Sexist statements have echoed through time. “My wife will not vote,” said Senator Coelho e Campos, a member of Brazil’s Constituent Assembly in 1891. That same year, another lawmaker, Serzedelo Corrêa, asserted that throwing women into the midst of political passions and struggles means “stripping them of their sanctity.”

Over 135 years later, this violent rhetoric resurfaced. “Statistically, women vote poorly, especially single women. Married women tend to follow their husbands’ lead,” stated influencer Paulo Figueiredo (grandson of former Brazilian President João Figueiredo).

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The rhetoric attacking the female vote throughout Brazil’s history can be understood in various ways as reactions to advances in women’s rights, scholars on suffrage told Agência Brasil. They explain that, from a historical and political perspective, what stands out is how persistent this rhetoric is, as well as the threats it poses.

An ongoing struggle

On the other hand, the history of the suffragist movement is a valuable source of inspiration for present-day action. “The language has changed, but the patriarchal, misogynistic, and sexist logic remains the same,” said law professor Fernanda Abreu of the State University of Rio Grande do Norte (UERN).

She emphasizes that women’s suffrage in Brazil was an achievement won against the resistance of the government and a sexist society. It was not a spontaneous concession. “Rights do not sustain themselves. They require a permanent struggle,” she noted.

Professor Abreu notes that these statements questioning women’s suffrage resurfaced in 2026 with “disturbing” force.

“It seems absurd, but it’s true. From a legal and constitutional standpoint, any discourse that questions women’s suffrage in Brazil violates Article 14 of the 1988 Constitution, which establishes universal suffrage without distinction based on sex,” she stated.

She adds that the rhetoric also attacks Article 5, which prohibits any form of discrimination. In addition to being unconstitutional, those remarks could also fall under criminal speech. The specialist noted that there are efforts underway to involve Brazil’s Prosecutor-General’s Office in addressing the issue.

The researcher points out that utterances like that of influencer Paulo Figueiredo are directly linked to the anti-feminist movement in the US, which openly advocates for the end of women’s suffrage.

Outstanding intelligence

From a historical perspective, researcher Cibele Tenório, of the University of Brasília (UnB), points out that the recurrence of such attacks over more than a century is “absurd,” but not surprising given the structural nature of sexism.

“The suffragists of the 20th century put up a real fight and demonstrated outstanding intelligence to secure this right for all of us,” she stated.

A journalist and doctoral candidate in history, Tenório is the biographer of Brazilian suffragist Almerinda Gama (1899–1999). Gama was one of the first black women to be active in Brazilian politics.

Tenório argues that, in the face of attacks that continue to this day, one must remain vigilant against any and all threats, even if they do not materialize into a real proposal to revoke women’s rights. However, gender-based offensives may be part of a strategy to block progress on rights.

“But they can, in some way, cause discomfort or discourage participation, which is dangerous.” She recalls that, in 1890, the Brazilian Constituent Assembly rejected women’s suffrage, claiming that women were unfit for politics.

Resistance

In 2026, in a nation where women account for more than 53 percent of the electorate, attacking the female vote also amounts to a strategy of political intimidation, researchers point out.

According to the country’s Superior Electoral Court, over 83 million Brazilian women will be eligible to vote in 2026. The number of eligible male voters stands at nearly 75 million. In terms of formal education, most women have graduated from high school (29.28 percent, compared to 26.35 percent of men). Among female voters, 13.08 percent have graduated from college (compared to 9.1 percent of men).

Here is a landscape of resistance: Women make up the majority of the Brazilian population (51.5%), yet they have their rights undermined and they are discouraged from entering the labor market or participating in politics. As Professor Hildete Pereira, a researcher in economics and gender studies at the Federal University of Fluminense (UFF), explains, the struggle is not a simple one because, in Brazil, women are encouraged to take on the role of caregivers rather than representatives.

Ethnically, of the women who will vote this year, 51.76 percent are pardo, 10.96 percent are black, and 35.71 percent are white. Further official data show that half of female voters identified as single.

Spaces of violence

The experts note that Brazil’s first republican constitution, promulgated in 1891, explicitly rejected women’s suffrage on the grounds that women were intellectually incapable of public life and should confine themselves to the domestic sphere.

Historically, suffragists have been ridiculed even in the press and in social circles, and often called “man-women.” This was because a married woman was legally defined as dependent on her husband, and an unmarried woman on her father.

Professor and historian Ana Prestes, from the University of Brasília (UnB), adds that ridicule in the press even took the form of cartoons.

“We have many cartoons from that era depicting a man wearing an apron at home and a woman in a suit on the street, intended to ridicule them. This was especially aimed at those men who dared to advocate for women’s suffrage.”

This argument, Professor Fernanda Abreu argues, was used to deny women the ability to vote according to their own interests. “In the realm of individual legal rights, in 1919, Leolinda Daltro [1859–1935] – founder of the Women’s Republican Party and one of the most outspoken leaders of the suffrage movement – had her candidacy for the municipal government of the Federal District rejected.”

In fact, Leolinda Daltro was one of the people most viciously attacked by the Brazilian press of the time, Professor Ana Prestes points out. “[The newspapers] found ways to portray her activities as if she were a troublemaker, a woman who wanted to wreak havoc all around,” she stated.

The researchers point out that the 1932 Electoral Code even included a requirement that a married woman obtain her husband’s permission to vote. The clause was only removed from the final text after intense pressure from suffragists. “Nothing happened without a struggle and strategic intelligence to win allies for this cause,” Cibele Tenório stated.

They believe that resistance to women’s suffrage was not merely a matter of isolated conservatism. It was institutionalized as public policy and legal norms.

