Writer, geographer and former development professional who has lived in Brazil for 26 years. Former directorate member of the Fórum Nacional de Reforma Urbana (National Urban Reform Forum). Has lived in São Luis, Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Author of “Os Megaeventos Esportivos na Cidade do Rio de Janeiro e o Direito á Cidade” (CEPR: Porto Alegre. 2016). Editor of "Voices of the Brazilian Left" (Sumare: São Paulo. 2018). Editor of "Year of Lead: Washington, Wall Street and the New Imperialism in Brazil" ((Sumare: São Paulo. 2019) Irregular correspondent for the Chicago radio show This is Hell.
Former President Michel Temer’s 4-day imprisonment was the result of a spat between Congressional President Rodrigo Maia and Justice Minister Sergio Moro. by Brian Mier Michel Temer was released from prison after serving only 4 days behind bars, after material evidence implicated him in hundreds of millions of dollars of personal enrichment and paying millions […]
In a measure that bypasses Brazilian transparency legislation and governmental oversight, the US Department of Justice awards 80% of Petrobras fines to Brazilian partners to set up a privately managed fund to “fight corruption”. Petrobras profits were initially earmarked for Public Education and Health systems. By Brian Mier Over the past 4 years, as most […]
“Lula was barred from running in controversial circumstances that put at risk the right of the people of Brazil to freely choose their president.” On March 5, 30 Democratic US Congressmen sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, expressing their concern about the regressive trends pushing Brazilian democracy and the threats to the […]
After 5 days of ridicule at the hands of Carnaval goers, right wing extremist President makes homophobic rant and tweets porn video to 3 million followers, including thousands of children. Brazil’s 2019 Carnaval will go down in history as one of the most politicized ever. From tributes to slain Rio de Janeiro socialist city councilwoman Marielle Franco […]
Taking lead from right wing Venezuelan opposition leader Brazilian actor declares himself President – challenges Juan Guaidó to debate By Brian Mier On February 25, veteran Brazilian character actor José de Abreu announced on Twitter that he was thinking of taking Juan Guaidó’s lead and declaring himself President of Brazil. Minutes later, in the midst […]
As approval rating falls to 38.9%, Bolsonaro sets record for least popular presidential start of the 21st Century. The poll, by CNT/MDA, began measuring presidential popularity at the two-month mark in 1998. by Brian Mier Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in January, 2003, in the midst of a currency collapse and one of […]
Generals Santa Cruz and Augusto Heleno warn US is trying to use Brazil as bait to trigger conflict in Venezuela and serve as a buffer during a military intervention. By Brian Mier After pretending that the relatively unknown opposition lawmaker Juan Guaido was the legitimate president of Venezuela failed, the Trump administration engaged in a […]
Cannons and machine guns kill soldiers – embargoes kill women and children. The Americans are specialists. By Brian Mier On Sunday, February 24, Brazilian journalist Fernando Morais received a handwritten letter from his friend Lula. The letter was written from the Curitiba federal police headquarters, where the ex-President has been held in solitary confinement as […]
The Bolsonaro government freezes funding for self-managed social housing construction, destroys the Ministry of Cities and tries to declare the housing movements as terrorists by Brian Mier* Approximately 7 million Brazilian families live in substandard housing, in shacks or simple brick houses that are often built in areas at risk of flooding or landslides that […]
The Unions and Social movements successfully blocked Michel Temer’s neoliberal pension reforms but new proposals by the Bolsonaro administration are even worse by Brian Mier In a period marked by destruction of most of Brazil’s labor rights and the first ever lowering of the minimum wage, one of the only glimmers of hope was the […]