By: Ricardo C. Amaral
Today when I saw the following video on YouTube about “Brazil eyes limits to emigrant land holdings – October 5, 2012”, then I decided to put together a blog about what I wrote over the years regarding the subject of “Limiting Foreign Ownership of Land in Brazil.”
Today when I saw the following video on YouTube about “Brazil eyes limits to emigrant land holdings – October 5, 2012”, then I decided to put together a blog about what I wrote over the years regarding the subject of “Limiting Foreign Ownership of Land in Brazil.”
Brazil eyes limits to emigrant land holdings – October 5, 2012
With relatively cheap land prices,
Brazil is proving an attractive draw for farmers from abroad. But
foreign buyers are starting to face resistance from the government,
with the legislature proposing restrictions on their land ownership.
Farmers say, so long as food is being produced and jobs are created,
Brazil should let foreigners invest to their maximum efficiency. Al
Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo reports from Bonopolis, Brazil.
*****
When I wrote the 4-part article
published at Brazzil Magazine on October 2007 "The Smartest
Thing China Could Do Right Now: Invest US$ 200 Billion in Brazil"
- Written by Ricardo C. Amaral - I wasn't suggesting in any way for
the Chinese to buy a massive amount of farmland in Brazil.
Nowhere in my article I suggested for them to buy farmland in Brazil.
I suggested that they would make an agreement with the Brazilian government to guarantee a certain amount of food for China on a annual basis.
The Chinese grasped very fast about what I was saying on my article regarding food production, freshwater supply and so on, and they didn't waste any time in securing as much farmland as they could in Brazil.
I am sorry this is happening, because I am against foreigners owning land in Brazil. It is OK if a foreign want to buy a small piece of land to have a Chacara to spend the weekends, but it not OK for foreigners to own a piece of land bigger than a certain established size.
The Brazilian government should pass a law for all foreigners to sell their land holdings bigger than a certain size in Brazil to a Brazilian in a period of 5 years. If at the end of 5 years any foreign land owner could not find a Brazilian buyer for his property, then the Brazilian government would buy at current market price.
That means that at the end of 5 years no foreigners would own land in Brazil which is bigger than a certain size.
Nowhere in my article I suggested for them to buy farmland in Brazil.
I suggested that they would make an agreement with the Brazilian government to guarantee a certain amount of food for China on a annual basis.
The Chinese grasped very fast about what I was saying on my article regarding food production, freshwater supply and so on, and they didn't waste any time in securing as much farmland as they could in Brazil.
I am sorry this is happening, because I am against foreigners owning land in Brazil. It is OK if a foreign want to buy a small piece of land to have a Chacara to spend the weekends, but it not OK for foreigners to own a piece of land bigger than a certain established size.
The Brazilian government should pass a law for all foreigners to sell their land holdings bigger than a certain size in Brazil to a Brazilian in a period of 5 years. If at the end of 5 years any foreign land owner could not find a Brazilian buyer for his property, then the Brazilian government would buy at current market price.
That means that at the end of 5 years no foreigners would own land in Brazil which is bigger than a certain size.
**********
Brazzil Magazine – July 2008
Why Brazilians Should Demand the
Renationalization of Petrobras
Written by: Ricardo C. Amaral
From comments section of the above
article:
Reply to Tom Lloyds
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, August 06, 2008
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, August 06, 2008
***
...
written by $$$, August 06, 2008
written by $$$, August 06, 2008
"Brazil needs to close the door
on agriculture land owned by foreigners – and the current
foreigners who own agricultural land in Brazil will have 5 years to
sell their land to a Brazilian."
We don't have to pay anything to the foreigners nor wait for 5 years for them to decide. Our MST can grab the lands and have them free. We can always get the know-how from Zimbabwe.
We don't have to pay anything to the foreigners nor wait for 5 years for them to decide. Our MST can grab the lands and have them free. We can always get the know-how from Zimbabwe.
***
reply to $$$
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, August 06, 2008
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, August 06, 2008
I am aware of what has been going on in Zimbabwe.
I am not saying that O Sem Terra should take away the land of foreign owner in Brazil.
They are given 5 years to sell their land to a Brazilian.
I understand that Brazilian are very gullible.
Today Brazil has the most desirable agriculture land in the world, and what makes it even more desirable is the amount of freshwater available in Brazil as compared with the rest of the world.
Everybody is closing their doors in agriculture to foreign ownership of agriculture land, but the Brazilians always can sell their land for a song and in the future people are going to look back and look like France that sold the Louisiana territory to the United States for nothing. Or even worse we are going look like the native American indians that sold the Island of Manhattan for even less.
I just saw a recent program on television about how Americans are buying more and more agriculture land in Brazil. They have agriculture farms the size of New Jersey.
China also is waking up to that fact and you can bet they will be scrambling to buy large pieces of land in Brazil.
At least you grasped one part of their plan - after they bought most of the land they can ship the Brazilians to Angola and Zimbabwe.
The day the Brazilians finally wake up it is because: it is time to pack their bags to move to Africa.
Even here in the United States they are closing the door to foreign ownership of agriculture land - but in Brazil Brazilians would say: O meu deixa pra la.
***
The truth about the Brazilian natural
resources...
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, August 07, 2008
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, August 07, 2008
I was just being sarcastic.
People like myself will try to open the eyes of the Brazilian people to what is happening.
Brazilians have to be very stupid if they don't do something about it.
People from around the world are waking up to the new realities of food shortages and the scarcity of freshwater supplies around the world.
The Brazilian population the rich and the poor will be better off when the door is closed to foreign ownership of agricultural land in Brazil.
This is a very important subject a lot more important than oil, ethanol, and so on...
Keep in mind freshwater supplies will be the most important economic issue in the 21st Century - and Brazil is the king in that area.
If the corrupt system does not understand what is at stake here then we always can have another revolution in Brazil.
Keep in mind I am not talking about giving the land away to the peasants. I am just talking about keeping the Brazilian territory including all its agricultural lands in Brazilians hands.
If you accuse me of being a nationalist that would be fine with me.
**********
Brazzil Magazine – July 2009
How Big Oil Can Avoid Being Left Out
in the Cold Now that Brazil is Hot Property
Written by Juliet Hepker
From comments section of the above
article:
Regarding Petrobras
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, July 20, 2009
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, July 20, 2009
Ricardo: When my article about the renationalization of Petrobras was published on Brazzil magazine and at RGE Monitor – I also sent the information about that article to many Chinese government investment decision makers.
I also sent the information to all senators, (including my friend former president Jose Sarney) and to all dep**ado federais (congressmen) in Brazil. I also sent the information to a number of members of president Lula’s cabinet.
It was no accident the direct deal between Petrobras and the Chinese government. The Chinese did the smart thing, and I am sure they have been paying attention to these articles and the following discussions on the comments section.
*****
Brazzil Magazine – July 2008
“Why Brazilians Should Demand the Renationalization of Petrobras”
Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
http://www.brazzil.com/articles/194-july-2008/10079-why-brazilians-should-demand-the-renationalization-of-petrobras.html
Hits: 7457
Comments: 346
As of July 20, 2009
*****
RGE Monitor – July 2008
“Why Brazilians Should Demand the Renationalization of Petrobras”
Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
http://www.economonitor.com/blog/2008/07/why-brazilians-should-demand-the-renationalization-of-petrobras/
*****
“Petrobras Gets $10 Billion China Loan, Sinopec Deal”
By Iuri Dantas and Jeb Blount
Bloomberg News – February 19, 2009
Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) – Petroleo Brasileiro SA, (Petrobras) Brazil’s state-controlled oil company, agreed to a $10 billion loan from the China Development Bank, and to supply oil to the Asian nation.
“There are two important commercial agreements and a finance accord that demonstrates new possibilities for raising money,” Chief Executive Officer Jose Sergio Gabrielli told reporters after a signing ceremony in Brasilia today.
Petrobras, as the Rio de Janeiro-based firm is known, also agreed to sell as much as 100,000 barrels of oil this year to China Petroleum & Chemical Corp.’s Sinopec unit, Gabrielli said.
The loan will be used for general corporate purposes and to help Petrobras pay for a $174.4 billion, five-year investment plan, Gabrielli said, without giving details of the loan’s cost. The final terms of the loan will be worked out between now and May, when Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva travels to China on a state visit, a spokeswoman for Gabrielli said. The spokeswoman asked not to be named, citing company rules.
Petrobras has been talking with China about the loan since last year. The company has been seeking alternatives to international bank lending and bonds to finance its spending plan in the face of an international credit crunch.
***
Brazil and the China
Connection.
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, July 20, 2009
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, July 20, 2009
Ricardo: I also sent the information
about this article to all government people in Brazil and in China
that I mentioned on my above posting.
These articles are having a bigger impact that most people realized regarding the relationship between the governments of Brazil and China.
You can bet on that.
*****
Brazzil Magazine – October 2007
"The Smartest Thing China Could Do Right Now: Invest US$ 200 Billion in Brazil"
Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
…The final conclusion is: It's imperative that China move forward in an aggressive fashion and implement with Brazil the plan described in this four-part series of articles. And China should look at it as a matter of national security and future survival.
