The Ministry of Health this week released a new report on the situation of indigenous peoples in the Yanomami territory in Roraima, the country’s largest indigenous territory. It recorded an 80.8 percent reduction in malaria-related deaths between January 2023 and the end of 2025, after the Brazilian government declared a Public Health Emergency of National Importance (ESPIN) to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the invasion of illegal gold miners.

The report cites a 75.9 percent increase in the number of tests conducted through active case finding. Testing for the disease also rose from 144,986 to 257,930 in 2025.

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Deaths from malnutrition fell by a significant 53.2 percent between 2023 and 2025. During the same period, the share of children under five with adequate weight increased from 45.4 percent to 53.8 percent, according to the report.

There was an increase in the number of children receiving regular follow-up care from health teams, rising from 70.1 percent to 85.1 percent. Severe malnutrition also declined, with the share of children who were severely underweight falling from 24.2 percent to 15.2 percent during the period.

The number of consultations for acute respiratory infections increased by 254 percent between 2023 and 2025. As a result, the disease’s case fatality rate fell by 76 percent, while the number of deaths declined by 16.7 percent since the start of the Public Health Emergency response.

Vaccines

In the area of immunization, the Ministry of Health confirmed a 40 percent increase in the number of doses administered in 2025 compared with 2023, rising from 31,999 to 44,754. The percentage of children under one year of age with a complete vaccination schedule more than doubled during the period, rising from 27 percent in 2023 to 60.6 percent in 2025. Among children under five, the rate grew from 47.4 percent to 78.3 percent, reflecting stronger routine vaccination efforts.

According to the Ministry’s Secretary of Indigenous Health, Lucinha Tremembé, the results reflect expanded access to healthcare in the territory, reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting lives and promoting the health of indigenous peoples.

“We are making steady progress in improving health in the Yanomami territory, with a reduction in deaths and, above all, in deaths from preventable causes such as malnutrition and malaria. These results reflect the current administration’s ongoing effort to strengthen the Brazilian government’s presence, ensuring comprehensive, high-quality care that respects the cultural specificities of indigenous peoples,” she noted.

Health services

Among the advances highlighted by the Brazilian government is the expansion of the healthcare workforce in the territory. Since the start of the health emergency, the number of professionals has more than tripled, rising from 690 to over 2,130 workers deployed directly in villages, at the Indigenous Health Center (CASAI) in Boa Vista, and within the facilities of the Yanomami Special Indigenous Health District.

In the area of infrastructure, the Yanomami Center for Emergency Public Health Operations highlighted the completion of 261 interventions in water supply systems, along with the installation of more than 1,400 filters, helping expand access to safe water.

The government also installed 61 solar energy systems and upgraded health facilities, strengthening the foundation for primary care in the territory.

Another important milestone during the national emergency period was the renovation and expansion of the Indigenous Health Reference Center (CRSI) at the Surucucu base camp, deep inside the territory.

Since its restructuring, the facility - which serves as a reference point within the indigenous territory - has provided 4,374 outpatient consultations. Of these, 2,081 were laboratory tests and 328 were ultrasound exams. The facility serves 48 communities and handles most patient transfers to higher-capacity healthcare facilities in the region.

“This specialized infrastructure has helped improve clinical management, strengthen community ties, and streamline care pathways,” the Ministry of Health said in the statement.

A study entitled Mapa Autismo Brasil (MAB) – “Brazil’s Autism Map” – the first national sociodemographic profile of people with autism, released this week, reveals that access to diagnosis and therapies in Brazil remains limited.

Published by Institute Autismos, the study surveyed people with autism and their caregivers across all Brazilian states with the aim of identifying the profile of Brazilians with autism and the services to which they have access.

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The data show that, even though about a quarter of the Brazilian population has access to health insurance, only 20.4 percent of those surveyed reported having received a confirmed diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through the national health care network, the SUS.

