stock for the Brazilian economy and the possibilities for the country's political path in 2016.

In the first discussion, panelists talked about Brazil's fiscal policy, the devaluation of the real, and inflation trends. Brazil lifted nearly 40 million out of poverty in the last decade but faces one of its deepest recessions, and economist Monica de Bolle said the country "squandered the [commodities] boom." Moody's Samar Maziad sees no sign of reversal in the country's growth deterioration, but Georgetown University's Elcior Santana highlighted optimism for the long run.

Watch the second panel of this event, focused on the political prospects for Brazil in 2016. Panelists described President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment as "unlikely" but said the government could face new corruption scandals. Journalist Claudia Trevisan said the ongoing review in the electoral court of claims against the president, if confirmed, could still annul the 2014 elections.