These articles are having a bigger impact that most people realized regarding the relationship between the governments of Brazil and China.
You can bet on that.
*****
Brazzil Magazine – October 2007
"The Smartest Thing China Could Do Right Now: Invest US$ 200 Billion in Brazil"
Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
…The final conclusion is: It's imperative that China move forward in an aggressive fashion and implement with Brazil the plan described in this four-part series of articles. And China should look at it as a matter of national security and future survival.
Monday, 01 October 2007 - Part 1 of 4
Friday, 05 October 2007 - Part 2 of 4
Thursday, 11 October 2007 - Part 3 of
4
http://www.brazzil.com/component/content/article/184-october-2007/9983.html
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 - Part 4 of 4
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 - Part 4 of 4
Hits: 30,000
Comments: 729
As of July 20, 2009
Comments: 729
As of July 20, 2009
***
Here is the source of the advice you
are getting from...
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, July 20, 2009
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, July 20, 2009
Here is the source of the advice you
are getting from the organization that wrote the above article.
There is one thing the readers of Brazzil magazine can be sure of: is that the people involved with the organization that wrote the above article doesn’t have the best interest of Brazil and the Brazilian people in mind on their lobbying and business efforts.
You don’t need o be a rocket scientist to figure that out, all you need to do is check the biography of the senior people on the Advisory Panel of this company who are making the decisions for this organization such as:
1) Lord (John) Browne: managing director at Riverstone, the private equity firm.
I just wrote last week on Elite Trader Forum what I think about private equity firms as follows:
There is a group of investors that I admire – the venture capitalists. They give the seed money to build the companies of tomorrow. These guys add value to the US economy since these companies eventually grow and create the new jobs of the future.
A greedy little capitalist, a bottom feeder, a parasite are these guys who work for companies such as Goldman Sacks, some hedge funds, and most private equity firms – and most of these guys are worthless, since they buy healthy companies strip them of any value, raid their pension plans, destroy the lives of thousands of people just to make a quick buck, and after they are done stripping these companies they leave behind companies full of debt, thousands of unemployed people, and they spin the carcass of a very sick company to the suckers who invest on these companies. Or they create garbage that they repackage as investment vehicles to sell to unsuspecting investors in the US and around the world.
I have no use for this group of parasites, and as far as I am concerned they are just a group of completely worthless people. They create wealth for a small group of people by destroying the foundations of many sound companies, and the economy in general.
2) Bill Emmott: Among his current positions, Bill Emmott is a member of the executive committee of “The Trilateral Commission.”
The Trilateral Commission is a group of hot shots from Europe, North America, and Japan with ambitions of controlling the rest of the world. Most of their members are from Europe, North America, and Japan, and other places such as the Middles East, Africa, South America, and most of Asia is considered second-class areas to be manipulated at will by the economic powers of yesterday.
Being a member of “The Trilateral Commission” is not a credential that would open many doors in South America. You can read about that group at:
“The Trilateral Commission”
http://www.trilateral.org/about.htm
http://www.trilateral.org/memb.htm
There is one thing the readers of Brazzil magazine can be sure of: is that the people involved with the organization that wrote the above article doesn’t have the best interest of Brazil and the Brazilian people in mind on their lobbying and business efforts.
You don’t need o be a rocket scientist to figure that out, all you need to do is check the biography of the senior people on the Advisory Panel of this company who are making the decisions for this organization such as:
1) Lord (John) Browne: managing director at Riverstone, the private equity firm.
I just wrote last week on Elite Trader Forum what I think about private equity firms as follows:
There is a group of investors that I admire – the venture capitalists. They give the seed money to build the companies of tomorrow. These guys add value to the US economy since these companies eventually grow and create the new jobs of the future.
A greedy little capitalist, a bottom feeder, a parasite are these guys who work for companies such as Goldman Sacks, some hedge funds, and most private equity firms – and most of these guys are worthless, since they buy healthy companies strip them of any value, raid their pension plans, destroy the lives of thousands of people just to make a quick buck, and after they are done stripping these companies they leave behind companies full of debt, thousands of unemployed people, and they spin the carcass of a very sick company to the suckers who invest on these companies. Or they create garbage that they repackage as investment vehicles to sell to unsuspecting investors in the US and around the world.
I have no use for this group of parasites, and as far as I am concerned they are just a group of completely worthless people. They create wealth for a small group of people by destroying the foundations of many sound companies, and the economy in general.
2) Bill Emmott: Among his current positions, Bill Emmott is a member of the executive committee of “The Trilateral Commission.”
The Trilateral Commission is a group of hot shots from Europe, North America, and Japan with ambitions of controlling the rest of the world. Most of their members are from Europe, North America, and Japan, and other places such as the Middles East, Africa, South America, and most of Asia is considered second-class areas to be manipulated at will by the economic powers of yesterday.
Being a member of “The Trilateral Commission” is not a credential that would open many doors in South America. You can read about that group at:
“The Trilateral Commission”
http://www.trilateral.org/about.htm
http://www.trilateral.org/memb.htm
**********
Brazzil Magazine – October 26,
2010
Why Brazilians Should Elect Dilma
Rousseff the Next President of Brazil
Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
From comments section of the above
article:
"The Smartest Thing China Could Do
Right Now: Invest US$ 200 Billion in Brazil"
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, October 27, 2010
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, October 27, 2010
Ricardo: Keep in mind of all other major countries including the United States, Japan, India, Russia and the European Union – right now China has the best political relationship with Brazil.
By 2013 it is estimated that China would have invested in Brazil over $ 220 billion dollars.
I am not surprised – I wrote the plan.
***
Brazzil Magazine – October 2007
"The Smartest Thing China Could Do Right Now: Invest US$ 200 Billion in Brazil" - Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
…The final conclusion is: It's imperative that China move forward in an aggressive fashion and implement with Brazil the plan described in this four-part series of articles. And China should look at it as a matter of national security and future survival.
Monday, 01 October 2007 - Part 1 of 4
Friday, 05 October 2007 - Part 2 of 4
Thursday, 11 October 2007 - Part 3 of
4
http://www.brazzil.com/component/content/article/184-october-2007/9983.html
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 - Part 4 of 4
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 - Part 4 of 4
Note: In the
discussion section following the above articles there are about 800
comments.
*****
Chinese investment soars in Brazil, with eye on resources
by Anella Reta Anella Reta
AFP – Mon Oct 25, 2010
SAO PAULO (AFP) – Chinese investment in Brazil is expected to reach 30 billion dollars this year, according to observers -- a sum aimed at securing access to the Latin American nation's oil and other resources.
*****
Chinese investment soars in Brazil, with eye on resources
by Anella Reta Anella Reta
AFP – Mon Oct 25, 2010
SAO PAULO (AFP) – Chinese investment in Brazil is expected to reach 30 billion dollars this year, according to observers -- a sum aimed at securing access to the Latin American nation's oil and other resources.
The inflow has been sudden, and dramatic.
"Up to the end of last year, the amount of Chinese investment in Brazil was tiny, less than 400 million dollars. Over the first half of 2010, it's gone over 20 billion dollars -- and it should hit 30 billion dollars this year," Charles Tang, head of the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sao Paulo, told AFP.
Two-thirds of the total coming into Brazil this year will be invested in the oil sector, to which China has privileged access after extending a 10-billion-dollar credit line to Brazil's state-owned Petrobras, and after China's Sinopec bought the Brazilian subsidiary of Spain's Repsol for seven billion dollars.
"China is investing everywhere in the world to ensure it gets the strategic resources it needs. And Brazil, obviously, is important," Tang said.
In return, Brazil gets "capital for its growth and job-creation," he explained.
"China needs the mineral resources, oil and land that Brazil has in abundance," Tang added before predicting that the relationship between the two BRIC economies "has only just begun."
In 2009, China became Brazil's top trading partner, overtaking the United States. Bilateral exchanges topped 36 billion dollars last year.
This year, they will amount to even more, based on Brazilian central bank figures showing trade reached 35 billion dollars in just the first eight months of this year.
Ricardo Anhesini, spokesman for the KPMG consulting firm in Brazil that has helped Chinese companies entering the Latin American nation's market, said there was "a large number of companies interested in selling primary resources, equipment and infrastructure."
The cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro drew most of the companies, while others set up in other southern states which also have good transportation systems.
The approaching 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil also were spurring Chinese investment.
"Several companies are here wanting to address the needs for the Olympics and the World Cup," seeking to profit from Beijing's experience in hosting the Olympic Games in 2008, Tang said.
Anhesini said a Chinese delegation was to visit in December to explore investment opportunities in that area.
"We're recommending they come as early as possible so they can adapt to the Brazilian way of doing business," he said.
KPMG reckons that the interest in supplying the sporting events with equipment will boost Chinese investment in Brazil between 2011 and 2013 to $ 223 billion dollars.
