Key Points —President Javier Milei’s approval rating fell to 35.5% in April from 44% in January, while disapproval climbed from 51.6% to 63%, according to AtlasIntel polling for Bloomberg. —Argentine sovereign dollar bonds maturing October 2028 — twelve months after the next presidential election — yield 8.3%, a 360 basis-point premium over comparable bonds maturing […]

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Key Points —São Paulo water utility Sabesp has hired Bradesco to prepare a potential bid for Copasa, the state-owned sanitation company of Minas Gerais, in a move that signals serious commitment to a cross-state acquisition. —Aegea Saneamento — backed by Itaúsa and Singapore’s GIC — is also evaluating a competing offer, setting up a head-to-head […]

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Key Points —Vale is leading a consortium with Brazilian steelmaker Gerdau to bid for Porto Sudeste, the iron ore export terminal in Itaguaí controlled by Trafigura and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, in a deal valued near US$5 billion. —The package includes both Porto Sudeste in Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, and the Mineração Morro do Ipê […]

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Key Points —Kora Saúde, controlled by US private-equity fund HIG Capital, filed Wednesday night for an out-of-court restructuring covering roughly R$1.3 billion of financial debt at the holding level. —Total net debt closed 2025 at R$2.5 billion, with the gross-debt-to-EBITDA ratio at roughly 8x — pushed up by interest costs after a debt-funded pandemic-era hospital […]

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Key Points —Brazil’s nominal fiscal deficit reached R$199.6 billion in March 2026, the worst monthly figure since the COVID pandemic and far above the R$148 billion median Bloomberg forecast. —The consolidated public-sector primary deficit hit R$80.7 billion versus a R$3.6 billion surplus in March 2025, and the central government posted R$73.78 billion — the worst […]

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Key Points —Former president Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to DF Star hospital in Brasília on Friday morning for a three-hour rotator cuff repair on his right shoulder, after Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes authorized the procedure on Thursday. —The 71-year-old has been serving 27 years and three months for an attempted coup since November […]

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The Rio Times — Europe Pulse Covering: UK · Burnham · Rayner · Streeting · Lord Hayward 1,850 Seats · McSweeney · May 7 Vote · Germany · AfD 26% Tops CDU · Merz “Going Awry” · State Elections · France · Bardella · July 7 Court of Appeal · 2027 Succession · Italy · […]

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The Rio Times — Asia Pulse Covering: Iran Fresh Proposal · Pakistani Mediators · S&P 500 Record · Brent Drops · Japan FX Intervention · USDJPY 160.72 · Mimura · Katayama · Nikkei · KOSPI Closed · China Labour Holiday · ASX Snaps Losing Streak · Apple Q2 · Cook Memory · India FPI Exodus […]

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Key Points —Argentina CGT march filled Plaza de Mayo on May 1 with the labor confederation, social movements, and opposition parties demanding Milei reverse course on factory closures and wage erosion. —The rally opened with a tribute to Pope Francis, who died one year ago, with church representatives and video segments anchoring the religious framing. […]

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Key Points —Uruguay Temu tax enters force May 1, applying 22% IVA to all foreign online purchases made under the franquicia regime — the duty-free import allowance. —Purchases from US-based sellers are explicitly exempted, leaving Chinese platforms Temu, Shein, AliExpress, and other non-US e-commerce as the primary targets. —The measure is part of Uruguay’s broader […]

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Key Points —A bilateral Brazil-Argentina report confirms Vaca Muerta gas can meet Southern Cone demand for over 50 years at competitive production costs. —Brazil’s Energy Ministry proposes a $1.6 billion, 593-km pipeline from Uruguayana to Porto Alegre to carry Argentine gas. —Argentine gas at $5-5.50/MMBTU competes against $16-17 in Brazilian industry, creating a massive price […]

The post Vaca Muerta Can Supply Southern Cone Gas for 50 Years, Brazil Says appeared first on The Rio Times.

Key Points —The Venezuela BP gas deal covers the Cocuina-Manakin cross-border field with Trinidad and the offshore Loran gas field on the Deltana Platform. —BP will open a permanent office in Caracas. Shell has also expressed interest in the Loran project. —BP joins Eni and Repsol in signing exploration agreements with the Rodríguez government since […]

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