Mario Osava

Stories written by Mario Osava
Mario Osava has been an IPS correspondent since 1978, first from Portugal, then from Brazil starting in 1980. He has covered events and processes all throughout Brazil and has recently been engaged in covering major infrastructural projects that reflect opportunities for development and South American integration. | Twitter |

BRAZIL: Lula Continues Work on Building a South-South Axis

By Mario Osava

First it was South America, with an intense schedule of visits since he took office on Jan. 1, and then came five countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Now Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has sights set on five Arab nations, and in January it will be India's turn.

DEVELOPMENT: ‘Debt for Science’, Urges Brazil

By Mario Osava

A portion of developing countries' foreign debt payments should be channelled towards investments in their own national education, science and technology programmes, says Brazilian minister Roberto Amaral.

BRAZIL: Deportee Warns of ‘Arbitrary’ U.S. Immigration Policies

By Mario Osava

"I have never felt so angry, humiliated and powerless in my life, and I think it will take me a long time to absorb what happened," said Brazilian cardiologist Marcia Barbosa after being deported from the United States.

DEVELOPMENT-BRAZIL: Harnessing Rainwater, a Rural and Urban Solution

By Mario Osava

Rainwater catchment is providing solutions to chronic water shortages in two vastly different parts of Brazil: impoverished rural areas of the semi-arid northeast and the rich metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest city.

EDUCATION: Expiration Dates and Refresher Courses for Graduates

By Mario Osava

University degrees should have a sort of ''expiration date'', and professionals should be required to renew them every five years by taking refresher courses, to keep up in a world where knowledge is expanding at a dizzying pace.

AGRICULTURE-BRAZIL: Lula Under Pressure for Land Reform

By Mario Osava

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva promised to settle 400,000 landless families on small farms of their own over the next three years.

SCIENCE-BRAZIL: Cow Clones ‘a la Natural’

By Mario Osava

Many people are disappointed when they meet Vitoria and Lenda, the first cows cloned in Latin America. "They're just like any others," tends to be the reaction when one first sees the two at the experimental farm of Sucupira, 30 km from Brasilia.

TRADE-AMERICAS: Mercosur Defends Autonomy Despite Internal Dissent

By Mario Osava

A balanced Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) marked by a spirit of reciprocity is what the members of South America's Mercosur trade bloc are seeking, despite internal dissent.

/ARTS WEEKLY/ BRAZIL: Ageing Newcomer Melds Classical into Pop Music

By Mario Osava

Music is the area of the cultural industry in which Brazil remains dominant on the domestic market, even in these times of globalisation. Three-quarters of music sales are nationally-produced albums, including those of the multifaceted but little-known José Miguel Wisnik.

Brazil's Cow Clones 'a la Natural'

By Mario Osava and - -

Tierramérica visited the home of the two cows cloned in Brazil. So far, Vitoria and Lenda are healthy. The lessons learned from their cloning could contribute to the use of embryos in human regenerative therapy, say scientists.

TRADE: Brazil Pushes for Flexibility in FTAA Talks

By Mario Osava

Flexibility is the key aspect that Brazil would like to see incorporated into the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) in order to take into account the diverse realities of the 34 countries involved and enable each one to accept or reject commitments on the touchiest issues.

AGRICULTURE-BRAZIL: African Forage Invades the Pampas

By Mario Osava

The transfer of plants and animals to new ecosystems can present unknown dangers, turning into a biological invasion with heavy environmental and economic costs. Such is the story of lovegrass, or ox grass, an African forage plant that found its way to the Brazilian pampas.

DEVELOPMENT: Brazilian Social Forum Puts Lula in the Dock

By Mario Osava

The Brazilian Social Forum, a national gathering of social movements and non-governmental organisations, had some hard words for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the economic policy his leftist Workers' Party (PT) government has implemented in the 10 months since he took office.

African Forage Invades Brazilian Pampas

By Mario Osava and - -

African lovegrass has taken the place of native forage plants in several Brazilian states, and has spread to Uruguay and Argentina. Agronomists are experimenting with using buffalo to control it.

DEVELOPMENT: Brazilians Hold First National Social Forum

By Mario Osava

Deprived for the first time of hosting the World Social Forum, Brazil's social organisations are holding a national debate this week on their work and their future.

AGRICULTURE-BRAZIL: A New Colossus in Global Markets

By Mario Osava

Brazil's leadership in the fight to liberalise international agricultural markets is motivated by an important fact: the South American giant wants to give free rein to its enormous export potential, which currently runs into farm protectionism, particularly in the industrialised North.