· August, 2012

Stories about Brazil from August, 2012

Portuguese, a Global Language?

  31 August 2012

A community page on Facebook, Língua Portuguesa: Uma Língua Global? (Portuguese Language: A Global Language?) [pt], provides a diversity of materials to promote the debate about the expansion of Portuguese language and its consequences. Several critical issues on the policies of this language of around 200 million speakers are addressed,...

Brazil: 13 Year-Old Exposes School Problems on Facebook

  30 August 2012

Diário de Classe [pt], a Facebook page created by Isadora Faber, a 13 year-old from Santa Catarina, Brazil, has already gathered more than 176,000 “likes”. Aiming to “show the truth about public schools”, Isadora shares photos that show the repairs needed in her own school and reports on other general problems.

Brazil: Land Dispute Between Slave Descendants and the Navy

  21 August 2012

An online petition [pt] demands the suspension of the order of eviction of Quilombo Rio dos Macacos, one of the oldest slave descendent communities in Brazil. A Technical Identification and Delimitation Report from the National Institute of Colonisation and Agrarian Reform (Incra) determined that the territory belongs to the quilombola...

Brazil: Company Continues Construction of Belo Monte Dam

  20 August 2012

Instituto Socioambiental informs [pt] that despite a judge order to halt [pt] construction work in Belo Monte, the company responsible for the construction of the dam, Norte Energia, continues its work, claiming that it hasn't been officially notified. Last Friday, August 17, 2012, netizen Simone Gomes had reported on Facebook...

Brazil: Belo Monte Halted, but for How Long?

  20 August 2012

When it seemed that all was already lost, the movements opposing the Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant were surprised by an order suspending the works, which were being carried out on the Xingu River in the state of Pará. News of the decision, which was made on the night of the 13th of August, spread like a wave of hope for the activists, who inundated social media with exuberant reactions.

Brazil: Belo Monte, the Film

  17 August 2012

The film Belo Monte, Announcement of a War was recently launched in the Internet. It is the result of a collective effort that involved the independent producer, Cinedelia, and a crowdfunding campaign mobilized by Catarse. The film shows the reactions of indigenous people, inhabitants of Altamira, Pará, Brazil, and  activists against...

Brazil: Judge Orders Halt to Belo Monte Dam

  14 August 2012

Brazilian judge Souza Prudente ordered halt to the construction of the controversial Belo Monte dam, in Altamira, state of Pará, on August 13, 2012, reports [pt] independent researcher Telma Monteiro on her blog. Netizens’ reactions on Twitter are being shared under the hashtag #BeloMonte.

Brazil: Prisoners Get Four Days Off Sentence Per Book Read

  8 August 2012

Recently, the government of Brazil launched a new initiative whereby reading books related to classic national literature, science or philosophy can reduce prisoners' jail sentences. However, according to a 2006 report 8% of the country's inmates were illiterate and 70% hadn't completed primary education.

Brazil: Will the Pioneering Internet Bill of Rights Pass?

  6 August 2012

The Marco Civil, a “bill of rights” for Internet users proposed in Brazil, will come to a vote on August 8. While the majority of the community seems to support the approval of the law, some are against the broad freedom that the initiative will bring about. Whatever the result, Brazil once again has the opportunity to pioneer in the arena of digital policymaking.

Brazil: Justice for Brutal Attack Victim Vitor Suarez

  3 August 2012

On July 30, 2012, a Brazilian judge announced the release of five young men from preventive prison. They had been there since February after brutally attacking Vitor Suarez, a student who was trying to stop them from beating a homeless person. In response, the victim who is still recovering from his injuries, started a wave of protest on Twitter under the hashtag #JusticaVitorSuarez.

Global: BRICS vs. NATO – Battlefield of Ideas on Interventions

  2 August 2012

China’s and Russia’s recent decision to veto the United Nations Security Council resolution against Syria -has reignited the debate over the relationship between 'new' powers Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - the BRICS - with 'old' powers - NATO - in international interventions.

About our Brazil coverage

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