Brazil and Southern Cone

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Brazil & Southern Cone - October 2026

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This October edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Brazil & Southern Cone begins with an analysis of a proposed security reform in Chile presented in August by the government of President José Antonio Kast.

Brazil & Southern Cone - September 2026

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Brazil
- Security experts criticise political ‘noise’ on crime
- Opposing election proposals to fix the economy
- Batista family resumes management of JBS amid challenges
Paraguay-Brazil
- Legacy of Triple Alliance War sparks controversy
Chile
- Gov’t casts doubt on dictatorship disappearance list
- Codelco keeps 100% profit to deal with debt challenge
Argentina
- Milei to fix central bank instead of shutting it
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights

“Brazil has reached mid-2026 with public security as the main public concern,” think tank Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública (FBSP) wrote in its latest annual crime report, which was published on 23 July.

Brazil & Southern Cone - August 2026

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Introduction
- Introduction
Brazil
- US tariffs that could have been worse for Lula
- Rising concern over corruption in Rio
Argentina
- Alleged corruption scandal weighs on Milei government
- Government reassures markets foreign debt can be paid
Region
- Regional leaders seek deeper security cooperation
- South America eyes open skies accord
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights

This August edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Brazil & Southern Cone begins with an analysis of the US tariffs on Brazil that took effect in July.

Brazil & Southern Cone - July 2026

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Introduction
- Introduction
Brazil
- Brazil’s biggest gangs placed on US terrorism list
- Brazil’s Lula ramps up fiscal stimuli ahead of election
- Deforestation risks remain despite annual decrease
Chile
- Kast abandons fiscal targets as economy slows
- New minister unveils security plan
Uruguay
- Orsi targets red tape to help kickstart economy
Argentina
- Education spending boost belies economic malaise
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights

This July edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Brazil & Southern Cone begins with an analysis of the controversial decision by the US government to label Brazil’s two most powerful criminal groups, the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), as foreign terrorist organisations (FTOs).

Brazil & Southern Cone - June 2026

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Introduction
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.