· January, 2012

Stories about Brazil from January, 2012

Brazil: Sex Scandal on Big Brother Provokes Debate on Machismo

  30 January 2012

The live broadcast of an alleged rape on the TV show with the highest ratings in Brazil on 14th January, with no immediate intervention by TV Globo, led thousands of internet users to declare their disgust and outrage, but also provoked an important debate on machismo and sex education in the country.

Brazil: “Massacre of Pinheirinho” Causes an Uproar

  25 January 2012

The violent eviction of the community of Pinheirinho, in the city of São José dos Campos, in the state of São Paulo, became known as "Massacre of Pinheirinho" after a demonstration of violence and brutality by the police in the expulsion and intimidation of residents dumped in the midst of a huge legal mess.

A Guide to Crowdsourcing in Latin America

  21 January 2012

Crowdsourcing allows anyone with an Internet connection to generate useful content for the masses. In Latin America, numerous crowdsourcing projects have arisen that respond to the needs and emergencies that the continent is facing. Jacinto Lajas on Periodismo Ciudadano presents examples of these initiatives in the region.

Brazil: Toll Roads, Constitutional or Too Much?

  20 January 2012

After the approval of the Urban Mobility Law in the beginning of 2012, a discussion surrounding toll roads in all national territory came back into play. According to the law, cities will be able to charge an “urban toll” with the intention of diminishing automobile traffic and improve circulation around the cities. However, the implementation of yet another toll makes internal mobility impracticable for a portion of the population, given that several important federal and state highways have already been privatized.

Brazil: Movement Claims Right for Public Space During Carnival

  19 January 2012

The Carnival of Salvador, in Brazil, is one of the biggest street parties in the world. People from the city, however, have been fed up by the excess of commercialization and the transformation of public spaces into private provisional balconies. Organizing themselves through Facebook and Twitter protesters took action on January 14 demanding for private companies to withdraw their infra-structures from the streets.

Brazil: Student Protests Against Bus Fare Increases in Piaui

  14 January 2012

Since the beginning of the year, thousands of students have been protesting against the increase in bus fares in the capital of the state of Piaui. The demonstrators are forcefully kept down by the Military Police. They have reacted by setting fire to at least one bus, and dozens of students have been arrested.

About our Brazil coverage

Fernanda Canofre
Fernanda Canofre is the Brazil editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.