🇧🇷 Brazil Episodes

When markets opened on July 9, 2025, the dollar was quoted at R$ 5.46 and the US currency operated normally. In the early afternoon, around 1:30 pm in Washington, a movement happened: an operation involving between US$ 3 billion and US$ 4 billion bet on the devaluation of the Real. Ten minutes later, Donald Trump spoke for the first time that day about Brazil. And, hours later, the US president announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian products. The announcement made the dollar soar and the Brazilian currency devalued. In this episode, Natuza Nery receives Globo correspondent Felipe Santana. Live from New York, he reports when this billion-dollar operation caught the attention of investors. And he answers why there is suspicion that privileged information was used. Felipe recalls other cases in which Trump's announcements were preceded by suspicious movements in the financial market. Then, Natuza Nery talks to FGV São Paulo professor Luciana Pires Dias. She, who was director of the Securities and Exchange Commission from 2010 to 2015 and superintendent of market development at the CVM from 2008 to 2010, explains when an operation of this type can be considered illegal. She answers how cases of this type are investigated at the CVM and also judicially, now that STF minister Alexandre de Moraes ended a request from the AGU for the case to be investigated.

Since February, congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro has a different domicile: the United States. And from there, on the last day of his leave as congressman, Eduardo made threats to a Federal Police delegate and stated that he "will work" to remove minister Alexandre de Moraes from the STF. The son of former president Jair Bolsonaro stated that he will not return to Brazil, and that he will not give up his position as parliamentarian. To explain Eduardo's situation and the consequences of the threats made by him to Brazilian authorities, Natuza Nery talks with Andréia Sadi, presenter of GloboNews and columnist for g1. Together, Natuza and Andréia analyze how Eduardo Bolsonaro's situation stands in the face of Donald Trump's tariff against Brazilian products. Andréia recalls the arguments used by the congressman to take leave from his position and go live in the USA, and concludes how Eduardo became a "hot potato" for the Chamber.

Elas não são raras. As terras raras são 17 elementos químicos abundantes em vários países, concentrados na China e no Brasil. Pequim ameaçou suspender a venda para os EUA caso Trump não revisse as tarifas. O Brasil também pode usar esse "trunfo", pois tem 25% das reservas. Fernando José Gomes Landgraf explica que elas são estratégicas geopoliticamente porque são essenciais para "super imãs" de carros elétricos e equipamentos militares. Ele avalia os impactos da exploração e o que o Brasil precisa fazer para avançar na produção. Esses elementos químicos podem ajudar na negociação contra a chantagem tarifária de Trump.

In July 2025, Marília Mendonça would have turned 30. She was the most relevant Brazilian singer to emerge this century. Not only because she is the country's most popular artist in the era of music consumed by the internet: it's not just a matter of numbers. This podcast details the reasons that made Marília Mendonça's "sofrência" go down in history. You will understand why, years and years from now, we will still remember her saying that nobody will suffer alone, everyone will suffer. And also another side, not so well known: how the suffering caused by her tragic and premature departure changed not only the lives of those who lived with the singer, but also the course of Brazilian music.

It was around 7:30 AM this Friday (18th) when a team from the Federal Police knocked on Jair and Michelle Bolsonaro's door. Agents surrounded the former president's house to execute a search and seizure warrant issued by the Supreme Federal Court. The order was signed by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, within the scope of the investigation into the actions of licensed congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) in the USA to pressure Brazilian authorities – the accusations are obstruction of justice, coercion during the course of legal proceedings, and attack on national sovereignty. Stunned, Jair attends to the PF agents – all of them equipped with cameras, which recorded the step-by-step of the operation. Shortly after, Michelle arrives. "They revolted, complained a lot. But later, when it sank in, they offered no resistance to the police work," says César Tralli, presenter of TV Globo and GloboNews. Guest of Natuza Nery for this extra episode, Tralli reveals conversations he had with sources in the PF, in the STF, and with influential people in the Bolsonarista circle. The federal police officers collected an amount in cash (R$ 8,000 and US$ 14,000) and a pen drive found in a drawer in Jair's bathroom from the Bolsonaros' house – an object that the former president says he does not recognize. Bolsonaro was taken to the PF Penitentiary Affairs Secretariat for the placement of the electronic ankle monitor. There, he was informed about the series of orders imposed by the Justice system: nightly home confinement, prohibition of the use of social networks, and prohibition of contact with ambassadors, diplomats, and other investigated individuals. "In my understanding, the objective is supreme humiliation," said the former president.

