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What went wrong with Brazil?

How did Brazil's boom years turn to dust? David Baker investigates and asks if there are wider lessons for developing countries across the world.

During Brazil's boom years the country's rising economy created a new middle class of gigantic proportions - tens of millions escaping from poverty. Brazil felt confident and even rich enough to bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. But then the economy turned.

In the last two years the country has endured its worst recession on record. Rio de Janeiro - the city that hosted the Olympics - is bankrupt. Many communities don't have functioning schools or clinics. Corruption is endemic.

David Baker, a regular visitor to Brazil, travels to Rio De Janeiro and S茫o Paulo to find out where it went all wrong for the country, what's holding it back from being a great economic power and what the wider lessons are for developing countries across the world.

Producer: Alex Lewis.

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30 minutes

Last on

Sun 25 Jun 2017 21:30

Broadcasts

  • Mon 19 Jun 2017 20:30
  • Sun 25 Jun 2017 21:30

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