Lula is Brazil’s president. He leads a leftist government facing deforestation aims, political brotherhood with allies, and inflationary pressures as the country eyes an upcoming election.
The EU has provisionally applied the EU-Mercosur trade pact amid domestic opposition, with tariffs set to fall on most bilateral trade. Final ratification remains pending the EU judiciary's ruling; the bloc cites potential GDP gains while critics warn of farming disruption and environmental risks. Leaders are coordinating Friday to mark the milestone as negotiators push for full implementation.
President Trump has completed a two‑day state visit to Beijing with US business chiefs, holding talks with Xi Jinping on trade, Taiwan, Iran and AI. Leaders have agreed to set up trade and investment councils; Trump has touted unspecified "fantastic" deals including a reported 200‑plane Boeing order while Chinese statements remain cautious.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has met President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday. They have held private talks and a working lunch, agreed to set up trade and security talks, and have established a working group to negotiate tariffs, critical minerals and organised crime cooperation.
New data shows the Atlantic forest and Amazon have recorded lower deforestation in 2025, but forest degradation and legislative risks threaten potential gains amid El Niño and political pressure on enforcement.
The Brazilian government has begun demarcating the 410,000-hectare Pardo River Kawahiva Indigenous territory in the Amazon, protecting a vulnerable uncontacted community amid legal challenges and a tense political backdrop ahead of the October presidential election.
Protests across Bolivia continue with clashes reported in La Paz and El Alto as demonstrations press President Paz to reverse austerity measures. The government has halved ministers’ salaries and sought dialogue, while international actors offer humanitarian aid and call for negotiations amidst ongoing shortages of fuel, food and medicine.
Two men have been charged under the Take It Down Act for creating AI-generated nude content. The defendants face up to two years in prison as prosecutors push to enforce the law that prohibits non-consensual deepfake pornography and similar material.
Brazil has announced an environmental protection plan to accompany the paving of the BR-319 highway linking Amazonas and Rondônia. The plan includes monitoring, checkpoints, new conservation units, and private enforcement support, as Lula eyes reelection. Environmental groups have challenged the project in court amid concerns about indigenous consultation and climate safeguards.
The United States has reaffirmed support to its Latin American allies amid ongoing protests in Bolivia as President Paz reshuffles his cabinet and faces strong domestic opposition. Washington has linked regional security to counter-narcotics networks and expanded its hemispheric involvement through the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C). Protests continue as Bolivian authorities deploy measures to restore order.
U.S. designates Brazil's two largest criminal gangs as terrorist organizations, a move that has drawn Brazil's government into a debate over sovereignty and potential intervention. The designation follows political pressure ahead of October elections and has sparked pushback from Lula's administration, which warns of risks to information sharing and internal security cooperation.
A new wave of measures aims to curb forest loss by linking cattle tracing, land ownership, and deforestation monitoring. Brazil and Colombia are advancing systems to track cattle and publicize ownership, targeting supply chains tied to forest clearing. The changes seek to improve oversight, close loopholes, and align with international market demands.
Lula has maintained a lead in polling for the October election, but surveys show growing discontent among younger Brazilians. Datafolha and Quaest show varying margins, with young voters wavering as right‑leaning sentiment grows. Campaigns are intensifying as rivals court new blocs amid ongoing financial strain and corruption scrutiny.
At Evian-les-Bains, G7 leaders press Trump to help break deadlock over Ukraine while eyeing renewed sanctions on Russia and pursuing a broader Iran endgame. Zelenskyy attends sessions on Ukraine; Macron seeks consensus and European autonomy amid tensions over U.S. engagement and Iran diplomacy.
G7 leaders have pledged tougher sanctions and stepped-up industrial support for Ukraine after meetings in Evian, but U.S.-led mediation has stalled while President Trump has shifted focus to the Middle East. Russia has accused the U.S. of abandoning neutral mediation, and Russian strikes and Ukrainian long-range drone attacks have recently hit Russian infrastructure and Kyiv's historic Lavra monastery.
Tensions between Brazil and the United States have escalated as Washington proposes new tariffs while designating two Brazilian drug-trafficking groups as foreign terrorist organizations. President Lula Da Silva has opposed these moves, stressing Brazil's sovereignty and calling for non-interference in Brazil’s elections amid ongoing legal cases involving Jair Bolsonaro's family.
The Banco Master fraud investigation has expanded beyond the bank’s executives and into political circles. Police have executed 18 search warrants across Brasilia, Bahia, and Sao Paulo, with Sen. Jaques Wagner—a Lula ally—facing questions over possible undue economic benefits tied to the case.
Colombia, Peru and Brazil are moving right in a regional shift that could reshape how the Amazon is managed. De la Espriella in Colombia has secured a narrow win, while Peru is poised to elect Fujimori. Brazil faces a high-stakes election that could redefine environmental policy amid deforestation concerns.
A series of court rulings restricts high-profile political figures as Lula’s government pushes anti-deforestation efforts. Bolsonaro remains under house arrest for a 2022 coup attempt, while Bolsonaro’s political allies face ongoing legal actions amid a tense presidential race.
Colombia’s presidential runoff winner is under pressure over US citizenship and possible conflicts of interest. Senator Iván Cepeda has urged Abelardo de la Espriella to renounce his US citizenship and clarify whether he is an agent of the United States. Cepeda warns of civil disobedience if legality conditions are not met.
Brazil's deforestation rate has fallen by half in Lula's first year back in office, with 1,295 sq km cleared from January to June, the lowest since 2016. Lula defers to his government on zero-deforestation targets while facing criticisms over oil exploration near the Amazon mouth and shifting U.S. tariffs amid a tight election race.
The Strait of Hormuz is open, but tensions have escalated as President Trump reinstates a blockade and proposes a 20% toll on cargo. Oil prices jump again amid new threats and retaliatory strikes; markets and allies react to the developing standoff.
The United States has announced a 25% tariff on most imports from Brazil, to take effect July 22, after a yearlong Section 301 probe that found Brazilian unfair trade practices. The order has exempted staples and supply‑chain items such as coffee, beef, aircraft parts and some energy products. Brazil has pledged reciprocal measures and will pursue WTO challenge.