The scholars note that a milestone in the history of the women’s suffrage movement in Brazil occurred in 1910 with the founding of the Women’s Republican Party, the first political party of its kind, which in 1917 organized a march of 90 women through downtown Rio de Janeiro to advocate for the cause.

Suffragists established newspapers and schools to discuss the issue. This was also done to counter the sexist rhetoric that permeated the pages of traditional outlets.

Amid this cultural and scientific effervescence of the early decades of the 20th century, women fought for various rights, as explained by political science professor Marlise Matos of the Center for Studies and Research on Women at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).

She points out that women were fighting for two other major causes – greater access to education and the labor market. “But, without a doubt, winning the right to vote was fundamental to becoming full citizens. This was achieved amid a great deal of tension and conflict,” she said.

It is no coincidence that Bertha Lutz (1894–1976) became known as one of the leading figures in this struggle. “She knew how to mobilize people and engage even the most conservative individuals in search of allies,” Cibele Tenório remarked.

In 1922, the Brazilian Federation for Women’s Progress coordinated efforts with state governors, pressured Congress, and organized demonstrations. “It utilized the national and international press and established many connections with the global suffrage movement,” Professor Abreu added.

Laws that paved the way

The researchers interviewed by Agência Brasil believe that the most important milestone is Decree 21,076 of 1932 – the first Brazilian electoral code to guarantee women’s right to go to the polls and to vote in secret. This right was enshrined in the 1934 Constitution. Brazil became the fourth country in the Western world to grant women the right to vote (after Canada, the US, and Ecuador).

Under the 1946 Electoral Code, voting became mandatory for literate women. This new milestone marked its 80th anniversary in May. The Constitution, promulgated on September 18 of that same year, confirmed the rule. The most recent Constitution, that of 1988, eliminated the literacy requirement.

According to UFMG Professor Marlise Matos, the Brazilian government must reaffirm its commitment to the political rights of Brazilian women and strengthen informational and public awareness campaigns regarding participation in elections.

Ana Prestes, from UnB, points out that one path to resistance is strengthening formal education. “One thing I’ve observed in my research is that many suffragists were teachers or worked in educational programs.”

“They were people who championed education and creativity as well,” she added. She recalls that Bertha Lutz even arranged for a plane to fly over Rio de Janeiro dropping leaflets. “They were bold, persistent, and skilled organizers,” she said.

That is why it is necessary to end the erasure and invisibility of women who fought for great causes, such as women’s suffrage, education, and labor rights, argues Professor Hildete Pereira, a researcher at UFF.

In her view, financial dependence acts as a social barrier that perpetuates subordination even today. Furthermore, the labor market itself guarantees higher wages for men due to structural sexism. Historically, she points out, public policies should reinforce women’s role in society, such as their participation in politics.

“These women from the late 19th and early 20th centuries teach us, so long afterward, that we must participate and not give up,” Professor Pereira declared.

The indicator measuring the proportion of households with debt - whether delinquent or not - reached 82 percent in July, marking the highest level ever recorded for the sixth consecutive month. In June, the index stood at 81.6 percent, while in July of last year, it was 78.5 percent.

However, the share of households with overdue debts - known as delinquency - fell to 29.8 percent in July. In the previous month, it stood at 29.9 percent, while a year earlier it was 30 percent.

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The average delay in debt repayment stood at 64.6 days in July, continuing a downward trend since April, when it was 65.1 days.

The data come from the Consumer Indebtedness and Delinquency Survey (PEIC), released on Thursday (Aug. 6) by the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services, and Tourism (CNC).

The survey covers 18,000 households nationwide. It takes into account credit card debt, overdrafts, store credit, payroll loans (with installments deducted directly from wages), personal loans, postdated checks, and car and mortgage payments.

Household budgets under strain

The survey shows that, on average, 29.5 percent of households’ budgets are committed to debt payments. The average debt repayment period stood at 7.2 months, compared with 7.1 months a year earlier.

The CNC emphasizes that debt is not necessarily a negative financial behavior, since it allows households to channel resources toward consumption, thereby stimulating the economy as a whole.

However, the institution warns that debt levels become a cause for concern when households begin to face difficulties in meeting their payment obligations.

The survey reveals that credit cards are the main source of household debt, accounting for more than 85 percent of indebted households.

Income brackets

CNC figures show that debt is more prevalent among lower-income households: 84.9 percent of those earning up to three minimum wages report outstanding debt.

In contrast, among households with incomes above ten minimum wages, the share drops to 72 percent.

Regarding the delinquency rate, it stands at 38.5 percent among the poorest households and 15.1 percent among the wealthiest.

Selic rate cut

The debt survey was released the day after Copom, the Central Bank of Brazil’s Monetary Policy Committee, announced a cut in the Selic rate - the economy’s benchmark interest rate - from 14.25 percent to 14 percent per year.

Interest rates are being kept at a high level as a means of combating inflation, since higher interest rates make credit more expensive and, consequently, discourage consumption.

For CNC Chief Economist Fabio Bentes, the reduction in the Selic rate is an important step toward improving credit conditions, although its impact will take time to materialize.

“The decision to lower the benchmark interest rate is likely to help reduce the cost of new credit operations and facilitate debt renegotiations under more favorable terms,” he noted.

Bentes pointed out that the “high burden on household income” suggests that the recovery of households’ consumption capacity will be gradual.

Brazilian households lost over USD 12 billion to gambling last year. This amount represents the net figure – the difference between the money wagered and the money returned as winnings. It stands at an average of USD 920 million per month, covering October 2024 through March 2026.