"Up to the end of last year, the amount of Chinese investment in Brazil was tiny, less than 400 million dollars. Over the first half of 2010, it's gone over 20 billion dollars -- and it should hit 30 billion dollars this year," Charles Tang, head of the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sao Paulo, told AFP.
Two-thirds of the total coming into Brazil this year will be invested in the oil sector, to which China has privileged access after extending a 10-billion-dollar credit line to Brazil's state-owned Petrobras, and after China's Sinopec bought the Brazilian subsidiary of Spain's Repsol for seven billion dollars.
"China is investing everywhere in the world to ensure it gets the strategic resources it needs. And Brazil, obviously, is important," Tang said.
In return, Brazil gets "capital for its growth and job-creation," he explained.
"China needs the mineral resources, oil and land that Brazil has in abundance," Tang added before predicting that the relationship between the two BRIC economies "has only just begun."
In 2009, China became Brazil's top trading partner, overtaking the United States. Bilateral exchanges topped 36 billion dollars last year.
This year, they will amount to even more, based on Brazilian central bank figures showing trade reached 35 billion dollars in just the first eight months of this year.
Ricardo Anhesini, spokesman for the KPMG consulting firm in Brazil that has helped Chinese companies entering the Latin American nation's market, said there was "a large number of companies interested in selling primary resources, equipment and infrastructure."
The cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro drew most of the companies, while others set up in other southern states which also have good transportation systems.
The approaching 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil also were spurring Chinese investment.
"Several companies are here wanting to address the needs for the Olympics and the World Cup," seeking to profit from Beijing's experience in hosting the Olympic Games in 2008, Tang said.
Anhesini said a Chinese delegation was to visit in December to explore investment opportunities in that area.
"We're recommending they come as early as possible so they can adapt to the Brazilian way of doing business," he said.
KPMG reckons that the interest in supplying the sporting events with equipment will boost Chinese investment in Brazil between 2011 and 2013 to $ 223 billion dollars.
***
Time is up - follow my suggestion about
30 percent devaluation and fixed exchange rate pegged to US dollar
and the yuan - or you are going to see a massive meltdown in the
Brazilian economy when the hot money...
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, November 15, 2010
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, November 15, 2010
Ricardo: Here is what I posted on the Elite Trader Economics Forum late on Saturday night:
***
EMRGLOBAL: ...Two of my clients are the most powerful "Capitalist" in Brazil. They said that the currency will stand as is. Devlaue of the Reais will not happen. Imports to brazil are strong, exports have slowed but not to much.
*****
November 14, 2010
SouthAmerica: Reply to EMRGLOBAL
I have a question for you: Do you work for "Goldman Sachs the Pillage People"?
...The world has changed and we need to
change ASAP the laws in Brazil regarding land ownership by foreigners
- not only limiting the amount of land that foreigners can control
direct or indirect, but also give them a period of 5 years for them
to sell the over limit size of land that they already own.
We have a new ball game here in the 21st century - you can bet on that.
We have a new ball game here in the 21st century - you can bet on that.
**********
Regarding the subject of “Limiting
Foreign Ownership of Land in Brazil”, the following I posted on the
Elite Trader Economics Forum as follows:
I Love Brazil
...June 23, 2010
SouthAmerica: The Brazilian government is finally closing the door on foreigners land ownership in Brazil. I have been writing on this subject for a number of years. Here are some of my postings on Brazzil magazine and on the ET economics forum:
1) I posted the following on August 2008 on the comments section of my article about the renationalization of Petrobras:
“Brazil needs to close the door on agriculture land owned by foreigners – and the current foreigners who own agricultural land in Brazil will have 5 years to sell their land to a Brazilian.
You would be surprised to find out how many countries around the world are reevaluating their national laws regarding land ownership by foreigners. I was surprised to find out that even states here in the United States are closing that door, but they give 5 years for the foreigner to sell their holdings.
We have a new game going on in the global economy and the rules are changing very fast and they are being adapted to the new ball game of the 21st Century.”
SouthAmerica: The Brazilian government is finally closing the door on foreigners land ownership in Brazil. I have been writing on this subject for a number of years. Here are some of my postings on Brazzil magazine and on the ET economics forum:
1) I posted the following on August 2008 on the comments section of my article about the renationalization of Petrobras:
“Brazil needs to close the door on agriculture land owned by foreigners – and the current foreigners who own agricultural land in Brazil will have 5 years to sell their land to a Brazilian.
You would be surprised to find out how many countries around the world are reevaluating their national laws regarding land ownership by foreigners. I was surprised to find out that even states here in the United States are closing that door, but they give 5 years for the foreigner to sell their holdings.
We have a new game going on in the global economy and the rules are changing very fast and they are being adapted to the new ball game of the 21st Century.”
*****
2) I posted the following on the Elite Trader Economics forum in May 2008
May 5, 2008
SouthAmerica: …The Brazilian government should check closely about how much land foreigners are buying in Brazil and require that these people be minority owners regarding the ownership of these lands and have always Brazilians controlling at least 51 percent of these ventures.
I will be writing about these issues with all its geopolitical ramifications on my coming articles. It will be a matter of national security that the Brazilian government changes its laws regarding these matters.
...May 5,
2008
SouthAmerica: Last week when they announced on CNBC that on Sunday their program Business Nation was going to show agriculture in Brazil – I was looking forward to watching that television program.
What a disappointment when the program turned out to be the glorification of some American farmer who started farming in Brazil about 5 years ago and he is doing very well and he is buying more and more land and making a lot of money for his financial backers.
By watching that program one would think that Brazil is doing well in agriculture because of these smart Americans who are doing all these farming in Brazil.
The program turned out to be a PR job to raise American money to be invested in Brazil by American farmers and buy more Brazilian land.
The program said nothing about the Brazilian farmers and the success that they have been achieving for a long time – that’s why Brazil is becoming a global agricultural power.
The Brazilian government should check closely about how much land foreigners are buying in Brazil and require that these people be minority owners regarding the ownership of these lands and have always Brazilians controlling at least 51 percent of these ventures.
I will be writing about these issues with all its geopolitical ramifications on my coming articles. It will be a matter of national security that the Brazilian government change its laws regarding these matters.
*****
“Brazil government plans to limit foreign land purchases”
By STAN LEHMAN (AP)
The Associated Press – June 22, 2010
SAO PAULO — Brazil's government wants to tighten restrictions on foreign ownership of farm lands in Latin America's biggest country, the Agrarian Development Ministry said Tuesday.
Ministry spokeswoman Denise Mantovani confirmed published remarks by Minister Guilherme Cassel, who said that the government does not want foreigners to buy agricultural land in Brazil.
"We do not need foreigners to produce food in Brazil," Cassel told the business newspaper Valor Economico. "This is the policy of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva."
"Because of food security, Brazilian lands must remain in Brazilian hands," the minister said.
Mantovani said that 10 million acres (4 million hectares) of land had been registered by foreigners as of 2008 and that between 2002 and 2008, foreigners invested $2.43 billion to purchase land.
According to Valor Economico, the decision to put a lid on foreign ownership of land is due to rising world demand for food, water and natural resources.
Mantovani said that current law says large rural properties can only be purchased by Brazilian citizens or residents.
"But foreigners often bypass that rule by setting up companies in Brazil, which are controlled abroad, to purchase land. This is a foreign company and this is what we want to control."
"I am not a xenophobe but our land is finite. The population grows and demands food," the minister said.
Mantovani said that representatives from several ministries were preparing a constitutional amendment to further restrict foreign ownership of land.
She said the amendment being drawn up "could include the revoking of land titles already purchased by foreigners." She did not provide details.
Most foreigners purchase land to raise cattle and grow soybeans and other crops in the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paulo, Bahia and Minas Gerais.
We are going to draw up an amendment that will make it clear that foreigners can invest in any field, except land." the minister said.
It is unclear when the amendment will be debated in Congress.
SouthAmerica: Last week when they announced on CNBC that on Sunday their program Business Nation was going to show agriculture in Brazil – I was looking forward to watching that television program.
What a disappointment when the program turned out to be the glorification of some American farmer who started farming in Brazil about 5 years ago and he is doing very well and he is buying more and more land and making a lot of money for his financial backers.
By watching that program one would think that Brazil is doing well in agriculture because of these smart Americans who are doing all these farming in Brazil.
The program turned out to be a PR job to raise American money to be invested in Brazil by American farmers and buy more Brazilian land.
The program said nothing about the Brazilian farmers and the success that they have been achieving for a long time – that’s why Brazil is becoming a global agricultural power.
The Brazilian government should check closely about how much land foreigners are buying in Brazil and require that these people be minority owners regarding the ownership of these lands and have always Brazilians controlling at least 51 percent of these ventures.
I will be writing about these issues with all its geopolitical ramifications on my coming articles. It will be a matter of national security that the Brazilian government change its laws regarding these matters.
*****
“Brazil government plans to limit foreign land purchases”
By STAN LEHMAN (AP)
The Associated Press – June 22, 2010
SAO PAULO — Brazil's government wants to tighten restrictions on foreign ownership of farm lands in Latin America's biggest country, the Agrarian Development Ministry said Tuesday.
