🇧🇷 Brazil Episodes

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.

Congress inflicted a crushing defeat on the Lula government on Wednesday night (25th), overturning the IOF decree. It was the first time since 1992 that parliamentarians had overturned a presidential decree. Government ministers are divided on whether or not to take the case to the STF – the opposition says that if it appeals to the Supreme Court, the government will amplify the crisis in Brasília. With the fall of the decree, Congress stopped the government's idea of raising R$ 10 billion more and, with that, getting closer to reaching the fiscal target. The impact of the political battle, therefore, has serious fiscal consequences. Economists warn that the Brazilian State runs the risk of becoming paralyzed in 2026 if public accounts are not balanced. To explain the seriousness of the situation in Brasília, Natuza Nery receives Flávia Oliveira. “It was more than a steamroller. It was a road roller,” summarizes the GloboNews commentator, columnist for the newspaper O Globo and CBN radio. For her, more than a defeat for the government, what is happening in Brasília is “a defeat for the country. It is a Congress that has acted and voted for its own benefit”. Afterwards, Natuza Nery speaks with political scientist and sociologist Sérgio Abranches. Creator of the term “coalition presidentialism”, in the late 1980s, Sérgio assesses the current political moment. “The system of government is dysfunctional. It is a Congress that does not represent. And an Executive that can no longer govern,” he says.

Almost 5 days after falling about 200 meters inside the crater of a volcano in Indonesia, the body of the 26-year-old Brazilian woman was rescued this Wednesday (26). Her body was found by volunteer rescuers, 600 meters from the trail she was taking towards the top of Mount Rinjani. Juliana Marins' family says that, before the accident, she was left alone by the group's guide – the alert to the authorities was sent only 5 hours later. Juliana's family accuses the Indonesian authorities of negligence. To explain the particularities of the mountain and point out possible errors that may have led to the Brazilian woman's death, Natuza Nery listens to Carlos Santalena, climber and expedition guide. Carlos, who has climbed Mount Everest four times and climbed Rinjani in 2015, reports on what it is like to climb the mountain Juliana was on and talks about the signs that there was negligence in the rescue. Afterwards, Natuza listens to Silvio Neto, president of the Brazilian Association of Mountain Guides. He talks about how guides should be trained for adventure tourism, the type of information people need to have to practice climbing activities safely.

This Tuesday (24), Mauro Cid and Braga Netto sat face to face in a room at the Supreme Federal Court. Defendants in the coup d'état attempt case, the former aide-de-camp and the former Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff of Jair Bolsonaro gave their versions of the same accusation: a conspiratorial meeting at Braga Netto's house and an amount that would have financed the coup-plotting criminal organization. When confronted, both maintained their previous statements. After them, it was former minister Anderson Torres' turn to sit face to face with former Army commander Freire Gomes, a witness in the case. In this episode, Natuza Nery receives Fernando Abrucio to explain how the confrontation affects the process. Professor at FGV, commentator at GloboNews and columnist for the Valor Econômico newspaper, Abrucio recalls the role of Mauro Cid, Braga Netto and Anderson Torres in the coup plot and analyzes the versions presented by the defendants. He also assesses how the defendants' and the former president's entourage are moving to prevent or reverse a likely conviction in the Supreme Court.

In 2022, Russia attacked and invaded Ukraine under the pretext of defending itself against possible Ukrainian threats. The following year, the terrorist group Hamas' attack left a trail of death and violence in Israel; the Israeli response in the Gaza Strip promoted a humanitarian crisis that accounts for at least 55,000 deaths. Less than two weeks ago, the Iranian nuclear program served as a pretext for air strikes by Israel and then the United States. Faced with a world map taken by burning points, something in common: the primacy of the use of weapons over dialogue. Bellicism is also present in the organization of world trade, where the effects of the tariff announced by Donald Trump are still uncertain. In an interview with GloboNews, Celso Amorim, former chancellor and special advisor to the Presidency for international affairs, spoke of "demoralization of the international system" and an "attack on the world order". For historian and career diplomat Rubens Ricupero, who was Brazil's ambassador to Washington, Rome and the United Nations, it is "a moment of weakening of diplomatic resources". In this episode, Rubens Ricupero, who was also under-secretary general of the UN (1995 to 2004) and is now an emeritus advisor to the Brazilian Center for International Relations, is interviewed by Natuza Nery. He analyzes the crisis in world diplomacy and explains why the classic instruments in relations between countries are losing ground at a moment in history marked by unilateral decisions and wars. "I do not see the case of Iran as capable of provoking a nuclear and world war," he says.

