Stories about Brazil from April, 2012
Brazil: The sale of America's smallest city and thoughts of buying the Amazon
Janio, from Brazil, has written in his blog (“Made in Blog” [pt]) about the auctioning off of the smallest city in America, Buford (Wyoming), which has but one inhabitant. He draws a parallel “with a time when some activists from the developed world threatened to buy the Amazon, in order to...
Thirty three top Brazilian businesses ranked in the Forbes list
In her Brazil Global blog, Hildete Vodopives named thirty three Brazilian businesses found on the Forbes Top Business list, stating: “Energy makes number one among them with Petrobras (oil, gas and ethanol). Another interesting highlight is the leading presence of banks: Itau (and Itausa, its holding), Bradesco and Banco do...
Brazil: Activists Protest in Memory of Military Dictatorship
A number of cities throughout Brazil held both real and virtual events to remember Brazil's Military Dictatorship (1964-1985). Activists held protests to push for punishing the Dictatorship's criminals and to fully open the still classified files.
Accused of Molesting Children, Iranian Diplomat Leaves Brazil
An Iranian diplomat based in the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, was accused of molesting underage girls at a swimming pool on April 14, 2012. While Iran's embassy denied the allegations, and said they were the result of a "cultural misunderstanding", netizens both from Iran and Brazil didn't take long to react.
Brazil: Journalist and Blogger Executed in São Luís, Maranhão
On the night of April 23, Brazilian journalist and blogger Décio Sá was shot dead in a bar in the most crowded avenue of the city of São Luis, in the northeastern state of Maranhão. He had ties with political figures of Maranhão and his blog was the most accessed in the state.
Brazil: Passer by Injured and Arrested by Police in Demonstration
Brazilian blogger Conceição Oliveira reproduces [pt] a Facebook note [pt] from Pedro Urizzi (an actor from São Paulo), who denounces that he was injured and arrested by the Military Police when he was passing by a demonstration against corruption on April 21, 2012, on his way for dinner. The detention...
Brazil: Aquarium Project Sparks Transparency Debate
In Fortaleza, the fifth largest city in Brazil, the recent start of construction on an aquarium has prompted discussions over public resources, state government priorities and the city's future, as well as some creative forms of protest.
Brazil: Homage to the Victims of the Amazon in Washington, D.C.
President Dilma Rousseff's official visit to Washington, D.C. attracted around 100 people to the Brazilian embassy in an act of solidarity with the Amazonian victims. Learn a little more about the Brazilians who were killed and are being persecuted for protecting the rainforest.
Spain: Christ Dances to Brazilian Pop Hit in Religious Procession
During the religious procession marking the end of the Christian Easter week in Alhama de Murcia, Spain, the image of the Resurrected Christ was struck by the Telomania, when the brotherhood carrying the image decided to play and dance to Michel Teló's international hit "Ai Se Eu Te Pego".
Brazil: Human Rights Violation in Several Prisons
General conditions in all Brazilian prisons remain the focus of much debate. In a country where 1 in every 262 adults is in prison, solutions to assure a reduction of these rates are just as essential as the construction of new prisons. Fernando Sapelli reports.
Brazil: Contemporary Slavery and Proposals to Fight the Practice
Although the practice of exercising the right of property over other human beings was abolished in Brazil in 1888 with the signing of the Golden Law, in practice, exploitation of slave labour continues on Brazilian territory, both in rural and urban areas, in the form of contemporary servitude.
Brazilian Music Loses Influential Scholar, Santuza Cambraia Naves
In a country where popular music is so much a part of daily life and of being Brazilian, the study of contemporary musical movements has gained important ground over recent decades. One of the silently influential and productive figures in this area, Santuza Cambraia Naves, died unexpectedly this week at age 59. Friends, colleagues and students remembered the researcher and beloved professor.
Video: Firefox Flicks Video Contest
The Firefox Flicks worldwide contest will give awards for short films teaching web browser consumers about online issues such as privacy, choice, interoperability and opportunity, and how the non-profit Firefox brand helps people to face these issues.
Brazil: University Students Make Demands and Question Budget for Aquarium
About 200 students of the Regional University of Cariri [pt], Brazil, protested on Monday, April 2, for state government resources to hire teachers and improve infrastructure. On a video of the demonstration published on Youtube, students question the construction of a 250 million reais aquarium in Fortaleza, state of Ceará:...
Brazil: Collective Blogging to Uncover Dictatorship Files
Journalist and blogger Niara de Oliveira compiled [pt] the 52 posts published within the fifth collective blogging “DesarquivandoBR” (“Unarchiving” Brazil), urging the opening of files kept secret from Brazil's military dictatorship (1964 -1985) and the repeal of the Amnesty Law.
Brazil: Indigenous Rights and the Suspension of the Teles Pires Dam
Brazilian blogger Sonia Martuscelli reproduces [pt] an open letter on the suspension of the license for the construction of the controversial Teles Pires Dam, in an area of the Amazon forest inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Kayabi, Apiaka and Mundukuru ethnicities. The natives require measures to ensure their rights...
About our Brazil coverage
Fernanda Canofre is the Brazil editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