On Thursday night (17th), the US president sent a letter addressed to Jair Bolsonaro defending the former president of Brazil and making new criticisms of Brazilian Justice. Trump repeated that the tariffs imposed by him on Brazil are a way of demonstrating disapproval of Bolsonaro's trial, who is a defendant in the Supreme Federal Court for attempted coup d'état. The American's reiterated support yielded bad dividends for the former president. In addition to polls showing that Brazilians disapprove of Trump's measures, representatives of the GDP affected by the tariff increase show irritation with Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo, a licensed deputy who is in the USA. Also this Thursday, a Quaest poll indicated that representatives of Bolsonarism may lose strength in the 2026 presidential election. In this episode, Julia Duailibi talks to journalist Maria Cristina Fernandes to trace the effects of Trump's support for the former president. Columnist for the Valor Econômico newspaper and commentator for GloboNews and CBN, Maria Cristina analyzes Bolsonaro's recent statements after the PGR requested his conviction. She assesses the status of the dispute between allies of the former president and how this may reflect in the presidential dispute. Finally, Maria Cristina concludes whether the difficulties in this political field may facilitate the Lula government's life in its relationship with Congress.

A Quaest pesquisa, publicada quarta-feira (16), tem boas e más notícias para o governo Lula. A má: a desaprovação segue alta, em 53%. A boa: a diferença entre desaprovam e aprovam caiu 7 pontos percentuais desde junho. A pesquisa mostra onde e por que a tendência virou. Neste episódio, Julia Duailibi recebe Felipe Nunes, diretor da Quaest, e Valdo Cruz, colunista do g1 e comentarista da GloboNews. Felipe explica quais segmentos fomentaram a mudança de cenário para Lula: o presidente se recuperou em setores fora de sua base de apoio. E detalha como a população recebeu o tarifaço de Donald Trump e a reação do governo brasileiro. Depois, Julia conversa com Valdo Cruz, que relata a percepção do governo sobre o desafio de manter a recuperação após o “inferno astral” dos últimos meses. Valdo responde o que mudou na relação entre Executivo e Legislativo, e o desafio da oposição. “O culpado [pelo tarifaço] é Trump, e também Eduardo Bolsonaro”, diz. Valdo conclui: “há um mês a oposição e o centrão davam o governo como acabado. E agora eles perceberam que há espaço para Lula se recuperar para o ano que vem”.

Representatives of sectors affected by Donald Trump's tariff increase met this Tuesday (15) in Brasília with the inter-ministerial committee that will elaborate the Brazilian response to the US president's blackmail. Government and agribusiness and industry entrepreneurs agreed that the Reciprocity Law should be the last resort to be used. In this episode, Julia Duailibi listens to representatives from three sectors to understand the impacts and strategies of Brazilian exporters. First, Julia talks to Márcio Ferreira, president of the Council of Coffee Exporters of Brazil, CeCafé. The main consumer market for the grain, the USA buys 17% of Brazilian production – about 1/3 of all coffee consumed on American soil comes from Brazil. Márcio reports on the meeting with government representatives, and says what Brazilian producers plan to maintain this "win-win" relationship with the USA. Then, Julia speaks with Ibiapaba Netto, executive director of the National Association of Citrus Juice Exporters. Brazil is a world leader in orange juice exports – and Ibiapaba explains its entire production chain: from planting oranges in Brazil to the juice reaching the American consumer's table. He also comments on the impacts on employment and industry in São Paulo, the largest orange producing region in the world. Also participating is Raul Jungmann, CEO of the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), an organization that brings together more than 200 mineral producers. Jungmann assesses the impact on national production, and answers which markets Brazil can target if the 50% tariffs come into effect.