Ministry spokeswoman Denise Mantovani confirmed published remarks by Minister Guilherme Cassel, who said that the government does not want foreigners to buy agricultural land in Brazil.
"We do not need foreigners to produce food in Brazil," Cassel told the business newspaper Valor Economico. "This is the policy of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva."
"Because of food security, Brazilian lands must remain in Brazilian hands," the minister said.
Mantovani said that 10 million acres (4 million hectares) of land had been registered by foreigners as of 2008 and that between 2002 and 2008, foreigners invested $2.43 billion to purchase land.
According to Valor Economico, the decision to put a lid on foreign ownership of land is due to rising world demand for food, water and natural resources.
Mantovani said that current law says large rural properties can only be purchased by Brazilian citizens or residents.
"But foreigners often bypass that rule by setting up companies in Brazil, which are controlled abroad, to purchase land. This is a foreign company and this is what we want to control."
"I am not a xenophobe but our land is finite. The population grows and demands food," the minister said.
Mantovani said that representatives from several ministries were preparing a constitutional amendment to further restrict foreign ownership of land.
She said the amendment being drawn up "could include the revoking of land titles already purchased by foreigners." She did not provide details.
Most foreigners purchase land to raise cattle and grow soybeans and other crops in the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paulo, Bahia and Minas Gerais.
We are going to draw up an amendment that will make it clear that foreigners can invest in any field, except land." the minister said.
It is unclear when the amendment will be debated in Congress.
*****
The Smartest Thing China Could Do
Right Now: Invest US$ 200 Billion in Brazil
...September 10, 2010
SouthAmerica: It looks like the Chinese have been paying close attention to my articles published on Brazzil magazine.
Here is another example:
*****
Soybean and Corn Advisor - June 29, 2010
“Foreign Ownership of Farmland in Brazil Could be Restricted “
There has been a lot written in the Brazilian press recently about potential changes in the amount of farmland a foreign individual, corporation, or government is allowed to purchase in Brazil. Recent comments by the Brazilian president and various Brazilian senators indicate that something will be done concerning this issue.
What really caught everyone's attention in Brazil was the fact that the Chinese government (through one of its holding companies) purchased several hundred thousand hectares of land in the state of Bahia. Brazilians are uneasy with the concept of foreign individuals buying up Brazilian farmland, but they are absolutely appalled when a foreign government purchases farmland in Brazil.
One of the problems is that it is difficult to determine just how much land has already been purchased by foreigners. In Brazil, if a foreigner want's to purchase land they must have a Brazilian partner who owns at least 1% of the enterprise. As a result, there are Brazilian holding companies who supply this service to foreign buyers.
Additionally, some foreign companies set up Brazilian holding companies who purchase the land legally, but in reality, the foreign company still controls the enterprise. This requirement for a Brazilian partnership can hide the true ownership of the land. No one knows for sure how much land has been purchased by foreigners and estimates vary from between 1 to 4 million hectares.
Land ownership in Brazil holds a special place in the heart's of Brazilians. Virtually everyone in Brazil would like to own a piece of land they could call their own. Almost without exception, every wealthy Brazilian owns some rural land. Large ranchers and farmers hold a very special place in Brazilian society. As a result, land being owned by foreigners is almost an affront to Brazilian's pride.
It is yet to be determined what the Brazilian Congress will do about this issue, but it is virtually certainty that foreign governments will be prohibited from purchasing farmland. As far as foreign corporation or individuals are concerned, it is more complicated. Brazilians do not mind if actual foreign farmers move to Brazil to buy land and start farming, but they certainly do not like large speculators such as hedge funds, banks, or the super rich coming to Brazil to purchase land just as an investment.
The size of the property in dispute is also important. The Brazilian government might be able to stomach a foreign farmer owning a few thousand hectares on which he actually operates his farm, but I think the era of foreigners purchasing several hundred thousand hectares as an investment will come to an end.
There is also speculation that any new restriction might be made retroactive and that the titles to land already purchased could be revoked. Once again, this will depend on who the foreign owner is and the amount of land in question. It is possible that land purchased by foreign governments would be nullified, but it would be harder to do for smaller properties purchased by individual farmers.
The Brazilian government still encourages foreign investment in Brazil, but investing in farmland may become more difficult in the future.
SouthAmerica: It looks like the Chinese have been paying close attention to my articles published on Brazzil magazine.
Here is another example:
*****
Soybean and Corn Advisor - June 29, 2010
“Foreign Ownership of Farmland in Brazil Could be Restricted “
There has been a lot written in the Brazilian press recently about potential changes in the amount of farmland a foreign individual, corporation, or government is allowed to purchase in Brazil. Recent comments by the Brazilian president and various Brazilian senators indicate that something will be done concerning this issue.
What really caught everyone's attention in Brazil was the fact that the Chinese government (through one of its holding companies) purchased several hundred thousand hectares of land in the state of Bahia. Brazilians are uneasy with the concept of foreign individuals buying up Brazilian farmland, but they are absolutely appalled when a foreign government purchases farmland in Brazil.
One of the problems is that it is difficult to determine just how much land has already been purchased by foreigners. In Brazil, if a foreigner want's to purchase land they must have a Brazilian partner who owns at least 1% of the enterprise. As a result, there are Brazilian holding companies who supply this service to foreign buyers.
Additionally, some foreign companies set up Brazilian holding companies who purchase the land legally, but in reality, the foreign company still controls the enterprise. This requirement for a Brazilian partnership can hide the true ownership of the land. No one knows for sure how much land has been purchased by foreigners and estimates vary from between 1 to 4 million hectares.
Land ownership in Brazil holds a special place in the heart's of Brazilians. Virtually everyone in Brazil would like to own a piece of land they could call their own. Almost without exception, every wealthy Brazilian owns some rural land. Large ranchers and farmers hold a very special place in Brazilian society. As a result, land being owned by foreigners is almost an affront to Brazilian's pride.
It is yet to be determined what the Brazilian Congress will do about this issue, but it is virtually certainty that foreign governments will be prohibited from purchasing farmland. As far as foreign corporation or individuals are concerned, it is more complicated. Brazilians do not mind if actual foreign farmers move to Brazil to buy land and start farming, but they certainly do not like large speculators such as hedge funds, banks, or the super rich coming to Brazil to purchase land just as an investment.
The size of the property in dispute is also important. The Brazilian government might be able to stomach a foreign farmer owning a few thousand hectares on which he actually operates his farm, but I think the era of foreigners purchasing several hundred thousand hectares as an investment will come to an end.
There is also speculation that any new restriction might be made retroactive and that the titles to land already purchased could be revoked. Once again, this will depend on who the foreign owner is and the amount of land in question. It is possible that land purchased by foreign governments would be nullified, but it would be harder to do for smaller properties purchased by individual farmers.
The Brazilian government still encourages foreign investment in Brazil, but investing in farmland may become more difficult in the future.
***
September 10, 2010
SouthAmerica: I have been posting information on Brazzil magazine for the Brazilian government to restrict the foreign ownership of farmland in Brazil.
My next article will be on that subject, and much more.
SouthAmerica: I have been posting information on Brazzil magazine for the Brazilian government to restrict the foreign ownership of farmland in Brazil.
My next article will be on that subject, and much more.
*****
"Big crackdown on foreign firms' land ownership in Brazil"
Morning Star (UK)
Wednesday 25 August 2010
A significant reduction in foreign ownership of land in Brazil was announced on Tuesday by the government.
The Solicitor General's Office confirmed that foreign or Brazilian subsidiaries of foreign companies cannot own more than 5,000 hectares and no holding can exceed 25 per cent of the total area of the municipality where the land is located.
From now on, land owned by foreigners can be used only for farming, cattle-raising or industrial activities that must be approved by the Agrarian Development Ministry.
Attorney General Luis Inacio Lucena Adams explained that the restrictions were necessary to preserve national control over land ownership.
Earlier this year the ministry confirmed that by 2008, 4 million hectares of land were registered under foreign ownership.
**********
"The China Price" - The
best business article I have seen in years
March 19, 2011
SouthAmerica: I am glad the Brazilian government is restricting the foreign ownership of farmland in Brazil - as I have been suggesting in Brazzil magazine.
*****
Brazil tightens land acquisition by foreigners: ‘speculators and sovereign funds’
Merco Press - Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Brazilian government is tightening a law that restricts the amount of land foreigners can buy. The decree prohibits non-Brazilians from buying controlling shares of companies that own vast tracts of territory in the country, Brazilian Attorney General Luiz Inacio Adams said in a statement this week.
The action is aimed at preventing foreign investors from circumventing the interpretation of a law that restricts their direct acquisition of land. According to O Estado de Sao Paulo the Attorney General Office issued the ruling which has been distributed to state commerce councils responsible for the registration of company agreements. It’s not clear if deals already agreed could be suspended by tribunals.
Since 1971 the Brazilian government has limited the outright purchase of rural farmland by foreigners or companies based abroad for food-security reasons.