The losses total 0.68 percent of the country’s gross national disposable household income and include transfers made via Pix to betting companies. During the same period, bets generated nearly USD 68 billion in transactions via the instant payment method.

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The data can be found in a report released this Thursday (Aug. 6) by the National Committee of Finance Secretaries (Comsefaz) and were based on Central Bank statistics.

The study shows that, since the regulation of sports betting in January last year, there has been a shift in the volume of Pix transfers directed toward the arts, culture, sports, and recreation sector – indicating that a larger portion of household income is being spent on betting.

The law regulating sports betting requires companies to block access for users identified as compulsive gamblers. According to attorney Júlio Leone, however, this has not been happening.

“When it is detected that a person has a gambling addiction […], the algorithm should freeze their account. But it does the opposite – it sends more bonuses, more vouchers, and more incentives to encourage them to keep betting. That’s when they lose all their money.”

Since October last year, when the ban on gambling for recipients of the Bolsa Família welfare program went into effect, there has been a slowdown in the pace of transactions, the figures show.

The results indicate that the measure had concrete effects on the aggregate volume of transactions, suggesting that lower-income families had a significant presence in the betting market.

Brazil has now stricter regulations to combat crimes of sexual violence against children and adolescents, including in digital environments and through the use of artificial intelligence.

A new law takes effect this Friday (Aug. 7), amending Brazil’s Statute of the Child and Adolescent – known as ECA – as well as a number of related criminal codes and acts, in order to impose harsher criminal penalties on the perpetrators of these offenses.

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Among the key changes, the legislation expands the scope for investigating sex crimes committed online. It authorizes law enforcement agencies to conduct online patrols to identify and collect files made available in public digital environments.

This activity does not require prior judicial authorization. The law also strengthens the role of undercover police officers online in investigating crimes.

Artificial intelligence

The new law explicitly addresses the use of AI in crimes related to child sexual violence. It increases penalties for perpetrators who use tools such as deepfakes, filters, or other means capable of altering images and voices to impersonate children or adolescents and groom victims.

In addition, there will be increased penalties for criminals who employ digital anonymization mechanisms – such as concealing or falsifying IP addresses and other identifiers – with the aim of hindering identification by authorities.

Regarding illegal material, the law broadens the definition of content depicting sexual violence against children and adolescents to include real or fictional depictions produced, manipulated, or generated by AI when they have sexual connotations.

Care for victims

The new law guarantees children and adolescents who are victims or witnesses of sexual violence the right to specialized, ongoing, and comprehensive psychological and psychosocial care. This support must take into account the emotional impacts resulting from the constant circulation of images and videos on the internet, including on international platforms.

The law also stipulates that victims must be provided care at health facilities within the country’s national health care system, the SUS, in an environment that ensures privacy and protection against access by unauthorized persons – especially the perpetrator.

In addition, the perpetrator will be required to fully reimburse the costs of the victim’s treatment, including services provided by the SUS.

Heinous crimes and preventive detention

The law also expands the list of crimes considered heinous, including various acts related to the production, dissemination, possession, and solicitation involving sexual violence against children and adolescents.

It also includes the possibility of preventive detention for crimes against sexual dignity committed against minors and for offenses under the ECA related to the sexual exploitation of children.

Furthermore, the legislation also imposes harsher penalties on members of criminal organizations involved in crimes against children and adolescents and strengthens measures for the forfeiture of assets and proceeds obtained through criminal activity.

With exports of USD 34.1 billion and imports of USD 27.1 billion, Brazil recorded a trade surplus of just over USD 7 billion in July. The data were released on Thursday (Aug. 6) by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services.

Trade flow (the sum of exports and imports) totaled USD 61.17 billion during the period, representing a 6.8 percent increase compared with July 2025. Both exports (up 6.2 percent) and imports (up 7.6 percent) rose compared with the same period last year.

Key exported and imported products

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According to the ministry, agricultural exports increased by 9.3 percent, driven mainly by soybean exports, which were up by approximately USD 870 million. In the extractive industry, crude oil exports rose by USD 960 million, while in the manufacturing sector, fuel oil exports also increased by USD 960 million. In the case of fuels, export growth exceeded 63 percent.

July’s imports were driven mainly by higher purchases of petroleum fuel oils (up USD 500 million), automatic data-processing machines and their units (up USD 320 million), medicines and pharmaceutical products, excluding veterinary products (up USD 320 million), thermionic, cold-cathode, or photocathode valves and tubes, diodes and transistors (up USD 290 million), and ethylene polymers in primary forms (up USD 150 million).

Trading partners

According to July’s trade balance results, China remains Brazil’s main trading partner, accounting for nearly one-third of Brazilian exports last month, with shipments totaling more than USD 10.7 billion - an 8.6 percent increase compared with July 2025.

The United States ranked second, accounting for 10.7 percent of Brazilian exports in July, down 5 percent from the same month in 2025. The decline does not yet reflect the effects of the US government’s new tariff hike, which took effect on July 22 and is expected to affect August sales, with data to be released in early September.

Brazil’s exports to Argentina also fell last month, declining by nearly USD 230 million, or 13.9 percent compared with July of last year. Although not directly related, this development comes at a time of renewed tensions between the governments of the two neighboring countries following successive attacks by Argentine President Javier Milei against Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The dispute led Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to downgrade diplomatic relations with Buenos Aires.

Year-to-date

From January through July, Brazil’s trade balance recorded a surplus of USD 49 billion, with both imports and exports increasing compared with the same period last year.

