Brazil and Southern Cone
Brazil & Southern Cone - June 2026
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- Introduction
Chile
- Kast off to a rocky start in first 100 days
- Security minister replaced after two months in office
- Economist takes the reins at Codelco
Brazil
- Lula boosts funding for law enforcement
- Balancing resource nationalism with attracting investment
- Governing institutions clash over far-right rioter sentencing bill
- EU to ban Brazilian meat despite Mercosur deal
Paraguay
- Peña under pressure over Taiwan visit
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
When José Antonio Kast became president of Chile in March, markets rallied amid investor optimism that the far-right leader would push business-friendly reforms.
Brazil & Southern Cone - May 2026
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- Introduction
Argentina
- Deregulation reaches the top of the Andes
- Milei bags victory in YPF nationalisation case
Brazil
- Indigenous groups give tepid endorsement for Lula
- Lula aims to fix INSS as election pressure mounts
Chile
- Kast hails partnership with Milei
- Government seeks to address school violence
Paraguay
- Peña pivots away from austerity with ministerial change
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
President Javier Milei’s deregulation drive in Argentina has reached many aspects of the Argentine economy, even the peaks of the Andes mountains, with congress approving legislation that eases environmental regulations for mining companies operating in glacial areas that had been hitherto protected as freshwater reserves.
Brazil & Southern Cone - April 2026
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- Introduction
Brazil
- Finance minister leaves mixed legacy on economy
- Overdue justice delivered in Marielle Franco murder case
Chile
- Chinese cable project forces Kast to walk diplomatic tightrope
Paraguay
- Peña notches public finance win with pension reform
- Government ramps up militarised response to organised crime
Argentina
- The risk of Milei’s shock economic opening
Uruguay
- Government unveils new security objectives
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
When Fernando Haddad took on the job of Brazil’s finance minister in January 2023, the former university professor and leftist intellectual was greeted with widespread scepticism.
Brazil & Southern Cone - March 2026
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- Introduction
Argentina
- Boost for Milei with labour reform in Argentina
Brazil
- Crime concerns in Brazil remain high despite drop in murders
- Lula adopts fight against femicides as rallying cry
- Lula makes work-week reduction a campaign promise
Uruguay
- Modest growth and rising debt under Orsi despite tailwinds
- Government affirms partnership with China
Paraguay
- Peña’s reform course shows results
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
Argentina’s President Javier Milei scored one of his biggest victories yet when congress approved his sweeping labour reform in late February, making it cheaper and easier to hire and fire workers by cutting employee benefits, reducing employer obligations, and limiting the power of unions.
Brazil & Southern Cone - February 2026
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- Introduction
Region
- More possible roadblocks for EU-Mercosur deal
Chile
- Prosecutor to lead security ministry under Kast
- Miners’ enthusiasm eases as Kast snubs cabinet hopes
- Activists ramp up calls for measures to prevent fires
Brazil
- New justice minister under scrutiny ahead of elections
- Rare earth giant wakes as minerals race heats up
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
This February edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Brazil & Southern Cone begins with an analysis of the possible obstacles for the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Mercosur regional trade bloc.
Brazil & Southern Cone - January 2026
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- Introduction
Chile
- Kast seeks unity in quest for security reform
- Kast expected to moderate radical right-wing agenda
Brazil
- Bank collapse uncovers political, regulatory, market issues
- Lula faces challenges in projecting climate leadership
Argentina
- Milei bills advance in congress with writeoffs
- Military leader assumes civilian government post
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
This January edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Brazil & Southern Cone begins with a look at the apparent signals from Chile’s far-right President-elect José Antonio Kast that he might moderate his stance and seek unity in order to pass reforms for his security agenda.