The Brazilian Senate passed two landmark bills last week, one expanding freedom of information access and a second creating a truth commission to investigate dictatorship-era crimes.

With Brazil's economic boom rapidly expanding into the Northeast of the country, AS/COA Online speaks to Pernambuco's former executive secretary for technology, innovation, and higher education on the state's efforts to become a national technology hub.

"Antonio Manuel is a very important artist for this period [during the 1960s and 1970s], in between the intersection of conceptual art, neo-concretism, and pop art," says AS/COA's Gabriela Rangel speaking of Americas Society's exhibition Antonio Manuel: I Want to Act, Not Represent! (em portugues)

At AS/COA's 2011 Brazil Economic Conference, speakers explored issues such as economic policy, the impact of the international financial crisis, social issues, and infrastructure development.

In Starting Over: Brazil since 1985, author Albert Fishlow reflects on how the changes that Brazil has undergone over the last 20 years have transformed the country and will affect its future.

Brazil's agriculture minister stepped down August 17 as President Dilma Rousseff continues to root out corruption, leading to another cabinet shuffle. Her efforts to clean up government could spur tensions in her coalition.

At AS/COA's 2011 Latin American Cities conference in São Paulo, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas Shannon said "Brazilians travel with almost fanatical zeal to the United States," speaking of an increasing trend seen in the country's expanding middle class.