Year-to-date figures (January–July 2026):

Exports: USD 218.6 billion (+10.5%)
Imports: USD 169.5 billion (+5.5%)
Total trade: USD 388.1 billion (+8.2%)
Trade balance: USD 49 billion surplus

Petrobras reported net income of BRL 52.4 billion (USD 10.4 billion) in the second quarter of 2026, up 97 percent from the same period in 2025. This is one of the highest quarterly results on record.

According to the company, the results were driven by record oil production of 2.7 million barrels per day, a refinery utilization rate of 101 percent, and export growth to nearly one million barrels per day.

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The high refinery utilization rate resulted in daily production of 509,000 barrels of S-10 diesel and 109,000 barrels of jet fuel.

Total refined product output reached 1.9 million barrels per day, representing a 5.6 percent increase from the first quarter of 2026.

As refined product production increased, imports fell by 40 percent from the previous quarter.

“The operational records we achieved in this second quarter led to one of the strongest quarterly financial results in Petrobras’ history,” said Fernando Melgarejo, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Investor Relations.

Investments

Petrobras invested BRL 26.7 billion (USD 5.3 billion) in the second quarter of 2026. Of this amount, 82 percent was allocated to the exploration and production segment.

Notable investments this quarter included the construction of the P-80, P-82, and P-83 platforms, which are scheduled to begin operations in 2027.

The fourth consecutive cut in the Selic rate, decided on Wednesday (Aug. 5) by the Monetary Policy Committee (Copom) of Brazil’s Central Bank, was well received by economic agents but is still considered insufficient to support industrial sector growth.

In a statement, the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan) emphasized that the ongoing cycle of Selic rate cuts represents a positive sign for economic activity, but that the still-high level of the rate keeps credit expensive and delays investment.

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“The high cost of capital delays investment, hinders production modernization, and limits Brazilian companies’ ability to improve productivity and compete in domestic and foreign markets. This situation is reflected in the performance of the manufacturing sector, which grew by only 0.4 percent in the first half of the year, according to Brazil’s statistics bureau, the IBGE.”

Along the same lines, the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) noted that interest rates have remained restrictive for 55 months and that the Selic rate is 3.6 percentage points above the level indicated by the Taylor Rule, which estimates an appropriate rate at 10.4 percent. The rule is used to calculate an interest rate that helps control inflation without holding back economic growth.

“The real interest rate, at approximately 10 percent, is well above the equilibrium rate estimated by the Central Bank itself at 5 percent, indicating that there is room for more significant Selic rate cuts without compromising the fight against inflation.”

Among labor organizations, Força Sindical said the 0.25 percentage point cut in the Selic rate was insufficient. According to the labor federation, high interest rates make credit more expensive, curb investment, discourage consumption, and hinder job creation.

“We missed an excellent opportunity to promote a sharp reduction in interest rates, boost confidence in the productive sector, and further stimulate the economy.”

Outlook

Camilo Cavalcanti, a portfolio manager at Oby Capital, assessed that the Monetary Policy Committee maintained its message that the full extent of the interest rate cut cycle will be determined by incoming data, without any prior commitment, and reinforced the asymmetric balance of upward risks.

“At the end of the statement, Copom explicitly cited the de-anchoring of inflation expectations and the elevated risks surrounding the baseline scenario as reasons for ‘calm and caution’ in the conduct of monetary policy. Given the contrast between a more favorable current scenario and forward-looking communication that remains cautious, we assess that Copom is still leaving open the possibility of continuing the cycle of interest rate cuts at its next meeting.”

Copom

The Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee reduced the Selic rate - the Brazilian economy’s benchmark interest rate - by 0.25 percentage points, bringing it down from 14.25 percent to 14 percent per year.

This marks the fourth consecutive interest rate cut by the committee. The decision was made at a meeting held at the bank’s headquarters in Brasília.

According to the institution, the new gradual 0.25 percentage point reduction is consistent with the strategy of bringing inflation toward the center of the target range over the coming months.

Regarding the external environment, the Central Bank once again pointed to uncertainty surrounding armed conflicts in the Middle East and the monetary policies of some advanced economies.

The Brazilian government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in the fight against organized crime. The agreement allocates up to USD 978 million in funding for technical and financial support for Brazil’s program against organized crime.

The investment will be directed toward improving homicide investigations, strengthening prison security, combating the financial networks of criminal organizations, and tackling the trafficking of weapons.

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The announcement was made on Wednesday (Aug. 5) during the 3rd Regional Summit of the Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development, held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in Brasília.

During the meeting, it was reported that the demand from Latin American and Caribbean countries for public security funding surprised the IDB, leading it to increase the volume of financing allocated to projects combating violence and organized crime from USD 2.5 billion to USD 4 billion from 2026 to 2028.

According to IDB President Ilan Goldfajn, nearly 60 percent of the initiative’s three-year targets have been achieved in just one year. He attributed the increase in funding to strong demand from countries in the region, where public safety has become one of the governments’ top concerns.

Goldfajn noted that, although Latin America is home to about eight percent of the world’s population, it accounts for approximately 33 percent of the homicides recorded globally.

Defunding crime

Brazilian Minister of Justice Wellington César Lima e Silva advocated for expanded international cooperation and data exchange to combat transnational criminal organizations.

In his view, the fight against crime cannot be limited to the final manifestations of violence; efforts must also focus on dismantling the financial networks of criminal factions.

He noted that criminal structures have adapted to globalization, have begun to operate as networks, and use international financial systems to move funds quickly.

Interpol

The summit also marked Interpol’s entry into the Rapid Response Task Force Against Violence and Organized Crime, created to provide specialized technical assistance to countries facing crises or emergency threats.

