Share

Pessimism About Brazil Is Overblown

By Oliver Stuenkel

Brazil faces profound challenges, but a recent column by AQ's editor-in-chief overlooks the many reasons to be optimistic about the country's future.

Brazil has experienced almost non-stop political and economic turbulence since 2013, but the past few weeks have been particularly rough. A recent truckers’ strike is expected to shave off between 0.3 and 1 percent of already fragile GDP growth; a lack of much-needed reforms and continued policy volatility (including a 180-degree shift on fuel subsidies) suggest that Brazil’s economy may soon flirt with recession again. And while the economic data is bad – several million Brazilians have moved back into poverty in recent years ...

Read this article on the Americas Quarterly website. | Subscribe to AQ.

Related

AQ Podcast: Why Argentines Seem to Be Sticking With Milei

Despite recession and inflation, Milei has maintained his popularity. The reason for that lies in part in a lack of alternatives.

Arévalo Wants to Change Guatemala. Some Say He’s Moving Too Slowly.

The center-left president has made small gains in his first 100 days in office, though slow progress is setting off alarm bells among supporters.

Explore