Brazil

Brazil: Torrential Rain Kills Many, Leaves More Stranded

Date: January 11th, 2012 |

Heavy rain killed at least 28 people and left thousands more stranded throughout Southeastern Brazil. The rain caused deadly mudslides, which in turn damaged infrastructure and continues to make the region dangerous. Brazil’s rainy season corresponds with its summer, which begins in December and frequently brings devastation to regions around waterways and on hillsides, making [read more]

Brazil: Infrastructure Concerns as 2014 World Cup Approaches

Date: June 6th, 2011 |

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FIFA, the world soccer governing body, remains concerned that Brazil will not have adequate infrastructure to accommodate the wave of tourists expected to come with the 2014 World Cup. Brazil has many overcrowded airports, and renovations have presented a challenge to local organizers. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff recently announced that the country’s airports will be [read more]

Brazil: Drug Gangs Robbed Drivers En Masse in Rio

Date: October 13th, 2010 |

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Crime in Rio de Janeiro is not news, but recent attacks by armed drug gang members have been especially brazen. They set up roadblocks and robbed drivers stuck in the traffic jams, yanking some from their cars and in some cases making off with their vehicles. At least 10 of these robberies occurred in the [read more]

Brazil: Sao Paulo State’s Southern Beach Towns See Upswing in Gang Murders

Date: April 28th, 2010 |

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The U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo reported that since April 18, 13 murders occurred in the beach neighborhoods of Praia Grande, Santos, Sao Vicente and Guaruja on the southern coast of Sao Paulo state. Local police were among the victims of what appeared to be gang-related violence. Because of the possibility of more incidents, the [read more]

Brazil: Dengue Fever Epidemic in 5 States

Date: February 24th, 2010 |

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Dengue fever has reached epidemic levels in five states in part because of the mass movement of people around the country for Carnival. Affected states are Acre, Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Roraima. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes that pick up the virus by feeding on infected persons and then spread [read more]

Brazil: Crime a Problem ahead of World Cup and Olympics

Date: July 25th, 2011 |

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Armed robbers invaded the Santa Teresa Hotel in Rio de Janeiro July 18, stealing money and phones from guests. The hotel is located in the Santa Teresa neighborhood in central Rio known for its narrow, winding streets popular with tourists. Last August a group of gunmen took several people hostage at the Hotel Intercontinental, in [read more]

Brazil: Police Drive Drug Gangs Out of Rio Favela, Restore Law and Order

Date: December 1st, 2010 |

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Continuing a two-year effort to drive drug gangs out of the favelas overlooking Rio de Janeiro and establish police posts to restore the rule of law, police took control of a key neighborhood that sits near a highway that connects the city with the international airport. The assault had to happen because the drug gangs [read more]

Brazil: U.S. Consulate Lifts Warning About Sao Paulo Beaches

Date: May 19th, 2010 |

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The U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo rescinded its recommendation to avoid the beach neighborhoods of Praia Grande, Santos, Sao Vicente and Guaruja on the southern coast of Sao Paulo state. The consular announcement on May 12 came after officials reviewed the current situation there and determined that the warning was not necessary, but reminded travelers [read more]

Brazil: Rio Deluge Washed Out Homes, Closed Airports

Date: April 7th, 2010 |

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The heaviest rain in 30 years hit Rio de Janeiro April 5-6, triggering mudslides and floods that killed 95 people across the state, including 39 in metropolitan Rio. Nine inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours, washing away shacks in the hillside slums, endangering some 10,000 houses and shutting down airports, metro stations, [read more]

Brazil: Blackout Hits Rio, Again

Date: November 25th, 2009 |

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Two weeks to the day after a massive blackout left 60 million people without power, a similar outage hit Rio de Janeiro’s main tourist areas of Copacabana, Ipanema and Lagoa Nov. 24, raising further concerns about the city’s ability to host the 2016 Olympics. The blackout two weeks earlier was caused by short circuits in [read more]

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