Interpol Secretary-General Valdecy Urquiza stated that security, justice, and development must be addressed in an integrated manner and that the new partnership will expand the response capacity of countries in the region.

Alliance

Created to promote coordinated responses to security challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development brings together 23 member countries and 14 strategic partners.

The initiative seeks to boost investments and support policies designed to prevent violence, strengthen institutions, modernize justice systems, and combat illicit markets.

During the summit, Brazil assumed the group’s rotating presidency for the next 12 months.

The Monetary Policy Committee (Copom) of the Central Bank of Brazil on Wednesday (Aug. 5) cut the Selic rate - the Brazilian economy’s benchmark interest rate - by 0.25 percentage points, from 14.25 percent to 14 percent per year. The decision marks Copom’s fourth consecutive interest rate cut.

The Central Bank uses the Selic rate as a monetary policy tool to slow economic activity and help control inflation.

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According to the institution, the latest gradual reduction of 0.25 percentage points is consistent with its strategy of bringing inflation back toward the midpoint of the target range.

The inflation target set by the National Monetary Council (CMN) for the period beginning in January 2025 is 3 percent, with a tolerance band of plus or minus 1.5 percentage points - that is, from 1.5 to 4.5 percent.

“Without compromising its primary objective of ensuring price stability, this decision also helps smooth fluctuations in economic activity and foster full employment,” the bank said in a statement.

Regarding the external environment, the Central Bank once again pointed to uncertainty surrounding armed conflicts in the Middle East and the monetary policies of some advanced economies.

“This scenario calls for caution on the part of emerging economies in an environment marked by rising volatility in asset and commodity prices,” the institution noted.

Regarding the domestic outlook, the bank emphasized that the set of indicators released since the previous meeting suggests “a gradual moderation in economic activity, although it remains resilient, with mixed signals across sectors and a tight labor market.”

From June 2025 to March this year, the Selic rate remained at 15 percent per year, reaching its highest level in nearly 20 years.

The Monetary Policy Committee began cutting interest rates in March amid falling inflation. However, the war in the Middle East, which has pushed up fuel and food prices, is making further rate cuts more difficult.

As a low-pressure system moves over northern Argentina and Paraguay beginning this Thursday (Aug. 6), it may develop into an extratropical cyclone with explosive intensification, known as a bomb cyclone.

This is also expected to occur as the system moves through the region between Uruguay and the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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According to Micael Cecchini, an astronomer at the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics, and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of São Paulo (USP), a low-pressure system forms when a mass of very cold air approaches a mass of warm air, and the temperature difference causes a rapid drop in atmospheric pressure between them.

In practice, this causes a cyclone. To be classified as a bomb cyclone, or explosive cyclogenesis-the scientific term for the phenomenon-the system must exhibit a drop in atmospheric pressure of at least 24 hPa (millibars) over a 24-hour period.

“Millibars are the unit of measurement used for atmospheric pressure,” explains Professor Cecchini, who receives support from the Serrapilheira Institute.

Because atmospheric pressure is lower and the temperature difference between the air masses is more pronounced when a bomb cyclone forms, storms develop along the boundary between them.

“The cold air mass pushes beneath the warm air mass because it is denser, causing the warm air to rise. This upward movement forms clouds and storms. If the temperature difference is large, this updraft will be more intense,” he explained.

Intensity

The result is more intense storms, with lightning and the possibility of hail. According to the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), if the forecast holds true, this is expected to occur from Thursday (6) through Saturday (8).

Satellite images indicate that the strongest winds will occur mainly over the Atlantic Ocean, where speeds may exceed 100 kilometers per hour.

Along the coasts of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, wind gusts exceeding 60 km/h are forecast.

As the cyclone moves southeast toward the Atlantic Ocean and away from the coast, an associated cold front is likely to advance across Argentina and southern Brazil.

The Brazilian government has chosen to downgrade the level of bilateral relations with Argentina following President Javier Milei’s repeated attacks against Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Supreme Court.

The Ministry of Foreign Relations has decided that Brazil’s ambassador to Buenos Aires, Julio Bitelli, should not return to Argentina as long as Milei’s attacks continue. The insults were deemed an unacceptable breach of respect in bilateral relations.

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Brazil will now be represented in the neighboring country by a chargé d’affaires, a lower-ranking position that reflects this diplomatic downgrade.

On July 26, Brazilian Ambassador Bitelli was recalled to Brasília after Milei insulted President Lula at a convention of the Liberal Party (PL), which nominated Senator Flávio Bolsonaro to run for president.

On that occasion, Milei called Lula a “convict” and attacked Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the presiding judge in the trial that sentenced Flávio’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup d’état.

“There is no precedent for a foreign president who, while on Brazilian soil, hurls insults and offenses at the head of state, democratic institutions – including the judiciary – and the Brazilian people,” the Foreign Ministry countered in a statement.

In the days following the PL convention, Milei’s attacks against Lula continued with insults such as “thief” and “socialist scum.” Milei also continued to insult the Supreme Court in public appearances.

These repeated attacks have prompted Brazil to decide not to send Ambassador Julio Bitelli back to Argentina. The decision is expected to remain in effect as long as the insults continue.

Argentina

In a statement posted on social media, the Argentine government lamented the Brazilian government’s “unilateral” decision, arguing that it was based on “purely ideological” considerations.

“We have never responded to a political disagreement with an institutional measure. This is the principle that Argentina upholds today,” said the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Brazilian government has argued that it maintains diplomatic relations with governments of all ideological persuasions, and that the insults were the reason for downgrading diplomatic relations.

Repercussions

The Brazilian decision made headlines in the neighboring country’s newspapers. Clarín, one of Argentina’s most established newspapers, described the decision as a “harsh diplomatic sanction.”