It was early Sunday morning in Iran when the US launched an offensive against three Iranian nuclear facilities. After days of suspense over whether or not to enter the conflict between Israel and the Tehran regime, Donald Trump announced that the Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan facilities had been targeted by American airstrikes. In response, the Iranian parliament approved closing the Strait of Hormuz, responsible for 20% of the world's oil route. In the first part of this episode of O Assunto, Natuza Nery talks to Oliver Stuenkel to analyze the immediate consequences of the US entering the war. Oliver, who is a professor of International Relations at FGV and a researcher at Harvard and the Carnegie Endowment, answers what risks Trump subjected himself to by attacking Iran, and Tehran's possible responses. He also assesses the likely economic effects if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz materializes. Afterwards, Natuza receives Samy Adghirni, a Bloomberg journalist based in Paris who was a correspondent in Iran from 2011 to 2014. Author of the book "The Iranians," Samy traces the richness of Persian history and the reasons why Iranians are so proud of their culture: "Iran is more than a country, it is a civilization." He also presents an overview of the country's current contradictions: a modern society that coexists with a theocratic, oppressive, and violent regime – especially towards women. "The current situation in the Middle East shows the increasing weakness of this regime," he concludes.

Instability is permanent and spreads across territories. In Gaza, a war exceeding 600 days causes an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. In Lebanon, the population lives under attacks from Hezbollah and the Israeli army. In Syria, the end of a long dictatorship led to a fragmented country. In Yemen, Houthi rebels are also involved in conflicts. Now, since the beginning of the exchange of bombings between Israel and Iran, tension has escalated to the imminence of a total war between the region's two most powerful military countries -- a risk that grows with signals from Donald Trump that the US may enter the conflict. In this episode, Natuza Nery talks to Guga Chacra to explain the origins of these instabilities. The commentator from Globo, GloboNews, CBN, and columnist for O Globo recounts the history of failed peace negotiations of recent decades, analyzes current points of greatest tension, and tries to answer the question: what to do to pacify the Middle East?

Assim que os primeiros bombardeios israelenses atingiram o território iraniano, o secretário de Estado dos EUA se apressou em negar a participação americana no ataque. O presidente Donald Trump também se apresentou para defender uma solução diplomática e disse que estava perto de um acordo para o programa nuclear do Irã. Menos de uma semana depois, tudo mudou. Primeiro, Trump subiu o tom num ultimato contra o Irã, exigindo que o regime desista totalmente de seu programa nuclear. Depois, foi ainda mais longe. O presidente americano falou como se os próprios EUA já estivessem dentro da guerra, afirmou ter controle total e completo dos céus iranianos e ameaçou: “Não vamos matar o Líder Supremo [o aiatolá Ali Khamenei, chefe de Estado do Irã]. Por enquanto”. Para explicar o que quer Donald Trump com esse vaivém e quais são os objetivos americanos no conflito, Natuza Nery entrevista Fernando Brancoli, professor de Segurança Internacional e de Geopolítica da UFRJ. Fernando analisa também quais as consequências de uma eventual entrada americana na guerra: “Se a gente olha as invasões americanas no Oriente Médio, o que acontece é uma guerra assimétrica com morte de civis e destruição de infraestrutura”.

