Explaining Brazil

In 2018, law enforcement agents in Rio de Janeiro admitted to killing over 1,400 people — mostly in drug-related incidents. That's more than the number for the entire USA. That cannot be considered a success by any standard. Read show notes. — Support the show

On February 4, Justice Minister Sergio Moro presented his first bill after taking office. His anticrime plan, as the set of proposals was called, includes several measures against organized crime. And, for the first time, it singles out urban militias as one of the targets of the state. It may seem ludicrous, but urban armed militias were once well-regarded in Rio de Janeiro. Many politicians defended these militias. And yes, including President Jair Bolsonaro. Read show notes. — Support the show

On January 25, an iron tailings dam near the town of Brumadinho, in the Southeastern state of Minas Gerais, spilled the equivalent of at least 12 hundred Olympic-sized pools of mud onto the surrounding region. - How did this happen? - Who is to blame? - What will be the lasting environmental consequences? - And, most importantly, how can we prevent this from happening again? Read show notes. — Support the show

If you live in or have even been to São Paulo, it is likely that you’ve walked over a waterway without even noticing it. There are between 300 and 500 of them in Brazil’s biggest city, running through pipes extending from 1,500km to 4,000km. And the fate of the city’s main rivers doesn’t have a happy ending. They’ve become ugly and polluted – not at all fit for a São Paulo postcard. Read show notes. Support the show

Imagine you are a Brazilian soybean producer located in the state of Mato Grosso, deep in midwestern Brazil, neighboring Bolivia. And you have clients waiting for your products in China. So, how do you get your soybeans to your Chinese customers? What would you say if I told you that the drive between your silos and Santos will be more expensive than the ship taking your grains all the way to the other end of the world to China? It sounds ridiculous, but it is true. Read show notes. Support the show

When he left office, Michel Temer's administration was evaluated as good or great by only 7 percent of Brazilians. 62 percent thought his government was either bad or terrible. While these are far from positive figures, they actually represent an improvement. At one point, only 3 percent approved Temer, while 73 percent didn't care for him. Was he as bad as most Brazilians seem to think? And what is the legacy he leaves behind? That's what try to answer this week. Read show notes. Support the show

Reporter Raphael Ferreira was at the Ministries Esplanade and covered Jair Bolsonaro's inauguration up close for The Brazilian Report. Find out what it was like at the ceremony. Read show notes. Support the show

At the end of November, Brazil's Ministry of Health signed an agreement with leaders of the food and drink industry to reduce the amount of sugar in their products by 144 thousand tonnes by 2022. But is it enough? Read show notes. Support the show

To discuss the successes and shortcomings of the Brazilian version of the consumerism fest that is Black Friday, we spoke to Nilton Kleina, editor at Tecmundo, one of Brazil's main tech news websites. This week's podcast is supported by Voom, an Airbus company. Voom is an on-demand helicopter booking platform that allows its passengers to fly between nine different helipads in the city of São Paulo from Monday to Saturday for less than BRL 500. Read show notes. Support the show

One arena where racism is still apparent today is football, Brazil's national sport and so often a reflection of society as a whole. Despite the majority of players being non-white, they are often treated in stereotypes. While the white players of European origin are strong-willed leaders, black players are seen as tricky, inventive, but ultimately unintelligent and untrustworthy. Read show notes. Support the show

Political turmoil seems to be the rule rather the exception in Brazil. In 2010 Lula became the only democratically elected president who was handed power by another democratically elected president, and who then passed the torch to a third consecutive democratically elected president - without any coups, deaths, impeachments, or resignations getting in the way. Read show notes. Support the show

To discuss the environmental challenges facing Brazil's soon-to-be president, we spoke with Gustavo Faleiros, coordinator of the organization Info Amazônia, a network of organizations and journalists which deliver updates from the nine countries of the Amazon rainforest. Read show notes. Support the show

President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's future administration has started to take shape. What will be the main issues that the president-elect will have to tackle? Read show notes. Support the show

Jair Bolsonaro will, on January 1st, become Brazil's 38th president. What does his victory mean? And how will his presidency be like? That's what Gustavo Ribeiro, Euan Marshall, and Alana Rizzo (Albright Stonebridge Group) debate. Read show notes. Support the show

the conservative wave that swept across the country marks a major rupture. Or, instead, a critical transition - a concept developed by professors Carlos Pereira, of Fundação Getulio Vargas, Bernardo Mueller, of the University of Brasília, Marcus Mello, of the University of Pernambuco, and Lee Alston, of Indiana University in their book Brazil in Transition: Beliefs, Leadership, and Institutional Change.  Read show notes. Support the show

It is common to point out the problems with Brazil's failed public security system. We've talked to an institution that is proposing possible solutions for the violence crisis. Read show notes. Support the show

We analyze the reasons for the conservative tsunami that swept Brazil's 2018 election. Three main factors come into play. Read show notes. Support the show

In the last episode of our special podcast about Brazil's Constitution, we will talk about how the Constitution has endured the test of time. Read show notes. Support the show

In the third episode of our special podcast about Brazil's Constitution, we will talk about its biggest lasting legacies: human rights for all - and a unified healthcare system. Read show notes. Support the show

In the second episode of our special podcast about Brazil's Constitution, we will talk about the institutional framework created in 1988. Read show notes. Support the show