The study also indicates that only 15.5 percent of respondents said they receive therapy through the public health system, while more than 60 percent reported using health insurance plans or paying privately to access the service.

In a statement, the institute says that the issue is even more widespread.

“The results of Brazil’s Autism Map also reveal that 56.5 percent of respondents (including those using the SUS and the private sector) reported that the autistic person in question (the respondent themselves or the person under their care) receives up to two hours of therapy per week, which falls short of international recommendations – which call for multidisciplinary therapies and a high weekly workload.”

Analysis

In May 2025, Brazil’s statistics bureau IBGE for the first time released data from the 2022 census which identified 2.4 million people with ASD in Brazil – 1.2 percent of the Brazilian population.

“Unlike the census, Brazil’s Autism Map conducts a socioeconomic analysis and gauges access to services for people with autism and their caregivers, contributing to an evaluation of the current landscape and highlighting the need for improvements in public policies,” the institute noted.

Diagnosis

Brazil’s Autism Map reveals difficulties in accessing ASD diagnosis through the SUS as well as delays in diagnosis in general, which hinders early interventions.

The results indicate a concentration of diagnoses in the age group up to four years (51.7%), followed by 5–9-year-olds (17.1%) and 10–14-year-olds (6.1%).

“The difference between the median (four years) and the mean (11 years) reveals that, although most diagnoses occur early, there is still a significant number of diagnoses made at older ages, which raise the sample’s mean,” the institute warned.

The study also found that the first signs of ASD are most often noticed by close family members (55.9%) or by the autistic person themselves (11.4%), while doctors and teachers identified the first signs in only 7.3 and 9.4 percent of cases respectively.

According to the study, neurologists or pediatric neurologists were responsible for the diagnosis in 67 percent of cases, followed by psychiatrists (22.9%), which, according to the institute, highlights the need for access to specialists, who are not always available publicly or even privately in some areas.

The data show that 55.2 percent of diagnoses were made in the private healthcare system, 23 percent through health insurance plans, and only 20.4 percent through the SUS, with proportions varying across different regions of Brazil – the study indicates greater reliance on the SUS for diagnosis in the North and Northeast.

School and adult life

The results also provide a snapshot of access to education. Of the total, 83.7 percent reported attending an educational institution, with 52.26 percent attending public schools and 31 percent attending private schools, while 16 percent said they did not attend any institution.

Regarding accessibility and inclusion resources, 39.9 percent reported receiving no support whatsoever. Among the most common forms of support are social educators, monitors, or tutors (23.8%), specialized support such as school mediators or therapeutic assistants (18.8%), pedagogical adaptations (18.8%), and resource rooms (18.1%).

“The data show that school attendance alone does not guarantee effective inclusion. The high proportion of students without basic support suggests weaknesses in the implementation of inclusive education policies and inequality in access to educational resources stipulated by law,” the institute reported.

Among those aged 18 to 76, 29.9 percent of autistic respondents reported being unemployed or without income, which, according to the institute, highlights a structural challenge to inclusion.

Among those who reported being employed, 21.1 percent work as civil servants, 20 percent have formal employment, 8.1 percent are self-employed, 6.7 percent operate as legal entities, and 5.9 percent work informally.

Additionally, 4.1 percent rely on government assistance, 3.5 percent receive a retirement or disability pension, and 0.35 percent are in the military.

Representatives of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the organization coordinating the Free Land Camp (Acampamento Terra Livre) in Brasília, delivered a seven-page letter on Thursday (Apr. 9) to the Brazilian president’s General Secretariat and the Ministry of Mines and Energy. In the document, they acknowledge progress in public policies but criticize delays in the demarcation of indigenous territories.

Titled “A sovereign Brazil is one with demarcated and protected indigenous lands,” the document notes that the current government was formed with the support of the indigenous movement to “rebuild the foundations of institutionality and democracy.”

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“It is necessary to recognize that important changes have taken place during this period,” the letter states.