In the very first lines of the letter sent to Lula last week, the US president cited the Supreme Federal Court. Trump referenced trials involving former president Jair Bolsonaro and criticized court decisions against US-based technology companies. The first response to Trump was given by the Executive. And on Sunday night, another came to public: the president of the STF, Minister Luís Roberto Barroso, wrote a note entitled "In defense of the Constitution, Democracy and Justice". The text states that different worldviews "do not give anyone the right to twist the truth or deny the concrete facts that everyone saw and lived". And it makes a historical resumption about moments in which there was an attempt at institutional rupture in Brazil. To explain the meanings of the content of the letter and how Trump's blackmail reverberated in the Brazilian Supreme Court, Julia Duailibi talks to journalist Felipe Recondo and lawyer Rafael Mafei. Writer and researcher of the history of the STF, Recondo explains how Barroso's letter was articulated and what its effects are on ongoing processes in the Court. Professor at the Faculty of Law of USP and ESPM, Mafei analyzes the strategy used by the president of the STF, to whom the note is addressed. He also recalls other moments in history in which the Supreme acted in defense of national sovereignty.

It was months of intense participation in the presidential campaign and another 128 days inside the White House. And then came the divorce with Donald Trump, with a public spat. In the middle of the fight, the US president threatened to cut public incentives for SpaceX, Elon Musk's space exploration company, which depends on government contracts. Amid the political turmoil, Musk saw Tesla's stock value plummet. Since the Republican took office, the electric car company's shares have devalued by about 30%, a loss of around US$ 379 billion for the businessman. It is in this context that Elon Musk now says he wants to create a party to call his own. The billionaire announced on his social network, X, that he will create the "Party of America", in an attempt to break with the dominant two-party system in the USA. To explain the viability of a new political party and what Musk intends with it, Julia Duailibi talks to Cesar Zucco, full professor of Politics and Public Policies at FGV-RJ. He explains how the US political and party system contributes to the dominance of Republicans and Democrats. And assesses the difficulties for a third party to have representation in Congress. Afterwards, Julia receives Daniela Braun, technology reporter for the newspaper Valor Econômico, who comments on the performance of the billionaire's companies in the face of the political crises starring him.

President Lula stated this Thursday (10th) that he wants to negotiate with Donald Trump, but asked for respect for Brazilian decisions. Lula said that, if there is no agreement with the American government, Brazil will respond with tariffs equal to those announced by Trump against all Brazilian products. A day earlier, the American president announced that he will impose tariffs of 50% on Brazil starting August 1st. In addition to the reaction of the Brazilian government, Thursday was marked by criticism of Trump. The international press highlighted the use of tariffs to blackmail Brazil. Economist Paul Krugman, winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics, described the decision as "malicious and megalomaniacal". For some businessmen, the 50% tariffs could make Brazil's business with the USA unviable. In this episode, Julia Duailibi receives diplomat Roberto Abdenur, who worked for 45 years in the Brazilian diplomatic service and was ambassador to Washington, Beijing and Berlin. Advisor to the Brazilian Center for International Relations (Cebri), Abdenur classifies the moment as "the most serious in the relationship" between the USA and Brazil. He assesses the possibilities of economic and diplomatic responses that the Brazilian government can give to Trump. Afterwards, the conversation is with political scientist Guilherme Casarões. Professor at FGV-SP and researcher at the Extreme Right Observatory, Casarões analyzes the response given by the Lula government so far. And he explains how the interference of the US president in a judicial process involving Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil is part of the global strategy of the extreme right.

Last Wednesday (9th) inaugurated a phase of uncertainties in the relations between the United States and Brazil. It began with an official position from American diplomacy: the country's Embassy released a note reinforcing President Donald Trump's position in defense of Jair Bolsonaro, alleging that the former president would be a victim of "political persecution". Itamaraty reacted immediately and summoned the American chargé d'affaires to provide clarification - the US has not had an ambassador in Brazil since Trump took office in January. Tension increased when the American president said that "Brazil has not been good" to the US and threatened to impose new tariffs. And the crisis was established once and for all when the United States government sent President Lula a letter announcing the taxation of all Brazilian products at 50% from August 1st. And the main reason is not commercial, but political: criticism of the action of the Supreme Federal Court and new defense of Bolsonaro. In this episode, Julia Duailibi talks with economist Daniel Sousa, commentator on GloboNews, professor at Ibmec and creator of the Petit Journal podcast, about the immediate consequences for the Brazilian economy and which sectors will be most harmed if the tariffs are actually applied. Also participating in this episode is Carlos Gustavo Poggio, professor of political science at Berea College, in Kentucky (USA). He explains Trump's interests behind the tariff increase and the degree of seriousness of involving ideological alignment with commercial policy and diplomatic equipment.

