I fly to Brazil 6x + a year, for 9 years now, i see many more brazilians on board now than ever before, my flight today was probably 80% brazo.. and the flights are always packed, more than ever. Check the fares this month, GIG-MIA or GRU-DFW, outbound prices from brazil are extremely high and people are paying for it. These aren't all brazillionaires, these are middle class ppl on family holidays. Their middle class is rapidly growing, currency at it's strongest vs usd in a decade, property values soaring. Of course the poorest of the poor isn't on this ride but the rich in Brazil are getting really really rich now, and the middle class is catching up faster than ever before. I know a lot of Brazilians - the ones who can afford international travel don't dream about coming to live illegally in the US. They come for a holiday, shop a LOT, and go home. Prices are high there, and domestic travel is really expensive. Intl travel/shopping with a strong R$ is attractive. Those without visas for US travel, they go to Europe to do the same. with VWP they'd come here as well. The economics have changed since Brazil lost it's VWP, need to give it another chance. if it works out, we (the US) stand to gain the most. US travel to brazil, i don't think it would change all that much. I've never heard of a Brazil visa being denied to a US citizen while For Brazilians, it's much different. You've no idea there what the US consulate will tell you, regardless of your job, your property, your bank balance (all which we required to be disclosed at the US visa interview), there's no telling what the outcome will be. The only guarantee is that it will cost you $120usd and you will stand in line for hours. Many ppl just don't want the hassle, and would just as soon visit Paris or Madrid or London, where they don't need a visa.
interesting lately, friends there who have renewed US visas this year have all been given B1 B2 status, 10 years. Know a cpl of people who have recently applied for their first US visa and received the same.