· February, 2012

Stories about Brazil from February, 2012

Video Highlights: Defending Human Rights

  28 February 2012

A selection of Global Voices' recent and interesting stories on video advocacy including indigenous rights and recent news from Latin America, East Asia, Western Europe and Sub Saharan Africa selected by Juliana Rincón Parra.

Brazil: Visually Impaired Dancers Become Ballet Professionals

  28 February 2012

Pierre Larose, on his blog Discovering São Paulo, shares a video report on ‘a ballet school in São Paulo which has developed a method of “teaching by touch” in order to develop professional ballet dancers who are blind or visually impaired’. He adds that in 12 years approximately 300 dancers...

Brazil: The Deficient Prison Systems of the Americas

  24 February 2012

Under the Brazilian Sun is a documentary on the current state of the Brazilian penitentiary system. In the aftermath of the tragic prison fire in Honduras that killed 350 inmates, prison escapes in Peru and riots in Mexican jails, coming up with solutions to this situation becomes more relevant than ever.

Brazil: Quilombo Community in Bahia About to Be Evicted

  22 February 2012

One of the oldest slave descendent communities in Brazil, Quilombo Rio dos Macacos, has a date for its eviction: March 4, 2012. The claim for the land comes from the Navy of Brazil, that intends to broaden a condo for its officers in that territory, in the state of Bahia.

Brazil: Global Act “We Are All Pinheirinho”

  22 February 2012

A global act in solidarity with the population expelled from their homes at the Pinheirinho community has been called on Facebook for Thursday, February 23. The idea is to demonstrate in front of Brazilian consulates and embassies all over the world.  

Brazil: “Massacre of Pinheirinho”, One Month Later

  22 February 2012

Blogger Giambatista Brito recalls [pt] the one month anniversary of the “Massacre of Pinheirinho“. On the morning of Sunday, January 22, 2012, thousands of families where expelled from their homes with violence by the military police, in the city of são José dos Campos, state of São Paulo, Brazil.

The “Brazilebanese”, or Brazilians from Lebanon

  20 February 2012

The return of Lebanese immigrants and their Brazilian families to Lebanon has resulted in the creation of an important community of "Brazilebanese". This community has been making efforts to keep ties with Brazil through the Portuguese language, which has more speakers than Arabic in some villages.

Brazil: LGBT AIDS Prevention Campaign Excluded From TV

  17 February 2012

Marcelo Gerald, from the blog Eleições Hoje, comments [pt] on the alleged censorship by the Brazilian Ministry of Health of a recently launched campaign on AIDS prevention, focused on the LGBT public. He posts some of the videos that were excluded from the TV a few days after the campaign...

Brazil: Is the Weather Wacky?

  9 February 2012

Talking about the weather may be mere elevator chit-chat but, come rain or shine, there is no honest conversation that does not make some reference to the weather. Obviously the online community could not remain silent on the issue. Especially not in the face of Brazil's readying for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20.

Brazil: New Minister Denounces Torture Against Her Daughter

  8 February 2012

Blogger and writer Antônio Mello reproduces a denouncement [pt] by the new Minister of the Special Secretariat for Women, Eleonora Menicucci, in which she says that her 1 year old daughter was tortured during the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964-1985)  in 1972, in front of her.

Brazil: Folha, The Second Best-Selling Newspaper

  7 February 2012

Teacher Chico Bicudo [pt] and journalist Lino Bocchini from the blog Desculpe a Nossa Falha [pt] comment on the fact that the newspaper Folha de São Paulo still declares itself as the number one newspaper in Brazil while the country's institute that verifies the circulation of newspapers denies it.

Brazil: Indigenous Guarani Kaiowá's Letter Asks for Survival

  7 February 2012

Blogger Sonia Matuscelli posts a letter [pt] written by the leaders of the Guarani-Kaiowá people of the Ñanderu Laranjeira-Rio Brilhante settlement, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, saying that they “want to physically and culturally survive as a Brazilian original people”, in face of the genocide they...

Brazil: Footage of violent removal of homeless by São Paulo police

  6 February 2012

The first video footage came out from this morning's forceful removal of families awaiting assistance from city hall on a São Paulo sidewalk. A police officer peppersprays the woman filming. Then a citizen reporter interviews Manoel del Rio, lawyer for the social movement, who has an gaping wound on his...

Brazil: Homeless squatters await eviction in São Paulo city center

  2 February 2012

In the aftermath of the Pinheirinho eviction in São Paulo state, police will be evicting a homeless squatter settlement in a disused building in downtown São Paulo this morning. According to the Frente de Luta por Moradia, a social movement (@LutaMoradia), a court ruled the city must provide for ‘basic...

Cuba: What's on President Rousseff's Agenda?

  1 February 2012

Brazil's first female president is in Cuba on a visit intended “to strengthen bilateral ties especially in the economic and commercial spheres”, according to the Cuban press. Bloggers are very interested in her agenda.

About our Brazil coverage

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