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Trump and His Lies, Tax Wars: Brazil and the World Were Taxed

  Brazil's trade deficit with the United States: an unequal relationship: Despite being one of the largest economies in Latin America, Brazil maintains an unbalanced trade balance with the United States. According to data released by O Globo, in 2024 Brazil imported about $ 44 billion in American products, while Brazilian exports to the US added only $ 42 billion. That is, the country closed the year with a commercial deficit of approximately $ 2 billion.   This result puts Brazil among the few business partners that maintain an unfavorable relationship with the United States. In practical terms, it means that Brazil buys more than it can sell to the US market, something that aggravates external dependence and reduces the competitiveness of national industry.   In addition, the deficit occurs even in sectors where Brazil has export tradition, such as agribusiness and mining. Factors such as technical barriers, sanitary requirements and, especially, Trump's tariff wars...
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US Offers Million-Dollar Reward for Information on Hezbollah Activities in the Tri-Border Area

 

The United States Embassy in Brasilia reported this week that the American government is offering a reward of up to US$10 million (approximately R$52 million) for information that could help identify and weaken the Hezbollah group's operations in the Tri-Border region, between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. According to the report, members and financial supporters of the extremist group operate in this territory through various illicit activities, such as drug trafficking, money laundering, smuggling of coal, oil, cigarettes, cash and luxury goods. The group is also involved in the illegal diamond trade and counterfeiting of documents and currency.


In addition, according to the American government, Hezbollah also benefits from economic activities in other Latin American countries, including the construction sector, the real estate market and the import and export of various goods.


 What the US intends to find out with the rewards

The amount offered will be destined to those who provide information that allows the identification and prevention of:


Hezbollah's sources of income and financial routes;


Individuals or organizations that donate or facilitate transactions for the group;


Banking institutions or currency exchanges that carry out operations on behalf of the organization;


Companies or investments directly connected to Hezbollah's financial operators;


Front companies used to purchase technologies with civilian and military applications;


Criminal schemes involving members or sympathizers of the organization that result in profits for the group.


How the program works

The proposal is part of the "Rewards for Justice" program, administered by the US Department of State, with the objective of combating the financing of terrorist organizations on a global scale. The main focus is on illegal networks that operate beyond national borders. Despite the million-dollar reward, the US did not release specific names or direct targets, seeking to prioritize the collection of strategic information that will help track the extremist group's activities in South America.


Hezbollah's operations in Latin America

According to US authorities, Hezbollah has been present in Latin America since the 1980s, with the Triple Frontier being one of its main operational bases. The group has already been responsible for violent actions on the continent, and is classified as a continuous threat.


Among the attacks attributed to Hezbollah are the bombing of the AMIA (Argentine Israelite Mutual Association), which caused the death of 85 people in Buenos Aires in 1994; the attack on the Israeli embassy in the same city two years earlier; and the explosion of a Panamanian airline Alas Chiricanas flight in 1994 in Panama. In all of these episodes, international investigations also point to links with the Iranian government.

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