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Global research shows that Brazil preserves the strength of the Brazil brand in tourism, culture, and economic opportunities, but loses trust due to institutional instability, insecurity, and negative perception of government and leadership, a challenge that affects international reputation and project continuity amid current Brazilian political disputes.
Brazil appears in a global survey with a difficult-to-ignore contrast: it is admired for its culture, tourism, internationally recognized values, and economic opportunities, but still faces distrust when it comes to political stability, security, and public leadership.
The survey, conducted by the consultancy On Strategy and highlighted in a special report by CNN Brasil in May 2026, interviewed more than 470,000 people, both Brazilians and foreigners. The results show that the Brazil brand is strong, but still needs to transform potential into predictability to gain a more solid reputation on the international stage.
Research shows an admired country, but seen as unstable
The research indicates that Brazil carries important positive attributes. Culture, tourism, economy, and national values appear as elements capable of sustaining a strong image abroad, especially when the country is observed by visitors, investors, and commercial partners.
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At the same time, the survey reveals a perception of instability. Brazilians themselves rated the political, economic, and social environment of the country at 5.5, on a scale of 0 to 10. Among foreigners, the evaluation was even lower, at 5.2.
This contrast summarizes the paradox of the Brazil brand. The country arouses interest, admiration, and curiosity, but also provokes caution when the subject involves institutional trust, continuity of public policies, and long-term planning capability.
In practice, the international image does not depend solely on landscapes, culture, or market size. It is also built by the sense of legal security, political stability, transparency, and predictability for those who wish to visit, invest, or do business.
Political distrust weighs on the country’s image
One of the most sensitive points of the survey is the evaluation of government and leadership. Brazilians and foreigners gave close and low scores for this item, just above five, indicating a perception of institutional fragility.
The reading by experts interviewed in the report is that instability reduces admiration and trust. When there is a sense of permanent conflict, uncertainty, or lack of direction, Brazil’s image loses strength even when other sectors perform well.
Political distrust does not only affect public opinion. It influences decisions by companies, funds, foreign governments, and professionals who view the country as a destination for investment, work, tourism, or commercial expansion.
This point also appears in the experience of Brazilians who decide to venture outside the country. Even recognizing potential in the Brazilian market, many see instability as a barrier to planning businesses securely.
Lack of continuity hinders long-term projects
The research also reinforces an old problem: Brazil still faces difficulty in consolidating state projects with continuity. Long-lasting public policies help create trust because they show that certain areas do not change completely with each political cycle.
Experts cite examples like the SUS and Brazilian foreign policy as areas where predictability has become an asset. These cases show that when there is continuity, the country can convey more stability even in tense contexts.
For investors, continuity means less risk. Companies and funds need to calculate scenarios, estimate returns, plan operations, and predict costs. When the rules seem to change too much, capital tends to seek more predictable destinations.
This does not mean the absence of democratic debate or change of priorities. The central point is the ability to maintain stable strategic directions, regardless of the political disputes of the moment.
Economy remains on the radar despite obstacles
Even with institutional distrust, Brazil continues to attract international interest. Sectors like infrastructure, energy, and agribusiness appear as areas with a positive perception and potential to receive investments.
The relationship with Arab funds and companies, for example, was cited as a sign that the country still has much to offer. Brazil combines a large consumer market, natural resources, productive capacity, and strategic sectors for external partners.
The challenge is to transform interest into long-term commitment. For this, it is not enough to show opportunities; it is necessary to reduce doubts about rules, security, governance, stability, and the business environment.
The research shows that the country does not suffer from a lack of potential. The problem lies in converting this strength into continuous trust, capable of enduring governments, crises, and electoral cycles without shaking the national reputation.
Tourism is an asset, but insecurity still limits perception
The tourist image of Brazil remains strong. The country is associated with culture, landscapes, diversity, hospitality, and experiences that spark the interest of foreigners. This is one of the most important pillars of the national brand.
However, insecurity appears as a recurring obstacle. Even when the visitor admires the country, the perception of risk can weigh on the decision to travel, move around certain regions, or recommend the destination to others.
The Brazil brand wins when tourism enchants, but loses when security raises doubts. This applies to both foreigners and Brazilians, because the reputation of a destination depends on the real experience and the perception formed before the trip.
In this scenario, improving the international image also involves urban policies, public security, infrastructure, institutional communication, and continuity in tourism promotion. Reputation is not built solely with campaigns, but with consistent experience.
The paradox of the Brazil brand
The survey with more than 470,000 people shows that Brazil lives a paradox: it has strong attributes to be admired, but still faces barriers that prevent its reputation from reaching its full potential.
The country is seen as rich in culture, tourism, opportunities, and relevant economic sectors. At the same time, political distrust, insecurity, and lack of continuity reduce the strength of this image abroad.
The central issue is not whether Brazil has value, but whether it can convey enough confidence to sustain that value over time. Without predictability, admiration exists, but may not translate into investment, recurring tourism, or stronger international influence.
Therefore, the Brazil brand depends on a difficult combination: preserving its cultural and economic differentials while improving institutions, security, planning, and public communication.
What is missing for Brazil to become confidence
Brazil has advantages that few countries can gather: cultural diversity, tourism strength, a relevant market, strategic economic sectors, and international recognition. But the research indicates that these assets still coexist with an image marked by caution.
To strengthen its reputation, the country needs to transform potential into continuity, instability into predictability, and admiration into confidence. This is the point that separates a well-known brand from a brand respected in a lasting way.
The question remains whether Brazil will be able to use its cultural, economic, and tourist strength to overcome political distrust and insecurity in the international view. Do you think the country’s image in the world has improved, worsened, or remains stuck with the same problems? Leave your opinion in the comments.
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