Among these changes, they cited the creation of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, the presence of indigenous leaders in prominent government positions, and the reestablishment of spaces for dialogue.

However, the representatives believe these actions still fall short of what is needed.

“We acknowledge progress, but it still does not address the historical urgency or the Brazilian state’s debt to our peoples.”

A climate of violence

Indigenous peoples say there is a growing trend of territorial invasions, violence, and the criminalization of indigenous communities, leaders, and organizations.

“While some institutional frameworks have been rebuilt and there have been shifts in rhetoric, the concrete protection of indigenous territories and of the lives of indigenous peoples still needs greater consistency and continuity,” the letter reads.

Indigenous peoples argue that guaranteeing public policies is a permanent obligation of the Brazilian state.

The letter calls for measures in six areas:

• demarcation and protection of territories;
• consultation, participation, and self-determination;
• budgeting and permanent governance;
• life, security, and well-being;
• climate, ecological transition, and a ban on exploitation;
• memory, reparations, and the future of indigenous peoples.

Since last Sunday (5), various indigenous ethnic groups have gathered in Brasília, the country’s capital, for the Free Land Camp. According to the organizers, approximately 8,000 individuals are camped there.

Indigenous leaders present at the Free Land Camp (Acampamento Terra Livre) demonstration in Brasília on Thursday (Apr. 9) delivered a document to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Relations proposing the creation of zones free from oil and gas exploration in Brazil and the inclusion of indigenous territories at the center of the global climate strategy.

These fossil fuel–free zones, demonstrators say, would be areas off-limits to exploration in regions of high ecological and cultural significance.

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In general terms, the letter outlines recommendations concerning the “global roadmap” for the energy transition, which was proposed by the Brazilian government at the recent COP30 and has yet to gain consensus. “There can be no just energy transition without safeguarding our territories,” stated Dinamam Tuxá, executive coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), which organizes the rally.

The demarcation and protection of indigenous lands are concrete measures to address the climate crisis, he argued.

“By ignoring this, the world chooses to maintain a model that destroys life. Recognizing indigenous leadership paves the way for a more balanced, diverse, and truly sustainable future.”

Changes

The document signed by indigenous leaders and submitted to the Brazilian government aims to influence international negotiations and contribute to the creation of a new development paradigm.

“Addressing the climate crisis requires not only technological changes, but also a profound redefinition of the relationships between the economy, territory, and rights,” APIB reported.

The letter calls for an immediate end to the development of new oil, gas, and coal fields, as well as the creation of a binding global agreement for the phased elimination of fossil fuels.

“The climate crisis is already affecting food production, health, the economy, and the security of nations. The cost of inaction grows every day,” the organization points out. In the view of its representatives, it is essential that their territories be recognized as priority areas for climate protection and biodiversity conservation.

Examples

The entity argues that the initiative is in line with international examples – such as Ecuador’s decision to halt oil exploration in Yasuní National Park and restrictions adopted in other Latin American countries.

The proposal also emphasizes that a just energy transition depends on the full recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples – including the right to free, prior, and informed consultation.

Data presented in the document show that indigenous territories have significantly lower rates of deforestation and play a central role in protecting ecosystems and global climate stability.

Since last Sunday, the Free Land Camp demonstration has been bringing together indigenous people from various ethnic groups in Brasília. Organizers estimate around 8 thousand people are in attendance.

Brazil has assumed the presidency of the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone (ZOPACAS), an alliance of 24 countries, most of them African, committed to keeping the region free of war and geopolitical disputes while promoting environmental sustainability.

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira opened the meeting of the alliance’s ministers and deputy ministers Thursday (Apr. 9) in Rio de Janeiro, rejecting the “importation” of rivalries and conflicts that “have nothing to do with the interests of our peoples” and noting that the world is experiencing armed conflicts such as the wars in the Gaza Strip, Iran, Lebanon, and Ukraine.