"Don't escalate the conflict. End the conflict." That's how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded when asked about Israel's plans to eliminate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Netanyahu's statement was given on Monday (16th), the fourth day of mutual attacks between the two countries. And a day after the US press reported that President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei. On the Iranian side, an official statement promises to destroy Israel's infrastructure and threatens: residents who want to stay alive should leave Israeli territory. To explain the status of the conflict - which enters its fifth day this Tuesday (17th) - Julia Duailibi talks to Andrew Traumann, professor of International Relations at the Curitiba University Center. Organizer of the book "Islamic Republic of Iran, 40 years", Andrew explains who Ali Khamenei is, how he rose to the position of Supreme Leader of the Iranian Republic and what the situation of the country's current government is. Andrew assesses where the Israeli strategy in Iran seems to be heading. Since the beginning of the attacks, at least 11 key figures of the regime, including military personnel from the Revolutionary Guard, commanders of Intelligence, the Armed Forces and representatives of diplomacy. He also concludes how the war weakens the ayatollahs and what the chances are of the Iranian regime collapsing.

Facing the Mediterranean Sea, over 50 heads of state and government gathered last week to discuss ocean protection actions. Brazil, with a maritime space occupying 5.7 million km², an area comparable to the Amazon, attended the UN Ocean Conference, hosted in Nice, France. In his speech, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pledged to emphasize ocean conservation and sustainable use and increase marine protected area coverage from 26% to 30%, fulfilling the Global Biodiversity Framework target. Lula also criticized plastic use but excluded the country from an agreement called "Nice appeal," advocating for the gradual ban of single-use disposable plastic. The Conference also marked the premiere of the documentary "Quanto Vale o Azul" (How Much is the Blue Worth), by Ricardo Gomes, marine biologist and director of the Instituto Mar Urbano. He, who was in Nice and the other two Conferences, in Portugal (2022) and the USA (2017), tells what has changed since then. Afterwards, Natuza Nery receives Rodrigo Cebrian, co-founder of the Movimento EUceano.org and director and presenter of the series "Euceano," available on Globoplay. He explains the term "blue economy" and talks about ways to use marine resources sustainably.

It was early Friday morning, local time, when an Israeli offensive targeted the "heart of Iran's nuclear weapons program." Israeli bombings hit at least three nuclear facilities and killed military leaders and scientists. Israeli forces claim the operation aimed to halt the advancement of the Iranian nuclear program. Less than 24 hours later, the Iranian counterattack began: the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were targeted. The escalation of attacks between Israel and Iran reignites fears of a nuclear conflict, in addition to the risk of a widespread conflict in the Middle East. In this extra episode of O Assunto, Natuza Nery receives Tanguy Baghdadi and Hussein Kalout to explain the reasons that led to the Israeli attack, and what to expect from the Iranian response. Tanguy Baghdadi, professor of international politics and founder of the Petit Journal podcast, details the elements that led to the Israeli offensive at this moment: the political situation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the fall of important supporters of the Iranian regime, and the internal crisis in the Tehran government. He recalls that the Iranian nuclear program was encouraged by the US itself, back in the 1950s, and justifies why it is not in Iran's interest for the Americans to enter this war. "Now we have a one-on-one war," he says, speaking of the risks of the war spreading. Then, Hussein Kalout, political scientist and advisor to Cebri (Brazilian Center for International Relations), assesses that Iran is "cornered" for two reasons: regional isolation, after not responding to Israeli attacks against important allies, and the internal risk of seeing an uprising against the regime. Finally, he concludes what the US interests are in the conflict.

On Thursday (12th), STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes cast the seventh vote in favor of holding technology companies accountable for publishing illegal or criminal content. The day before, the Supreme Court had already formed a majority to change the interpretation of article 19 of the Brazilian Internet Civil Framework. Ministers Edson Fachin, Cármen Lúcia, and Nunes Marques still need to vote. The trial is scheduled to resume on June 25th. The Court is moving towards defining that a judicial decision is no longer necessary for platforms to remove illegal or criminal content – a rule in effect since 2014, when the Civil Framework was sanctioned and created the legal basis for internet use in Brazil. To understand what is at stake in the Supreme Court's discussion, Natuza Nery talks with Nuria López, technology partner at Daniel Advogados and PhD in Theory and Philosophy of Law from PUC de São Paulo. Nuria details what article 19 says and why it is being re-discussed now. She recalls the specific cases that led this discussion to the Supreme Court, including one involving the late Orkut. In the conversation, Núria explains the new models for regulating social networks, including the so-called 'notice and takedown', a mechanism by which networks become responsible for content from the moment they are notified.