Brazil’s Congress is discussing a proposal for income tax reform. Backed by the Lula administration, the bill seeks to make the country’s system more progressive. But just how unequal are taxes in Brazil?

This week, we host economist Davi Bhering, who co-authored a Paris School of Economics study on Brazil’s tax income system. In our newly released episode of the Explaining Brazil podcast, he unpacks:

• Why Brazil’s income inequality may be higher than previously estimated.
• How the Brazilian system’s regressivity compares to other countries.

Why his findings may indicate that global inequality is higher than anticipated.

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report.

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Crowds on Sunday fanned out across Brazil’s 27 state capitals to denounce two measures moving through Congress: a constitutional amendment proposal that would essentially shield lawmakers from prosecution, and a bill that could forgive or soften penalties for those convicted of a coup attempt masterminded by former President Jair Bolsonaro and his acolytes.

The demonstrations, initially organized in a spontaneous, online fashion and later embraced by left-of-center parties, were notable not only for their scale but also for how they reframed Brazil’s political symbolism and fault lines.

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report.

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A massive police operation exposed how deep Brazil's largest criminal organization has penetrated the legitimate economy.

Rafael Alcadipani, a professor at the FGV’s School of Public Administration and a member of the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety, unpacks:

• How the PCC evolved into a mafia-like organization, with multiple economic activities.
• The impacts of this expansion on democracy.
• Brazil’s federal and state-level capacity to combat organized crime.
• How the United States might play a role — and the risks.

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on The Brazilian Report.

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