"The dollar is king," declared Donald Trump this Tuesday (8). He added: "we will keep it that way," saying that the loss of the US currency's hegemony would be equivalent to "defeat in a war." Trump's statements are a reaction to the BRICS, who, after the meeting hosted in Rio de Janeiro, published a document defending the use of local currencies in commercial transactions. It was immediately after the BRICS joint declaration that the US president threatened to tax countries that aligned with the group's policy – which he calls "anti-American." The use of local currencies is an old demand of the group, which puts at risk the economic and influence supremacy of the US in the global trade system. In this episode, Julia Duailibi receives the economist Octaviano Canuto, who was vice-president of the World Bank and executive director of the IMF, to explain the current moment of the dollar and what a de-dollarization of the economy would mean. Canuto, who is also a senior member of the Policy Center for the New South and professor at George Washington University, recalls when the dollar became the hegemonic means of negotiation between countries. He analyzes what the political and economic consequences would be if the American currency lost its global prominence.

Over R$ 500 million. This was the amount diverted from the BMP bank's so-called reserve accounts in just a harsh hour and a half during the early hours of last Wednesday (2). Hackers invaded the system of companies responsible for mediating transfers between banks and carried out the largest attack of its kind on the National Financial System (SFN). To explain how this mega attack was carried out, Natuza Nery talks to Darlan Helder, technology reporter for g1, and Ronaldo Lemos, chief scientist at the Institute of Technology and Society (ITS) of Rio de Janeiro. Darlan details how the offensive was carried out and the suspicions that fall on an IT technician from the technology company B&M. Arrested, he confessed to passing on to hackers his password to enter the confidential system that connects banks to PIX. In return, he says he received R$ 15,000. It was with his password that the criminals managed to divert millions of reais – TV Globo sources estimate that the amount could reach R$ 800 million. Afterwards, Ronaldo Lemos explains why, by targeting the “heart of the financial system”, the attack became so emblematic. Ronaldo assesses the loopholes in banks' security systems and points out what can be done to correct flaws. For him, it is necessary to create an "alarm" to alert when suspicious transactions are underway.

A recent Harvard magazine survey shows a surge in seeking therapeutic advice or even simulating therapy sessions in chatbots. This type of interaction ranks first in how people are using AI, according to the magazine's study. To understand how the use of artificial intelligence for therapeutic purposes is advancing in a field that seemed out of its reach, Natuza Nery talks to Paulo Beer, PhD in social psychology, visiting professor at USP and the Gerar Institute of Psychoanalysis. Paulo explains how “a perfect storm” stimulates the use of artificial intelligence by people with mental health issues. He believes that traditional therapies, done with human professionals, are the only ones capable of making the patient truly reflect on their pain and anguish. Then, the conversation is with Ilana Pinsky, author of the book "Emotional Health: how not to freak out in unstable times" and columnist for Veja magazine. Ilana, who was a professor at Unifesp and Columbia University (USA), talks about the results of a study done with approximately 200 people who were exposed to chatbots trained for therapeutic use.