The newspaper Infobae reported that relations between the two countries are in an “unprecedented crisis,” noting that the measure is causing concern among Argentina’s business community.

Brazil is Argentina’s main trading partner, accounting for 12.6 percent of the country’s goods exports — ahead of China at 9.9 percent and the US at 9.8 percent – for January through June of this year, as per data from Argentina’s National Institute of Statistics and Censuses.

In 2025, Argentina ranked as the third-largest destination for Brazilian exports, accounting for USD 18.1 billion in goods sold, which represents 5.2 percent of Brazil’s total exports. The data comes from Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry, and Trade.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva described the revocation of the visa of the Brazilian ambassador to the US, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti – reported on Tuesday (Aug. 4) by the Trump administration – as an irresponsible and ill-advised move.

The US justified the measure by citing Brazil’s delay in responding to the request for diplomatic approval of the Trump administration’s nominee to head the US Embassy in Brazil.

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The Brazilian government refuted the allegations, stating that they were false.

“[Trump] then took the step of revoking our ambassador’s visa. If she leaves [the US] and comes here, she’ll have to apply for a visa again. An irresponsible, ill-advised move for a country with 203 years of diplomatic history and relations. Uncalled for,” President Lula said.

The statement was made during an interview with news outlets on Wednesday (5).

“The US doesn’t take its ambassador to Brazil seriously. [Trump] has been in office for a year and a half and hasn’t sent one here. Then he tried to send one and thinks we’re obligated to set the date they want. That’s not right; it’s not possible. We’d like to be treated with respect,” he added.

Elections

Amid a series of diplomatic incidents, President Lula’s press office issued a statement on Tuesday noting that the denial of visas to two US government officials was justified because their presence in the country was intended to cast doubt on the Brazilian electoral system.

In his remarks, Lula reiterated that he will not accept any attempt at foreign interference in the October elections.

“Brazil is not only prepared but will stand up to anyone from outside the country who seeks to interfere in our electoral process.”

Pregnancy during childhood or adolescence interrupted the education of six out of ten (61%) young women interviewed in a study entitled Marcas do Tempo: Gravidez na Infância ou Adolescência e seus Impactos na Vida de Mulheres no Brasil (“Traces of Time: Pregnancy in Childhood or Adolescence and Its Impacts on the Lives of Women in Brazil”), conducted by the NGO Plan Brasil.

The study surveyed over 1,500 women aged 19 to 29 from all regions of Brazil and compared two groups – those who became pregnant during childhood or adolescence and those who did not. In the case of interrupted education, the percentage drops to 33 percent among the second group.

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Pregnancy during childhood or adolescence is a turning point that exacerbates inequalities that already existed even before the pregnancy, Plan Brasil CEO Cynthia Betti noted.

“The data show that these girls face barriers that compound one another, be it in education, health, the labor market, or the exercise of their most basic rights,” she said.

Eight out of ten respondents (83%) also reported having left a job or missed a career opportunity because they needed to care for their children.

According to the survey results, even when starting from similar backgrounds, young women who became pregnant during childhood or adolescence face greater disadvantages throughout their lives.

In the study, 73 percent reported having been discriminated against because of their pregnancy, whether within their family, at school, or in health care settings.

This prejudice appears repeatedly in the responses, with descriptions of judgmental attitudes regarding these young women’s intellectual, moral, and professional capabilities.

Teenage marriage

The study also shows that 59 percent of young women who became pregnant before age 19 went on to marry or enter a domestic partnership shortly after their first pregnancy.

The study further identifies a 19-percentage-point increase in the likelihood of marriage before age 16 among these young women.

The data also show that, among young women who became pregnant before age 14, half (50%) did not have access to legal abortion services, even though Brazilian law classifies pregnancy in this age group as statutory rape.

In Betti’s view, these young women did not just lose a job or a year of schooling; they lost the chance to choose their own paths at the very moment they most needed that autonomy.

“Reversing this situation requires the implementation, monitoring, and funding of integrated public policies focused on prevention – not isolated responses. Listening to these stories is what allows us to transform statistics into a public commitment,” she argued.

Recommendations

The study lists recommendations ranging from ensuring rights-based sex education and unhindered access to contraceptive methods to access to daycare centers with hours compatible with study and work schedules.

The study also highlights the importance of combating obstetric violence and contraceptive coercion, as well as first-job policies aimed at young mothers.

The Brazilian government condemned the revocation of the visa of its ambassador to the United States, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, announced on Tuesday (Aug. 4). The US government justified the measure by citing Brazil’s delay in granting agrément to the Trump administration’s nominee to head the US Embassy in Brazil.

Brazil refuted the allegations, stating they were false.

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“The Brazilian government condemns the decision announced today by the US State Department to change the visa status of Brazil’s ambassador in Washington. Both justifications are false.”

In a statement released by the government’s Communications Secretariat, Brazil asserted that the US violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by disclosing the name of its nominee to head the US Embassy in Brazil. According to the government, the nominee’s name could only be made public after the host country had granted agrément.

The US request, the statement adds, is still under review, and “the Vienna Convention does not stipulate a deadline for granting agrément.”

“Hostile measures”

The Brazilian government also cited the denial of entry to two US government officials, saying the measure was justified because the purpose of their visit was to cast doubt on Brazil’s electoral system.

“It is also obvious that there is an unwarranted interest in interfering in the upcoming presidential election.”

The statement asserts that the revocation of the ambassador’s visa is part of a “deliberate escalation of hostile measures” against Brazil.