The law dictates that foreigners can own no more than one-fourth of a county, and no one nationality can own more than 10%. Under current legislation foreigners could purchase up to 50 modules, ranging from 250 to 5.000 hectares depending on the region and soil yield.
Currently, foreigners own 4.5 million acres (1.8 million hectares) of Brazilian land — a number that has grown 11.5% from 2008, according to the government agency charged with land distribution.
As one of the world’s most important agricultural powers, Brazil last year severely restricted all new farmland investment from abroad amid fears that foreign governments, led by China, were snapping up land in emerging markets to boost their food security.
However with global food prices hitting a record in February, Brazil is also eager to attract new capital to the sector to increase its share of world agricultural exports while continuing to screen out unwelcome “sovereign investors” owned entities, according to Wagner Rossi, the agriculture minister.
“We need to distinguish properly on the one hand between speculators and sovereign funds, which are a threat to our sovereignty, and on the other side, foreign investors who come with good projects” Mr Rossi told the Financial Times in a recent interview.
Brazil is already the world’s largest exporter of coffee and sugar, the second largest grower of soybeans and the third largest exporter of maize. But the need for additional production from the country to help alleviate global food shortages is urgent.
The Brazilian government, under the previous president, Lula da Silva, in 2010 reinterpreted the law to restrict foreign investment in agricultural land after watching foreign governments including China, South Korea and the Gulf states buying land in Africa and elsewhere to increase their food security.
The trend gained notoriety after Daewoo of South Korea attempted to purchase a large chunk of land in Madagascar, which helped to trigger a coup d’état in the African island country.
“Some of these countries are great partners in other areas, but having them buying land in Brazil creates some sort of sovereign risk for us. This is not part of our plan and we are not going to allow that” Rossi pointed out.
Brazil’s grain yield this year was expected to reach 150m-155m tons compared with 149m last year, Rossi said. This would include a bumper soybean crop of about 70m tons.
SouthAmerica: I am glad the Brazilian government is restricting the foreign ownership of farmland in Brazil - as I have been suggesting in Brazzil magazine.
*****
Brazil tightens land acquisition by foreigners: ‘speculators and sovereign funds’
Merco Press - Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Brazilian government is tightening a law that restricts the amount of land foreigners can buy. The decree prohibits non-Brazilians from buying controlling shares of companies that own vast tracts of territory in the country, Brazilian Attorney General Luiz Inacio Adams said in a statement this week.
The action is aimed at preventing foreign investors from circumventing the interpretation of a law that restricts their direct acquisition of land. According to O Estado de Sao Paulo the Attorney General Office issued the ruling which has been distributed to state commerce councils responsible for the registration of company agreements. It’s not clear if deals already agreed could be suspended by tribunals.
Since 1971 the Brazilian government has limited the outright purchase of rural farmland by foreigners or companies based abroad for food-security reasons.
The law dictates that foreigners can own no more than one-fourth of a county, and no one nationality can own more than 10%. Under current legislation foreigners could purchase up to 50 modules, ranging from 250 to 5.000 hectares depending on the region and soil yield.
Currently, foreigners own 4.5 million acres (1.8 million hectares) of Brazilian land — a number that has grown 11.5% from 2008, according to the government agency charged with land distribution.
As one of the world’s most important agricultural powers, Brazil last year severely restricted all new farmland investment from abroad amid fears that foreign governments, led by China, were snapping up land in emerging markets to boost their food security.
However with global food prices hitting a record in February, Brazil is also eager to attract new capital to the sector to increase its share of world agricultural exports while continuing to screen out unwelcome “sovereign investors” owned entities, according to Wagner Rossi, the agriculture minister.
“We need to distinguish properly on the one hand between speculators and sovereign funds, which are a threat to our sovereignty, and on the other side, foreign investors who come with good projects” Mr Rossi told the Financial Times in a recent interview.
Brazil is already the world’s largest exporter of coffee and sugar, the second largest grower of soybeans and the third largest exporter of maize. But the need for additional production from the country to help alleviate global food shortages is urgent.
The Brazilian government, under the previous president, Lula da Silva, in 2010 reinterpreted the law to restrict foreign investment in agricultural land after watching foreign governments including China, South Korea and the Gulf states buying land in Africa and elsewhere to increase their food security.
The trend gained notoriety after Daewoo of South Korea attempted to purchase a large chunk of land in Madagascar, which helped to trigger a coup d’état in the African island country.
“Some of these countries are great partners in other areas, but having them buying land in Brazil creates some sort of sovereign risk for us. This is not part of our plan and we are not going to allow that” Rossi pointed out.
Brazil’s grain yield this year was expected to reach 150m-155m tons compared with 149m last year, Rossi said. This would include a bumper soybean crop of about 70m tons.
**********
I Love Brazil
May 28, 2011
SouthAmerica: Regarding the subject of farmland in Brazil: the Brazilian government should restrict the foreign ownership of farmland in Brazil.
SouthAmerica: Regarding the subject of farmland in Brazil: the Brazilian government should restrict the foreign ownership of farmland in Brazil.
Right now, on
Brazzil magazine on the comments section of this article, we have a
discussion about why foreigners should not own large pieces of land
inside Brazil.
In my opinion, the United States should have a federal law to restrict foreign ownership of farmland in the United States to avoid the Balkanization inside US territory.
And the same concept of Balkanization it applies to Brazil...
In my opinion, the United States should have a federal law to restrict foreign ownership of farmland in the United States to avoid the Balkanization inside US territory.
And the same concept of Balkanization it applies to Brazil...
***
May 28, 2011
SouthAmerica: Reply to Eight
We don't need the Balkanization of Brazil.
It is bad enough that they are going to have a plebiscite in the near future in an effort to break-up the State of Pará into 3 separate pieces: 1) State of Pará, 2) State of Carajás, and 3) State of Tapajós.
Their main objective is to create more bureaucracy, and more politicians at all levels for them to line up their pockets, and increase corruption even further in Brazil.
I hope the result of the plebiscite will be against the break-up of that state.
SouthAmerica: Reply to Eight
We don't need the Balkanization of Brazil.
It is bad enough that they are going to have a plebiscite in the near future in an effort to break-up the State of Pará into 3 separate pieces: 1) State of Pará, 2) State of Carajás, and 3) State of Tapajós.
Their main objective is to create more bureaucracy, and more politicians at all levels for them to line up their pockets, and increase corruption even further in Brazil.
I hope the result of the plebiscite will be against the break-up of that state.
**********
Brazzil Magazine – May 18, 2011
Brazil Isn't Ready to Replace the US
as Protector of Latin America
Written by Augustus Aurelianus
Severus
From comments section of the above
article:
Reply to ASP - foreigners should not
own large pieces of land inside Brazil
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 27, 2011
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 27, 2011
Ricardo: ASP, when I wrote this article, I wasn't suggesting for the Chinese to buy a massive amount of farmland in Brazil.
Nowhere in my article I suggested for them to buy farmland in Brazil.
I suggested that they would make an agreement with the Brazilian government to guarantee a certain amount of food for China on a annual basis.
The Chinese grasped very fast about what I was saying on my article regarding food production, freshwater supply and so on, and they didn't lose any time in securing as much farmland as they could in Brazil.
I am sorry this is happening, because I am against foreigners owning land in Brazil. It is OK if a foreign want to buy a small piece of land to have a Chacara to spend the weekends, but it not OK for foreigners to own a piece of land bigger than a certain established size.
The Brazilian government should pass a law for all foreigners to sell their land holdings bigger than a certain size in Brazil to a Brazilian in a period of 5 years. If at the end of 5 years any foreign land owner could not find a Brazilian buyer for his property, then the Brazilian government would buy at current market price.
That means that at the end of 5 years no foreigners would own land in Brazil which is bigger than a certain size.
*****
Brazzil Magazine – October 2007
"The Smartest Thing China Could Do Right Now: Invest US$ 200 Billion in Brazil" - Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
…The final conclusion is: It's imperative that China move forward in an aggressive fashion and implement with Brazil the plan described in this four-part series of articles. And China should look at it as a matter of national security and future survival.
Monday, 01 October 2007 - Part 1 of 4
Friday, 05 October 2007 - Part 2 of 4
Thursday, 11 October 2007 - Part 3 of
4
http://www.brazzil.com/component/content/article/184-october-2007/9983.html
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 - Part 4 of 4
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 - Part 4 of 4
***
Correction:
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 27, 2011
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 27, 2011
Ricardo: The Chinese grasped very fast what I was saying on my article regarding food production, freshwater supply and so on, and they didn't waste any time in securing as much farmland as they could in Brazil.
***
Reply to ASP - foreigners should not
own large pieces of land inside Brazil
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 28, 2011
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 28, 2011
Part 1 of 2
Ricardo: ASP, I have been saying for a long time on Brazzil magazine and on the Elite Trader Economics forum that the Brazilian government should restrict the foreign ownership of farmland in Brazil.
Years ago I remember people challenging me on Brazzil magazine and in the Elite Trader Economics forum and they asked me to show that there were similar laws in the United States to restrict foreign ownership of farmland in the United States.
