Stories about Brazil from October, 2012
Former Brazilian Model Turned Beggar Stirs Debate on Racism
Tall, blue-eyed and wrapped in a blanket while roaming the streets of Curitiba, Rafael Nunes, a former Brazilian model, has gained international attention after his picture and story went viral on Facebook and Twitter. The case of "the photogenic beggar from Curitiba" has grown into a racial-oriented discussion about how Brazilian society reacts to situations of social exclusion.
Brazil: Wikileaks Reveals Officials’ Disdain Towards the Guarani Kaiowá
Brazilian investigative journalism website Pública reports [pt] on documents leaked by WikiLeaks on the plight of the request for land of the indigenous Guarani-Kaiowá. A cable from 2009 reveals disdain by local authorities from the state of Mato Grosso do Sul towards Guarani-Kaiowá's demands for the demarcation of the lands...
Brazil: The Cry of Resistance of the Guarani Kaiowá
Under yet another threat of eviction from their lands, the Brazilian indigenous community of Guarani-Kaiowá released a letter that has rippled across the press and the web as a cry of resistance.
Brazil: Rethinking Drug Policy
Rio Real blog wrote about the launch of Pense Livre (Think Free) [pt] in September 2012, a network to urge a rethink of Brazil’s drug policy. The author stresses that drug decriminalization would remap Rio de Janeiro, and links to an interview [pt] to Pedro Abramovay, a lawyer and law professor who...
Brazil: Guarani Kaiowá say they will resist together to death
Brazilian bloggers and even mainstream media are reacting to a letter by an indigenous Guarani Kaiowá community that claims to have lost all hope, promising a mass resistance to death of 170 men, women and children, if an eviction order goes forward. Global Voices reported in 2011 and 2010 on ongoing...
Brazil: Police Violence and Privatization of Public Space in Porto Alegre
Students and activists protesting against the privatization of public space in the city of Porto Alegre earlier this month were violently repressed by military police, after having destroyed an inflatable armadillo, mascot for the 2014 World Cup, that occupied the square with the sponsorship of Coca-Cola.
Ada Lovelace Day: Celebrating Women's Genius
Ada Lovelace Day, celebrated every October 16, honors international women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths -women's whose skills are urgently needed for the future of the world. Here we highlight some of these extraordinary women.
Developing Latin America 2012
The regional hackathon Developing Latin America, organised by Foundation Ciudadano Inteligente (Intelligent Citizen) in six Latin American countries, brings together multidisciplinary teams of designers, developers, entrepreneurs, journalists and citizens that want to find solutions to problems such as poverty, healthcare and education, using technological tools.
Brazil: Speaking Out About Hydroelectric Plants and the Amazon
Last week we published the first part of an interview with Sany Kalapalo, a young indigenous woman from Xingu and one of the most active voices in the mobilization against the construction of the Belo Monte power plant. In the second part of the interview, Sany focuses on hydroelectric power plants, indigenous people and Brazil's development.
Brazil: Electoral Propaganda Waste
On the aftermath of Brazilian municipal elections that took place on October 7, 2012, the Facebook page Quem suja agora vai sujar depois (Who messes now will mess afterwards) [pt] shares photos and videos showing electoral propaganda waste in streets across the country.
Brazil: Protest Against Privatization Repressed by Police
A peaceful demonstration in front of the City Hall of Porto Alegre, Brazil, on October 4, ended with police brutality and teargas on the protesters, Sul21 reports [pt] (with photos and videos). Students were dancing in protest against the privatization of several public spaces around the city sponsored by Coca Cola...
Brazil: Staying Informed on Electoral Candidates
2011's Rising Voices grantee Amigos de Januária, from Brazil, posted [pt] several tips for citizens who want to use existing online transparency tools to find information about the candidates running for the municipal elections that will take place on October 7, 2012.
Brazil: Sany Kalapalo – Young, Indigenous and a Xingu Activist
Sany Kalapalo, a young indigenous from the Xingu region, is only 22 years old and is one of the more active voices against the construction of Belo Monte hydroelectric powerplant, in the Xingu river, in the Brazilian state of Pará. Meet her in the first part of this interview she gave to Global Voices Online.
Amazon: Improving Public’s Perception of the Forest
InfoAmazonia is a platform that brings together organizations and journalists from nine countries of one of the most biodiverse areas in the world to freely provide news and reports of the endangered Amazon region. The website maps deforestation, fires, oil and mining, and calls for public participation through the submission...
About our Brazil coverage
Fernanda Canofre is the Brazil editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