“This decision is not an isolated incident. It is part of a deliberate escalation of hostile measures against Brazil, motivated by ideological considerations incompatible with a bilateral partnership that has always been guided by mutual respect.”

The Planalto presidential palace noted that Brazilian officials, including government officials and justices of the Supreme Court, remain subject to sanctions under the Magnitsky Act, imposed by the US government in retaliation for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s conviction for attempting a coup d’état. It also emphasized that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been working to foster understanding between the two countries.

“The Brazilian government has spared no effort to resolve these differences. During his visit to Washington last May, President Lula himself asked President Trump, among other things, to lift the individual sanctions.”

On Tuesday (Aug. 4), the Federal District Civil Police launched Operation Interrupted Network against a group under investigation for discussing plans to carry out violent attacks during the 2026 election period.

According to the police, the suspects shared manuals on how to manufacture explosives. Messages analyzed during the investigation revealed repeated references to Brasília as the destination for a planned mobilization during the election period.

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The investigation also identified the sharing of manuals for manufacturing explosive devices.

In addition, the group discussed building break-ins, target selection, tactical training, interstate recruitment, map analysis, and the sharing of architectural floor plans and three-dimensional models of buildings in the central area of the country’s capital.

The operation targeted eight suspects, aged 19 to 31, in the states of Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo, Pernambuco, and Rio Grande do Sul.

With the support of investigators from these states, the probe aims to clarify the group’s level of organization and the stage of development of the planned actions.

Precautionary measures were adopted to preserve digital and physical evidence, seize electronic devices, identify possible unknown connections, and gather additional evidence to advance the investigation.

The investigation is examining possible offenses, in theory, including criminal association, incitement to commit a crime, glorification of a crime or criminal, and offenses provided for under anti-racism legislation.

The police reported that the facts have not yet been classified under the Anti-Terrorism Law, but that the investigation is continuing to identify the perpetrators, establish the material elements, and determine the circumstances of possible criminal offenses.

Elections

The first round of the Brazilian elections will take place on October 3. Voters will elect the president, governors of the states and the Federal District, senators, and federal, state, and district representatives.

Brazil’s public health system (SUS) has increased its monthly capacity from 600 to 100,000 telehealth consultations for people facing problems related to online gaming and betting. The initiative took effect this Tuesday (Aug. 4).

The service was launched in March and handled an average of 600 calls per month. According to the Ministry of Health, the expansion was necessary due to high demand.

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The service is available through the Meu SUS Digital app and is provided in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and the Brazilian Agency for Support to SUS Management (AgSUS).

The service offers remote, confidential, and supportive care, providing professional guidance and follow-up while connecting users to the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS).

Data from the Ministry of Health indicate that more than 1 million people have requested the self-exclusion of their Brazilian tax ID numbers (CPF)-required to access gambling websites and apps-through the Centralized Self-Exclusion Platform, a tool operated by the Brazil Health Observatory on Electronic Gambling.

The figures also show that 35 percent of people initiated self-exclusion due to a loss of control over their gambling behavior.

Among the warning signs listed by the ministry are:

• changes in sleep, eating habits, or mood;
• lying to family and friends about gambling;
• feelings of shame and guilt related to gambling;
• anxiety, irritability, and restlessness when not gambling;
• using gambling as a way to cope with stress or frustration;
• difficulty cutting back on or stopping gambling;
• strained personal and professional relationships;
• increased use of alcohol and other drugs; and
• financial problems affecting personal or family finances due to gambling expenses.

The risk factors listed by the ministry include:

• early exposure to gambling;
• easy access to online gambling;
• seeking emotional relief or an escape from problems;
• a history of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety;
• impulsivity and the pursuit of immediate rewards;
• social and cultural influences that romanticize gambling;
• loneliness and social isolation; and
• social vulnerability.

Petrobras announced on Monday (Aug. 3) the discovery of a natural gas well in a high-potential deepwater area off the coast of Colombia. The deposit is located in the Sandia-1 exploration well, in Block GUA-OFF-0, in the Guajira basin. Sandia-1 is located 42 kilometers offshore, at a water depth of 1,251 meters.

The company had already discovered high-potential reservoirs near the new location. Sandia-1 is 18 km from the Sirius-1 well and 9 km from the Copoazu-1 well.

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Drilling of the well began on June 12 and reached final depth last Wednesday (29).

The consortium

Petrobras is engaged in oil and gas exploration and production in Colombia through its subsidiary Petrobras International Braspetro B.V. – Colombia branch (PIB-COL).

Exploration in the Guajira basin is conducted in a consortium with the Colombian state-owned company Ecopetrol. The Colombians hold a 55.56 percent stake in the consortium, and the Brazilians 44.44 percent. Even though it holds a minority stake, Petrobras is the operator of exploration activities in the block.

According to the company, the discovery “reinforces the gas potential in Colombia’s offshore area, adding volumes that will contribute to the region’s energy security.”

The Brazilian state-owned company also noted that its operations off the Colombian coast are in line with its long-term strategy, which aims to replenish oil and gas reserves through exploration in new frontier areas and partnerships with other companies, “helping to meet global energy demand during the energy transition.”

Petrobras around the world

In addition to Colombia, Petrobras is involved in oil production in other countries.

In Africa, the state-owned oil giant operates in Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Africa. In the Americas, the company has a presence in Bolivia, Argentina, and the US.

Brazil is among the 29 nations that signed the founding document of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (Waico), announced in July of this year, with its headquarters in Shanghai, China. The initiative aims to develop global AI governance through open-source models, which allow any company or organization to adapt the technology.

The China-led initiative contrasts with the United States’ plan for the future of AI, known as Pax Silica, which brings together “trusted allies” of the White House to control supply chains for semiconductors, critical minerals, and energy.