Here is what I posted on the Elite Trader Economics Forum:
***
Reply to ASP - foreigners should not
own large pieces of land inside Brazil
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 28, 2011
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 28, 2011
Ricardo: By the way ASP, over the years I did start investigating the issue of similar laws in the United States to restrict foreign ownership of farmland in the United States, but it turned out to be very time consuming research, and I could not find a federal law in that regard in the USA, since that type of subject the government regulation is the responsibility of the individual states in the United States.
In my opinion, the United States should have a federal law to restrict foreign ownership of farmland in the United States to avoid the Balkanization inside US territory.
And the same concept of Balkanization it applies to Brazil, because eventually these people after taking ownership of the land they start trouble when they start movements to separate from Brazil.
***
Definition: Balkanization, or Balkanisation, is a geopolitical term originally used to describe the process of fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller regions or states that are often hostile or non-cooperative with each other.
***
The U.S. Military Industrial Complex
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 30, 2011
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, May 30, 2011
Ricardo: I just posted on my blog:
Monday, May 30, 2011
"The U.S. Military Industrial Complex"
Red Flag:
After reading all the above material and watch the videos, then you will understand that the United States might be setting the stage to create another Vietnam war this time around in South America.
"The U.S. is setting the stage to wage war against South America"
After reading all the above material and watch the videos, then you will understand that the United States might be setting the stage to create another Vietnam war this time around in South America.
"The U.S. is setting the stage to wage war against South America"
Alarm bells are ringing:
What has been happening in Libya in the last few months can happen to any country around the world - as long as your country is rich in natural resources, then your country might be the next prey of the United States.
What has been happening in Libya in the last few months can happen to any country around the world - as long as your country is rich in natural resources, then your country might be the next prey of the United States.
***
Reply to Joao da Silva
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, June 04, 2011
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, June 04, 2011
Joao da Silva: “invokes Monroe doctrine and shuts down the trade with the rest of the world. The U.S. can survive.”
*****
Ricardo: To answer your question: “The US can't survive.”
First, because the US imports over 60 percent of its internal oil needs.
Second, you go to any store here in the United States, and most things are made in China – for example 90 percent of the stuff sold on Walmart here in the US came from China.
Third, the death business is very important for the US economy – it's one of the few areas that the US still has an advantage against other countries – the US has over 60 percent of the global market share of military weapons. The bomb making and killing business is very important part of the US economy.
Finally, the United States is dependent in countries such as China, Japan and other suckers to finance its vast deficit spending, and keep the US economy afloat.
***
Ricardo
written by Ederson, June 10, 2011
written by Ederson, June 10, 2011
Ricardo, I like your style. You may
anger a lot of us with your alternate view of history and current
affairs, but you are an American, a Yankee, tried and true, and God
only knows how many of your citizens have paid the price so that
you can be different.
There seems to be an overbearing
number of countries on this planet where conformity seems to be a
virtue, but thank God you Yanks are different.
In addition, I know you love
Yankeeland, only a true patriot would care so much to expose what
he feels is wrong about his country, even though many disagree with
you. But the main point is that you take the time and make the
effort to ignite debate and discussion, and in the process inspire
the free flow of ideas that make us all wish at times we could be
Yanks, too. I don't care if you are right or wrong, but at least
you are thinking, and I'm glad you contribute to this blog. Indeed,
I've learned a great deal from you, even though at times I heartily
disagree.
Thank God for the nonconformist and those who believe in an alternate history and future, which, by the way, would appear to me to be the realm of someone who is truly free. John Wayne would be proud of you.
Thank God for the nonconformist and those who believe in an alternate history and future, which, by the way, would appear to me to be the realm of someone who is truly free. John Wayne would be proud of you.
***
Reply to Ederson
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, June 11, 2011
written by Ricardo C. Amaral, June 11, 2011
Ricardo: Thanks for
your friendship and constant support here on Brazzil magazine, but by
coincidence I posted the following yesterday on my Facebook wall:
Over the years I had to explain to the readers on the various magazines, and forums the following:
The editor of The Brasilians (the oldest Brazilian newspaper published here in the US) told me a few years ago that I was the most controversial writer that he had, and when people approached him at Brazilian functions around NY City and made a comment about an article usually was one of mine.
I have a thick skin since many of my articles over the years were very controversial and I got a lot emails sent direct to me, or letters to the editor regarding my articles. I still receive emails about these articles but today most people write their comments following the article on Brazzil magazine or on RGE Monitor. It is more fun that way because gives me a chance to clarify things that needs further clarification.
After a certain time you know most of the members who participate on the discussions on these forums, and you know where they stand on many issues - and you learn very quickly how to answer to these people according to their agenda and ideology.
I usually have a courteous and civil discussions on these forums and I respond in an abusive way only when I am provoked or insulted.
I am trying to use a semantics that it does not start class warfare or offend anyone here in our forum, because some members of this forum would take it personally, and then the message that I am trying to convey it would get lost on a futile discussion that is going nowhere.
I am not trying to insult anyone on this forum with my postings, (only the people who are disrespectful and insulting to me, and I have no use for those people, and on these cases then I go for the jugular vein every time, and you can count on that) or put down anyone who has less formal education than I have.
I know I have a sharp tong, and I take no prisoners, and my articles and my postings on various economic forums reflect that, but you can read all my articles published in the last 12 years, and you would find out that I am defending Brazil all the time, and in very rare occasions I criticize anything about Brazil.
I just go for the throat or for the “jugular vein” when someone attacks me and my family – or when someone attacks Brazil in an offensive way.
Over the years I had to explain to the readers on the various magazines, and forums the following:
The editor of The Brasilians (the oldest Brazilian newspaper published here in the US) told me a few years ago that I was the most controversial writer that he had, and when people approached him at Brazilian functions around NY City and made a comment about an article usually was one of mine.
I have a thick skin since many of my articles over the years were very controversial and I got a lot emails sent direct to me, or letters to the editor regarding my articles. I still receive emails about these articles but today most people write their comments following the article on Brazzil magazine or on RGE Monitor. It is more fun that way because gives me a chance to clarify things that needs further clarification.
After a certain time you know most of the members who participate on the discussions on these forums, and you know where they stand on many issues - and you learn very quickly how to answer to these people according to their agenda and ideology.
I usually have a courteous and civil discussions on these forums and I respond in an abusive way only when I am provoked or insulted.
I am trying to use a semantics that it does not start class warfare or offend anyone here in our forum, because some members of this forum would take it personally, and then the message that I am trying to convey it would get lost on a futile discussion that is going nowhere.
I am not trying to insult anyone on this forum with my postings, (only the people who are disrespectful and insulting to me, and I have no use for those people, and on these cases then I go for the jugular vein every time, and you can count on that) or put down anyone who has less formal education than I have.
I know I have a sharp tong, and I take no prisoners, and my articles and my postings on various economic forums reflect that, but you can read all my articles published in the last 12 years, and you would find out that I am defending Brazil all the time, and in very rare occasions I criticize anything about Brazil.
I just go for the throat or for the “jugular vein” when someone attacks me and my family – or when someone attacks Brazil in an offensive way.
**********
Here is information from my Blog:
Brazil and China
...The Brazilian government is right as
the article said: “Farmland is being treated as a strategic asset
on a par with oil.”
I wrote a lot on these subjects the
last few years, when I called for the “renationalization of
Petrobras” in one of my articles, and I wrote also regarding
farmland in Brazil and how it should be treated as an strategic asset
and foreigners should be limited as to the size of farmland they can
own in Brazil.
...It is not good for the national
interest in Brazil to let foreigners own farmland in Brazil, and the
Brazilian government should regulate it very closely, and restrict
the size of farmland that foreigners can own in Brazil.
In one of my articles I explain in
detail how the ball game has changed in the 21st century
regarding the subject of freshwater and farmland.
Brazzil
magazine
Brazzil magazine
is the most popular Brazilian magazine published outside of Brazil,
and only the major magazines in Brazil have more regular readers than
Brazzil magazine.
Brazzil magazine
is one of the most successful Brazilian magazines in the Internet,
and they reach an average of 50,000 readers per day. Brazzil magazine
usually has between 500 and 1,000 readers online about 24 hours per
day.
Most of my articles are about Brazilian history, the Brazilian economy, International economics, and foreign affairs, and I receive emails and letters to the editor regarding my articles from people in the United States, Canada, Asia, Middle East, Europe, and also from people in Brazil.
Since Brazzil magazine started publishing my articles about China (Brazzil Magazine - June 2, 2005 “While China Rises the US Falls in Brazil and Latin America” - Written by Ricardo C. Amaral), the market share of readers from China went from “zero” percent in May 2005 to about 45 percent of the readers on a regular basis since that time.
Today the largest number of people who reads Brazzil magazine on a regular basis are from China with about 45 percent market share of the readers of the magazine - And on Brazzil magazine I am reaching the market that I am interested in reaching with my articles – the Chinese market - I am reaching the Chinese market that is important to me and also to Brazil.
