A special kind of country. Brazil is a special sort of country: across the world, and in Europe in particular, it enjoys matchless “friendship capital”. Everything contributes to this: things that can at first sight seem trivial (but are more significant than the over-serious believe), like the atmosphere of the Rio Carnival or the world popularity of the champions of football, and its undeniable contributions to civilisation and culture, such as its role as a pioneer in practising of a...