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Artificial intelligence experts consulted by Agência Brasil point out that Waico represents an opportunity for Brazil to develop its own digital sovereignty. However, to achieve this, Brazil should “do its homework,” as explained by sociologist Sérgio Amadeu da Silveira, a professor at the Federal University of ABC (UFABC), in São Paulo.

The sociologist maintains that Brazil is a sufficiently large country, with university research centers unlike those found in most other nations – which places the country in a privileged position for AI development.

“Brazil can find a path to development that is more autonomous and more independent. Without a doubt, Brazil should strengthen its alliance with China, but we have to develop our own strategy,” he said.

Professor Amadeu added that, if Brazil does not develop its critical AI infrastructure – while also maintaining sovereignty over the data produced in the country – it will not be possible to benefit from cooperation with China to absorb that knowledge.

As an example, the professor said that if he were to receive BRL 10 million to develop AI projects at the university, he would have to spend BRL 5 million just on cloud storage contracts provided by big tech companies like Amazon, or even by the Chinese company Huawei.

“I don’t have the infrastructure available here that would allow researchers, universities, and the government itself to spend resources building expertise and infrastructure in our country for data processing and storage, which would give us significant computing power – instead of propping up foreign big tech companies,” he pointed out.

Ettore Arpini, an expert in AI governance and founder of Plures – an organization that supports the training of professionals in AI – emphasized that Brazil is well-positioned to be a key player in the geopolitics of AI because of its ability to navigate between Chinese and Western initiatives.

“The most important thing is for Brazil not to view AI as a sector-specific issue. An AI policy alone is not enough, just as simply regulating this market is not enough. We must understand it as a geopolitical and economic advantage, and also as a potential driver of prosperity for our people – an opportunity that rarely arises in a country’s history,” he concluded saying.

Brazil in the geopolitics of AI

The Brazilian government has maintained that the country cannot become dependent on any single model – whether Chinese or Western – arguing that it has engaged in dialogue with all initiatives that could help Brazil achieve digital sovereignty.

In multilateral forums, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has argued that AI cannot “become the privilege of a few countries or a tool for manipulation in the hands of billionaires.” According to the president, “we need intergovernmental governance of AI, in which all governments have a seat at the table.”

Experts have emphasized that AI is a technology that will permeate all sectors of economic life, just as electricity and the internet did.

Present at the launch of Waico in Shanghai, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres stated that AI could be “humanity’s greatest opportunity in the 21st century,” but it “could also become one of its greatest risks.”

“The technology that will shape humanity’s future must be shaped by all of humanity. It cannot be governed by a handful of countries or a handful of companies. All nations need a seat at the table,” said the UN chief.

Pax Silica

The vision of an AI governed by all countries runs counter to the US vision for the future of technology, which Washington views as one of the pillars of the global power structure. For this reason, the White House is attempting, through Pax Silica, to control the supply chains for critical minerals, data, and energy that enable AI to function.

The Trump administration’s view on the matter was outlined in an article published by US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.

He criticized the concept of “digital sovereignty” advocated by the UN and several countries, including Brazil.

“[The UN] presses toward a world in which every country commands what the Secretary-General’s own reports call an ‘irreducible minimum’ of artificial intelligence—its own computers, its own data, its own models, raised at home and owned at home,” he wrote.

Helberg adds that the idea is appealing but counterproductive. In his view, other countries and governments will reap greater benefits if they take advantage of the infrastructure already built by tech giants.

“[If they follow the path laid out by the UN, countries]  will have achieved not so-called “digital sovereignty” but a kind of synchronized mediocrity—a planet of subscale clones, each heroically reconstructing last year’s breakthrough while the breakthrough itself moves on without them. While others rebuild the present, American firms will be inventing the future,” the US under secretary of state argued.

Brazil recorded the fourth-fastest growth in international tourist arrivals from 2019 to 2025, according to the report Tourism Trends and Policies 2026 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). During this period, the number of foreign visitors increased by 46 percent, rising from 6.3 million to 9.3 million arrivals.

The survey compares countries’ performance in 2019-before the COVID-19 pandemic-with results recorded in 2025, illustrating the pace of recovery and growth in international tourism.

Brazil among top tourism performers

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With a 46 percent increase in foreign visitors, Brazil ranked among the top-performing countries during the period analyzed.

This performance placed Brazil ahead of major international tourism destinations, such as:

• Japan: 34% growth;
• Portugal: 20%;
• Spain: 16%;
• France: 12%.

In South America, Brazil also stood out. While tourist arrivals increased in the country, other nations in the region recorded declines during the period:

• Argentina: -23%;
• Peru: -22%.

Global recovery

The OECD report highlights that international tourism continues its recovery following the pandemic, driven by increased demand for travel, the restoration of connectivity between countries, and expanded investment in the sector.

According to the organization, tourism continues to play an important role in boosting economies, creating jobs, and promoting regional development across the countries analyzed.

Trend

Brazil’s international tourism authority Embratur noted that results from the first half of 2026 confirm the trend identified in the OECD report.

In the first six months of this year, Brazil welcomed 5.2 million international tourists, the second-highest number recorded for a first half of the year. Visitors contributed USD 5.6 billion to the Brazilian economy, a figure 12 percent higher than that recorded in the same period of 2025.

Embratur pointed out that this growth also reflects expanded efforts to promote Brazil abroad.

Among these initiatives are:

• participation in international trade shows;
• organization of press trips;
• organization of familiarization trips for tour operators and travel agents (famtours);
• promotional campaigns in strategic markets.