**********
Here is information about “land
rights in Brazil” from my Blog:
Monday, October 26, 2009
Andrada a Family of Revolutionaries
My reply to email received from Vitoria Saddi after she contacted me about her paper and her continuing research on land rights in Brazil.
July 22, 2008
Dear Vitoria,
I found the paper that you wrote: “When Do Land Rights Become Effective? Evidence From Brazil and Other Coffee Growing Regions” By Jeffrey B. Nugent and Vitoria Saddi – University of Southern California.
Paper to be presented at MIT September 27-28, 2002
http://www.isnie.org/ISNIE02/Papers02/nugent.pdf
I started reading your paper and I read from page 1 to 7.
You are writing about my family from 1822 to 1930.
First, Jose Bonifacio prepared the decrees that were signed in 1822 regarding land rights.
You can find the info at: “Obras Cientificas, Politicas e Sociais de Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva” By Edgar de Cerqueira Falcao (There are 3 volumes) but you can find this info on Vol. II pg. 251 – 252.
My great/great grandfather was the richest man in Brazil during his lifetime – and he also was the largest landowner in Brazil. (The Barao of Souza Queiroz.)
His father the Brigadeiro Luiz Antonio was one of the richest men in Portugal before he came to Brazil a little before the Royal Family in the early 1800’s.
The state of Sao Paulo was ruled by my family from the early 1800’s to the mid-1930’s, and you can read about it at:
Brazzil magazine - January 2003
“The Brazilian Ruling Class”
http://brazil-leaderoftheamericas.blogspot.com/2005/01/brazilian-ruling-class.html
...In 1816 he met a very wealthy man to help him with the finance—the Brigadier Luiz Antonio de Souza who was a pioneer in the development of the São Paulo economy. The Brigadier had introduced to the province a new system of banking credit. They became partners in a company called Vergueiro & Souza; Vergueiro contributed his two farms, and the Brigadier contributed the financing.
In April 23, 1821, when the new provisory government of the São Paulo province was formed, Vergueiro was chosen as Minister of Agriculture of the new government.
… Vergueiro was against slavery, and he was the first farmer in Brazil, starting in 1840, to bring over three thousand immigrants from Germany to work as farm hands in the country. After a very distinguished career, Vergueiro died in Rio de Janeiro, on September 18, 1859.
Senator Vergueiro became one of the 3 regents in 1828 when D. Pedro I abdicated on behalf of his 5-year old son. And he requested to not be reappointed in 1832 as a regent because he wanted to go back to manage his businesses.
Senator Vergeiro’s daughter was my great great grandmother and she married the Barao de Souza Queiroz and had 13 children of which my great grandfather was the youngest of the bunch.
Olavo Egydio Setubal (the major shareholder of Banco Itau) is also a great great grandson of the Barao of Souza Queiroz. Olavo Setubal is descendent of the oldest son of the Barao of Souza Queiroz.
Last year our family published “Album de Familia Souza Queiroz” and in that book you have the story of that side of the family including their land holdings – all 13 children inherited a large farm and the rest of land holdings I believe they became part of the Institute Ana Rosa- which is one of the best charitable institutions in the emerging markets and they have been operating for over 130 years and our family controls that institution.
The book also mention all the politicians of our family including governors, senators and so forth and the cities that were started in the state of Sao Paulo by our family. The book also mention the railroad and navigation company owned by the Barao of Souza Queiroz, and his bank “Banco Comercio Industria” among other investments in warehouses and so forth….
You can find the information about these books at:
http://www.jbcultura.com.br/
1) Familia Souza
Queiroz
2) Album de
Familia Souza Queiroz
3) They also have
various books about the Institute Ana Rosa.
On page 9 of your paper you mentioned the evolutionary theory of property rights and you talk about that the property rights might arise in people as in slavery. And you mention slavery emancipation in 1888.
My family had the most impact on the subject of slavery in Brazil than anyone else starting with Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva and his brother Martim Francisco, and later Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (The Young).
Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (The Young) was a son of Martim Francisco and grandson of Jose Bonifacio (The Patriarch of Independence). The daughter of Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (O Moco) her name was Maria Flora de Andrada e Silva – she got married with the youngest son of the Barao of Souza Queiroz.
Maria Flora de Andrada e Silva and the youngest son of the Barao of Souza Quiroz were the parents of my grandmother.
In another words Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (O Moco) is my great great grandfather. Besides being one of the most famous literary figures of his time in Brazil he was also a senator and his claim to fame on the floor of the senate was his fight to end slavery in Brazil. You can read about him at:
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Bonif%C3%A1cio%2C_o_Mo%C3%A7o
As you can see we had a very close family relationship between the “Andrada Family” and the “Souza Queiroz Family”. The Andrada Family had been against slavery since the early 1800’s and it was one of the major reasons why Jose Bonifacio was exiled from Brazil.
The Barao of Souza Queiroz was one of the major slave owners in Brazil, since he had so much land. But his partner Senator Vergueiro who had a very close relationship with Jose Bonifacio and the Andrada Family going back decades, he was also against slavery.
As I mentioned above Senator Vergueiro was the first person in Brazil who started importing labor from Europe to work on his vast farms in Sao Paulo state and he started that trend in 1840 almost 50 years before the emancipation of slavery in Brazil.
And one of the reasons why that became possible it was because keeping slaves is a very expensive proposition (since the owner of the slaves are responsible for all their expenses including feeding, healthcare, and so on.) At that point had started being cheaper for the farmers to import labor from Europe since the farmer had to pay only wages to this people and there were plenty of people willing to come and work.
By 1888 at the time of slavery emancipation in Brazil it was cheaper for a farmer to hire workers than the up keep of the slaves. The farmers did not put a fight to end slavery in Brazil around 1888 and they made their decision based more on economic reasons than anything else.
I just checked very quickly the other pages and I noticed on Pg. 15 that you mentioned Senator Vergueiro – but the information that I gave you is the correct information our family has all documented – the year was 1840 and he brought 3,000 German immigrants to work on his farm.
I noticed that you compared Sao Paulo and Minas and Rio on Pg. 31, it seems to me that you were trying to find some kind of justification why other states could not replicate the success of Sao Paulo.
I will give to you the reason in a nutshell:
My great/great grandfather Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (O Moco), his father Martim Francisco, and Jose Bonifacio (The Patriarch) the base of their political power was in Sao Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro.
Jose Bonifacio had been Prime Minister, vice president of the province of Sao Paulo, and deputado representing Sao Paulo. Martin Francisco had been deputado also for Sao Paulo, and he was Finance Minister of Brazil in 2 different occasions. And I am not mentioning Antonio Carlos the other brother of Jose Bonifacio who also had been deputado, and he started a revolution for Brazil’s independence in the North of Brazil in 1817, and also became Prime Minister when D. Pedro II was emancipated – Martim Francisco and Antonio Carlos were responsible for the emancipation of D. Pedro II, and his brother Jose Bonifacio had died in 1838. (I will quote below some information about it from my book about Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva, but I am not a descendant of Antonio Carlos.)
Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (O Moco) (1827 – 1886) had a younger brother called Antonio Carlos Ribeiro de Andrada (1836 – 1893), and this brother had to move to Minas Gerais for health reasons. Today we still have many politicians in Minas Gerais who are descendants of Antonio Carlos and you can see the entire Andrada Family three at:
https://acrobat.com/app.html#d=kiW2lx87VsGmANWSnm7m9A
This information is part of the info about my cousin Deputado Federal Bonifácio José Tamm de Andrada :
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonif%C3%A1cio_Jos%C3%A9_Tamm_de_Andrada
As I mentioned to you what really made all the difference was the fact that the Barao of Souza Queiroz besides being a great businessman he also was the richest man in Brazil.
The Barao of Souza Queiroz was a senator representing the state of Sao Paulo and up to today he still is the person who was a senator for the longest time in Brazilian history – he still was a senator when he died after being a senator for 42 years.
****
When I started reading your paper the first thing that came to mind was the size of Brazil and the size of its population during the period 1800 to 1930.
I noticed also the info about your PhD dissertation – The Role of Coffee in the Creation of Institutions in Brazil (1830 – 1930).
I remember seeing Hernando de Soto – the Peruvian economist – talking about his book “The Mystery of Capital” on the talk show circuit on American TV.
I remember the point he was trying to make about property rights and if these people could register the property then they could use as collateral for loans and so on, creating a lot of wealth and lifting all the boats……
But at the end of the day the reality is that these poor people would end up selling their property at a bargain price and a handful of people would end up owning the entire pie.
Giving property rights to all these people who live on the land like the favelas surrounding Rio de Janeiro – just would make easier for a few people to buy them out and take over the entire area in no time.
In that case the property rights would not help the poor people as he argued, but it would make easier for the property to be taken away from them.
By the way, why are you so worried about property rights in Brazil?
The landowners and property owners are the people who should be worried about because of the “Sem Terra” and the “Sem Teto.”