Faced with an unfeasible 2023 budget, the newly elected Lula government negotiated a PEC with Congress that released around R$ 145 billion in spending; in return, the Executive branch should present a new fiscal rule to control public accounts. It came: the so-called fiscal framework was approved in the Legislature and even celebrated by part of the financial market. A little over two years later, it shows signs that it is not holding up. A multifactorial problem. The Executive insists on trying to seek fiscal balance only on the revenue side, by increasing the tax burden, without indicating how it will contain the growing increase in expenses. And ignores the structural problems of public accounts. Congress misses the opportunity to advance with an agenda capable of balancing the fiscal crisis and maintains a turbocharged budget under its control: R$ 50 billion this year alone, 25% of all the government's discretionary spending – a percentage that is far from the world average. The same is seen in the Judiciary, which costs 1.43% of Brazilian GDP, well above the average of emerging economies (0.5%) and advanced economies (0.3%). In this episode, Natuza Nery talks to Bruno Carazza to explain what can be done for Brazil to untie its fiscal knot. Commentator for Jornal da Globo and columnist for the Valor Econômico newspaper, Bruno dimensions the size of the Brazilian "bomb". He, who is also a professor at Fundação Dom Cabral, outlines alternatives to solve the problem and concludes how decisions taken by the three Powers increase public spending.

After almost two months of trial in a New York court, rapper and businessman Sean “Diddy” Combs heard the verdict. Among the charges were sex trafficking by force, transportation for prostitution, and conspiracy. He was found guilty of two crimes and acquitted of three others. After the verdict, P. Diddy's bail request was denied, and he will remain in custody awaiting sentencing. The sentence is expected in the coming months, and the penalty could be up to 20 years in prison. Imprisoned since September 2024, Diddy celebrated the verdict, as reported by correspondent Carolina Cimenti in conversation with Natuza Nery. The TV Globo reporter recounts the weeks of trial in one of the biggest sex scandals in the music industry. And explains what may happen from now on. Afterward, Natuza receives Kaique Mattos, journalist from g1 and hip hop content producer. Kaique recalls who P. Diddy is and his emergence in the music industry, with the creation of a large business empire. The journalist recounts how the first accusations against the rapper came to light and the behind-the-scenes of the parties organized by Diddy, precisely where many of the crimes were committed. Kaique also talks about how the case "turned a key" in the hip hop community.

After being defeated in Congress, the government decided to appeal to the Supreme Federal Court to restore the IOF increase. By filing an appeal with the STF, the government raises the political temperature with Congress and doubles down, assesses Thomas Traumann in conversation with Natuza Nery in this episode. A GloboNews commentator, the journalist assesses the government's political situation and the risks Lula runs by adopting the old "us versus them" tactic, by pitting rich against poor, as he did in his previous administrations. He also concludes what the country loses with the clash between the powers. Afterwards, Natuza talks with Mary Elbe Queiroz, a lawyer specializing in Tax Law. President of the National Center for Prevention and Resolution of Tax Conflicts (Cenapret) and founder of Queiroz Advogados, she explains the impacts of judicialization on the credibility of the Brazilian tax system.

Until December last year, almost 950,000 people had some CAC registration, as hunters, shooters, and gun collectors are known in the country. These people have more than 1 million weapons – an amount 560% greater than 10 years ago, according to Army data provided to the Sou da Paz Institute. The increase in the number of weapons, however, was not accompanied by growth in inspection. From this Tuesday (1st), the Federal Police will be responsible for inspecting the CACs' arsenal. Previously, it was under the tutelage of the Brazilian Army. To understand what changes from this Tuesday, Natuza Nery talks to Andrei Rodrigues, general director of the Federal Police. And to explain the consequences of the exponential increase in the number of CACs in the country, Natuza listens to David Marques, project coordinator at the Brazilian Public Security Forum.

A decades-long conflict has killed over 5 million people in the heart of Africa. In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, armed militias clash in the deadliest war since World War II. The trigger for ethnic conflicts escalating into a brutal war was the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The Rwandan government is accused of supporting the M23 rebel group to invade and control territories in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC is accused of protecting Hutu militias, heirs of the genocide's executioners. Beyond ethnic battles, there is also a dispute over mineral wealth. In the conflict zones are some of the world's most valuable materials: gold, copper, cobalt, and coltan, important for producing computers and smartphones – ores and metals whose buyers are the world's largest technology companies. In this episode, Natuza Nery receives journalist Pedro Borges, from the Alma Preta news agency. He, who has been in the DRC for 40 days witnessing the situation in the war-torn region firsthand, recounts what he saw in his travels through the country and what one of the refugee camps he visited is like. Pedro also details what he foresees in the new agreement signed between the DRC and Rwanda last Friday (27th) in Washington, under the mediation of the American government.