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...
Los Angeles, one of the largest cities in the United States, is experiencing one of the most challenging times in its recent history. The city has become the main destination for thousands of immigrants, mainly from Latin America, in search of safety, work and dignity. But what they often find is a harsh reality: lack of shelter, overburdened public services and an increasingly tense political scenario.
In the first five months of 2025, more than 60,000 migrants arrived in the city, many of them transported by governments from southern states such as Texas and Florida, in a clear criticism of the federal government's immigration policy. In Los Angeles, shelters are operating beyond capacity and every day, hundreds of people arrive aimlessly.
“We receive between 500 and 600 people a day. There is no way to serve everyone with dignity,” says Melissa Reynoso, who is in charge of one of the city's reception centers. Entire families, including small children, sleep on the streets and in subway stations, waiting for documents, food or just a place to rest.
Amid the human drama, dissatisfaction among residents is also growing. Businesses and downtown neighborhoods are seeing an increase in tents and crowds. Protests are demanding stricter measures and asking for an urgent response from the authorities. “It’s not about being against immigration, but about the urban chaos we are experiencing,” said a local businessman.
On the other hand, volunteers and humanitarian organizations are reinforcing the call for empathy. “These people fled hunger and violence. The problem is not that they are here — it’s the lack of a national plan,” explains Lucía Martínez, from a local NGO.
The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, declared a state of humanitarian emergency and asked for direct support from the federal government. In an interview, she stated that the city cannot face this crisis alone.
At the national level, President Donald Trump is facing criticism from all sides. Republican governors continue to send migrants to Democratic cities as a form of protest. Meanwhile, comprehensive immigration reform remains stalled in Congress.
Experts warn that what we are seeing today in Los Angeles could be repeated in other major cities. “It is a reflection of decades of neglect and policies that have no continuity,” says University of California professor Claire Henderson.
Amidst crowded streets and overcrowded shelters, stories of pain and hope are intertwined. Mariana Gómez, a Honduran mother of three, sums up the feelings of many: “We came here looking for a chance. I still believe that it will come.”
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