Now quoting from my book: “Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva – The Greatest Man in Brazilian History” by Ricardo C. Amaral – “José Bonifacio was against slavery, and he wanted to free the slaves. He was also in favor of major agrarian reform. These two issues which José Bonifácio was fighting so hard for, it would have shaken the Brazilian economy of his time to its foundations. If he were able to end slavery and get his agrarian reform proposal passed, the result would have been that the Brazilian economy would have to go through a major restructuring. These would have been radical changes to the structure of the Brazilian economy of his time and these changes made everyone involved very worried including the landowners, slaveowners, and slave traders, and these were a very powerful groups of people of his day.”
I am sure you are aware that Jose Bonifacio wanted major agrarian reform in Brazil and I am sending you a copy of a letter that I sent to the editor of The New York Times after they pissed me off with one of their negative articles about Brazil. (see attachment)
I have a question for you.
Why are you so concerned with land rights in Brazil?
I am thinking about writing an article saying that the Brazilian government should limit the amount of land that foreigners can buy in Brazil, and after a certain size foreigners can be only minority shareholders in land ownership in Brazil.
What kind of information about land rights are you requesting from Vale do Rio Doce?
You seem to know a lot about land rights in Brazil.
I hope the enclosed information might be of help to you.
Best regards,
Ricardo C. Amaral
PS: Quoting from my book about the biography of Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva regarding the emancipation of Dom Pedro II:
Martin Francisco and Antonio Carlos
Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada: He was born on June 19, 1775 in Santos, Province of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He died on February 23, 1844.Antonio Carlos Ribeiro de Andrada Machado e Silva: He was born on November 1, 1773 in Santos, Province of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He died in 1845.
Antonio Carlos was working in Olinda, Pernambuco Province as a magistrate when a Republican Revolution broke out in that province in 1817. He was asked to the leadership of that revolution. He even sent a letter to Jose Bonifacio in Portugal dated April 14, 1817 describing what was happening. In that letter he mentioned how well the revolution had turned out.
A short time later Jose Bonifacio found out that the revolution in Pernambuco had been a disaster for the revolutionists. Most of the leaders of that revolution had been hanged. The only reason they spared Antonio Carlos' life was because they knew he was a brother of Jose Bonifacio. (The revolution in Pernambuco was crushed by the Portuguese and lasted only 75 days)
Antonio Carlos spent four years in jail for participating in that revolution. When Jose Bonifacio returned to
Brazil at the end of 1819, his brother Antonio Carlos was still in prison in the province of Bahia.
After Jose Bonifacio's death in 1838 his brothers Martim Francisco and Antonio Carlos continued their political careers. The political situation was a mess in Brazil in April 1840. The "Andrada" brothers and other liberal leaders organized a secret club to promote the emancipation of Dom Pedro II.
The Andradas began to organize public demonstrations in support of the emancipation of Dom Pedro II, and engaged in debate using the press to get further public support.
Disregarding the pleas from the leader of the government for postponement, a joint session of Congress invested Dom Pedro with imperial authority on July 23, 1840. The young Prince was fourteen years old. He took the oath to uphold the Constitution and from then on he was Emperor Pedro II.
Unlike his father, Dom Pedro II had been born and educated in Brazil. His tutors, starting with Jose Bonifacio, exposed him to heavy doses of Enlightenment thought. During his later years in power some political commentators referred to Dom Pedro II's government as the best republican government in the Americas.
When the Emperor Dom Pedro II formed his first cabinet of ministers in 1840, he rewarded the Andrada brothers by appointing Antonio Carlos as the Prime Minister, and Martim Francisco as the Finance Minister.
Martim Francisco died on February 23, 1844. He was almost sixty-nine years old at the time of his death.
Antonio Carlos died a year later in 1845. He was almost seventy-two years old. He had just been elected Senator to represent the State of Pernambuco at the time of his death.
**********
Note: In the past, going back even more than 15 years ago, I always suggested that the Brazilian government should have laws “Limiting Foreign Ownership of Land in Brazil” - at that time the subject came up because of the foreign land ownership in Brazil by Rev. Sun Myung Moon and his Unification Church.
Here
are some articles about that subject as follows:
The New York Times - May 10, 2003
Brazil: Sun Myung Moon Land Under Seal
The
police entered a farm in Mato Grosso do Sul belonging to Rev. Sun
Myung Moon, leader of the Unification Church, and sealed it. They
also blocked him from selling nine other properties over
environmental concerns. The move, they said, was to force Mr. Moon to
carry out environmental impact studies for developments on the
properties, on the fringes of the world's largest wetlands, the
Pantanal. ''It is a region which has a highly fragile environment,''
said Alexandre Ruslan, a prosecutor in Matto Grosso do Sul, where Mr.
Moon bought 138,000 acres in the 1990's. Mr. Ruslan said Mr. Moon has
built roads and buildings and has cut down forests, but has failed to
carry out environmental studies.
Source:
*****
Brazil seals
off farm belonging to Rev. Sun Myung Moon
Brasilia, Brazil -- Brazilian authorities sealed off a farm belonging to Rev. Sun Myung Moon on Friday and blocked the religious leader from selling nine other properties over environmental concerns.
Prosecutors said police entered the farm and sealed it in a move to force Moon's Unification Church to carry out environmental impact studies of developments on his properties on the fringes of the world's largest wetlands, the Pantanal.
"It is a region which has a highly fragile environment," said Alexandre Ruslan, a prosecutor in the state of Matto Grosso do Sul where Moon bought 138,000 acres (56,000 hectares) of farm and swampland in the 1990s.
Ruslan alleged Moon built roads, buildings and cut down forests, but failed to carry out environmental impact studies on his properties where the South Korean religious leader has developed a closed-door community for his followers.
His Unification Church was not available for comment.
The Pantanal is a 96,500 square-mile (250,000 square-km) wetland flooding area that is home to many exotic and threatened animal species, like jaguars and alligators.
*****
Where in South America is Sun Myung Moon?
By David Keating - November 5, 2004
...Paraguayans accuse Moon of carving
out an empire of smack
Exerpt:
"Since 1999, Rev Moon has built his personal empire which begins on the marshy banks of the River Paraguay and stretches beyond the hazy, level horizon through 600,000 hectares of arid land - equivalent to more than two Luxembourgs - punctuated by solitary clusters of withered trees and sad bushes which struggle desperately for air.
The scorching sun beats relentlessly on one of Latin America's most desolate zones. It is here in the northern province of Chaco, directly above the GuaranI aquifer, the largest resource of fresh drinking water in the world, where Moon's associates claim he wishes to build an ecological paradise.
Nevertheless, national Senator Domingo Laino sees a different pattern in Moon's acquisitions. "There are two principal branches to Moon's interest in Paraguay," he said, "control of the largest fresh drinking water source in the world and control of the narcotics business", which is so prevalent in this area. "President Lula told me that Brazil took serious measures to curb Moon a few years back as it became evident that he was buying up the border between our two countries," said the senator.
Allegations from local law enforcement officials support this claim. The so-called Dr Montiel, Paraguay's drugs tsar from 1976-89, said: "The fact that they came and bought in Chaco and on both sides of the Brazilian border is very telling. It is an enormously strategic point in both the narcotics and arms trades and indeed the available intelligence clearly shows that the Moon sect is involved in both these enterprises." "
Exerpt:
"Not content with expanses of potentially invaluable land, Rev Moon has also taken over entire towns, including factories and homes. In Puerto Casado, tensions between Moon disciples and locals led to violent confrontation over the last year following the closure of the only source of work, a lumber factory, and the dismissal of 19 workers who tried to form a union in order to demand an eight-hour day and the national minimum wage of GBP 80 sterling per month.
According to Senator Emilio Camacho: "The Moon sect is a mafia. They seek to subvert government control and are effectively building a state within a state. I believe they are hoping the local population will leave so they have unquestioned authority in the zone and are free to do whatever they want." "
****************
Copyright
© 2012 by Ricardo C. Amaral - All rights reserved.
He can be reached at:
brazilamaral@yahoo.com
.
My apologies if I insulted you during our discussions, but you pissed me off when you told me to stay away from my country.
The editor of The Brasilians (the oldest Brazilian newspaper published here in the US) told me a few years ago that I was the most controversial writer that he had, and when people approached him at Brazilian functions around NY City and made a comment about an article usually was one of mine.
I have a thick skin since many of my articles over the years were very controversial and I got a lot emails sent direct to me, or letters to the editor regarding my articles. I still receive emails about these articles but today most people write their comments following the article. It is more fun that way because gives me a chance to clarify things that needs further clarification.
I usually have courteous and civil discussions on these forums and I respond in an abusive way only when I am provoked.
I wish you good luck with your Brazilian investment but I hope you have not invested in agricultural land in Brazil.
Brazil needs to close the door on agriculture land owned by foreigners – and the current foreigners who own agricultural land in Brazil will have 5 years to sell their land to a Brazilian.
You would be surprised to find out how many countries around the world are reevaluating their national laws regarding land ownership by foreigners. I was surprised to find out that even states here in the United States are closing that door, but they give 5 years for the foreigner to sell their holdings.
We have a new game going on in the global economy and the rules of the game are changing very fast and they are being adapted to the new ball game of the 21st Century.
Best regards,
Ricardo