Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Paraguay

Uruguay

Europe

Economics

Politics

The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement entered provisional application on May 1, following more than 25 years of negotiations, Euronews reported the same day.

EU, Mercosur: Free Trade Agreement Enters Provisional Application

Brazil's Senate blocked the appointment of Attorney General Jorge Messias, who has strong ties to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, to a seat at the country's Supreme Federal Court, g1 reported on April 29.

Brazil: Senate Blocks President's Supreme Court Nomination for First Time in 132 Years

United States

Military & Security

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he could adopt reciprocal measures after the United States expelled a Brazilian federal police attache indirectly involved in the arrest of Brazil's former intelligence chief Alexandre Ramagem by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on April 13, g1 reported on April 21.

Brazil, U.S.: Lula Threatens Reciprocal Measures After U.S. Expels Attache

France

Poland

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the European Union will provisionally apply its trade agreement with the South American Mercosur bloc before full ratification, Euractiv reported on Feb. 27.

EU, Mercosur: Brussels Moves To Provisionally Apply Mercosur Trade Deal Before Full Ratification

China

India

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

After attending the India AI Impact Summit, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will hold bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Feb. 21, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 19.

India, Brazil: Lula Is Set To Meet Modi Amid Negotiations on Critical Minerals and Rare Earths

Right-wing Goias Gov. Ronaldo Caiado joined Brazil's center-right Social Democratic Party, or PSD, and will compete with two other governors for the party's presidential nomination, g1 reported on Jan. 28.

Brazil: Center-Right Party Confirms Presidential Bid, Likely Splitting Opposition Voters

U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a 50-minute call on Jan. 26, g1 reported.

U.S., Brazil: New Call Between Presidents Indicates Room for Pragmatic Relationship, Despite Divergences

The European Parliament voted on Jan. 21 to request a legal opinion from the EU Court of Justice on whether the EU-Mercosur trade agreement complies with EU treaties, a step that pauses the ratification process within the bloc, Politico reported the same day.

EU, Mercosur: European Parliament Refers EU-Mercosur Trade Deal to EU Court of Justice

Assessments

Energy

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

If President Lula wins reelection in October, his administration would continue balancing the promotion of green initiatives with the expansion of mining and drilling, while retaining strategic neutrality in the U.S.-China competition.

The Balance Between Environmental and Extractive Policies in Brazil's Presidential Election, Part 1

Colombia

Guyana

Venezuela

Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez (C) gestures during the official picture of the new National Assembly in Caracas on Jan. 5, 2026. 

Venezuela's acting president is most likely to cooperate with the United States to keep the country's regime intact, but other, more volatile scenarios remain possible. 

Venezuela's Post-Maduro Outlook: Potential Scenarios

Iraq

Syria

Campaign posters Nov. 6 ahead of Nov. 11 Iraqi parliamentary elections in central Baghdad.

U.S.-China Relations

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Iraqi Elections, a U.S.-China Deal Enters Effect

The COP30 logo at the central building is seen ahead of the COP30 Brazil Amazonia 2025 on Nov. 3, 2025 in Belem, Brazil. 

Social Issues

The 30th U.N. Climate Change Conference is poised to highlight the enduring impasse between developed and developing nations, particularly regarding financial responsibilities and the transition from fossil fuels.

A Breakthrough on Climate Targets is Unlikely at Brazil's COP30

A digital illustration of the Brazilian flag with economic and financial indicators. 

The current administration's focus on boosting growth through public expenditure is delaying necessary fiscal consolidation, setting the stage for more difficult and potentially drastic economic adjustments after elections in 2026.

Brazil Faces an Inevitable Fiscal Reckoning

Columns

On Geopolitics

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sept. 7 in Brasilia, Brazil. Lula's failure to acknowledge changes in Brazilian society and power dynamics are leaving him struggling to resonate with voters.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's failure to acknowledge changes in Brazilian society and power dynamics is making it difficult for him to resonate with voters.

Lula's Old Playbook Meets a New Political Reality

Ethiopia

Israel

Japan

United Kingdom

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2025.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: France's Bayrou Faces a Confidence Vote, Ethiopia Inaugurates Its Mega-Dam

Canada

Lebanon

United Arab Emirates

Indonesia

Singapore

South Korea

Vietnam

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Mercosur is increasingly opening its markets in pursuit of free trade agreements with partners around the world, particularly as U.S. protectionism shifts global trade dynamics.

The Geopolitics of Trade: What Changing Trade Dynamics Mean for Mercosur

Media

Podcasts

How will these recent developments influence the 2026 general election?

Essential Geopolitics: Brazil's Evolving Political Climate Amid Bolsonaro's House Arrest and Trump's Tariffs

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a press conference at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025. 

While most of Brazil's main exports are exempt, the additional U.S. tariffs -- along with Brazil's impending economic retaliation and the likely arrest of former President Bolsonaro -- will further strain bilateral ties.

The Implications of Trump's New Tariffs on Brazil

Iran

U.S.-Iran Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Netanyahu's U.S. Visit, a Franco-British Summit

Snapshots

A photo shows the national flags of Mercosur countries waving in the wind.

The South American trade bloc's July 2-3 summit will likely advance two key initiatives: increasing member state autonomy on tariff decisions and finalizing free trade deals with countries seeking to avoid U.S. tariffs.

The Mercosur Summit Will Focus on Advancing Tariff Autonomy and Trade Deals

<p>Larger in land mass than the contiguous United States, Brazil borders every country on the South American continent except Ecuador and Chile. Three features define Brazil&#39;s geography: the Amazon Basin, tropical savanna and the Brazilian Highlands. The Amazon River and rain forest, the world&#39;s largest, encompass most of northern Brazil and make this region inhospitable to agriculture and large populations. To its south lies the Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna. Advances in agricultural practices have allowed large-scale farming to thrive in this region. However, due to distance and geography, Brazil faces daunting challenges in getting agricultural commodities to international markets. The Brazilian Highlands and the narrow strip of land between the mountains and the coast are home to the majority of the country&#39;s 197 million people. Most of the country&#39;s economic activity occurs in this region. Brazil&#39;s geography largely shields it from external military threats. The Atlantic Ocean, the Amazon Basin and the buffer states of Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay insulate the country. Brazil&#39;s varied regions have made centralized control and integration difficult for the core states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. Infrastructure linking the coast and the interior, as well as connecting the various coastal cities is technically difficult and requires high levels of investment. Isolated from the rest of the continent both geographically and linguistically and lacking internal cohesion, Brazil has traditionally been inward looking. Brazil&#39;s primary geographic challenging is consolidating control over its vast peripheral territory and connecting these regions more efficiently with its population centers and ports.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

EU, Mercosur: Free Trade Agreement Enters Provisional Application

Brazil: Senate Blocks President's Supreme Court Nomination for First Time in 132 Years

Brazil, U.S.: Lula Threatens Reciprocal Measures After U.S. Expels Attache

EU, Mercosur: Brussels Moves To Provisionally Apply Mercosur Trade Deal Before Full Ratification

India, Brazil: Lula Is Set To Meet Modi Amid Negotiations on Critical Minerals and Rare Earths

Brazil: Center-Right Party Confirms Presidential Bid, Likely Splitting Opposition Voters

U.S., Brazil: New Call Between Presidents Indicates Room for Pragmatic Relationship, Despite Divergences

EU, Mercosur: European Parliament Refers EU-Mercosur Trade Deal to EU Court of Justice

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