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“Channels, gulfs, straits, seas, and oceans should bring us closer together, not be a source of discord,” declared the head of Brazilian diplomacy.

Mauro Vieira shared with the other international representatives that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had expressed concern about the current international scenario, “marked by the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II [1939–1945].”

Vieira echoed Lula’s view that the global rise in energy and food prices is the result of current tensions in Ukraine and the Middle East, “with a disproportionate impact on the economies of poorer and developing countries.”

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the zone of peace and cooperation is a priority for Brazil’s foreign policy, as the country was one of its founding members 40 years ago.

Among ZOPACAS’s main objectives are maintaining a South Atlantic free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, as well as strengthening maritime security, including the fight against drug trafficking by sea, piracy, and illegal fishing.

In his speech, the minister also focused on environmental conservation. Vieira said Brazil plans to seek approval for the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission later this year.

He also announced that the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment in the South Atlantic would be signed by the end of the meeting on this Thursday (9), establishing, among other measures, provisions for the prevention, reduction, and control of marine pollution.

“The countries in our region are willing to make ambitious commitments in support of environmental protection and sustainable development,” the minister noted.

ZOPACAS

ZOPACAS - established in 1986 by the United Nations (UN) - comprises 24 countries: Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay in South America, as well as 21 nations on Africa’s west coast, stretching from Senegal to South Africa and including the Cape Verde archipelago.

The meeting in Rio de Janeiro marks the start of Brazil’s three-year rotating presidency, succeeding that of Cape Verde.

In addition to partnerships in defense and security, the alliance seeks multilateral agreements in areas such as the environment and development.

Brazil has the longest coastline in the South Atlantic, stretching approximately 10,900 kilometers when geographical indentations such as bays are included. On the African side, the largest stretches belong to Angola and Namibia.

Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, carried out one day after the ceasefire announced by Iran and the US in the Middle East.

“The intensification of this offensive follows last night’s announcement of a ceasefire in the armed conflict in the Middle East and threatens to plunge the region into a new escalation of violence and instability,” the ministry said in a statement. 

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The ministry notes that the attacks targeted extensive areas and left an initial toll of 254 dead and 1,165 wounded. The Brazilian government added that it defends Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Brazil urges Israel to immediately suspend its military actions and withdraw all its forces from Lebanese territory. It also calls on the parties involved to fully comply with the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006),” the statement reads.

The resolution, adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council, calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon with the creation of a buffer zone between the two countries to be controlled by the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Ceasefire violated

Despite the ceasefire announced by the US and Iran, Israel has launched its largest offensive in Lebanon since the start of the current phase of the conflict. 

Iran has threatened to break the ceasefire due to Israeli aggression, emphasizing that the agreement called for a truce on all battlefronts in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump has stated that Lebanon was not part of the agreement, but the ceasefire mediator, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, confirmed that ending the fighting in Lebanon was part of the talks.

Countries such as France, the UK, Spain, and representatives of the European Union have been pressing for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire agreement.

On Thursday, Lebanese President Masoud Pezershkian said that the continued attacks against Lebanon render negotiations to end the war “meaningless.”

Background

Israel’s airstrikes against Lebanon intensified with the outbreak of war in Iran, after Hezbollah resumed attacks against Israel on March 2.  

Hezbollah claimed it was acting in retaliation for Israel’s attacks on Lebanon in recent months and in response to the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah dates back to the 1980s, when the Shiite militia was formed in reaction to Israel’s invasion and occupation of Lebanon to persecute Palestinian groups seeking refuge in the neighboring country.

In 2000, Hezbollah succeeded in expelling Israelis from the country. Over the years, the group has become a political party with seats in Parliament and participation in governments.

Lebanon was also attacked by the Israeli government in 2006, 2009, and 2011.

Brazil’s Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin, participated in the launch of the Biodiesel Alliance, formed by the Brazilian Association of Biofuel Producers (Aprobio) and the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (Abiove). The ceremony was held in Brasília on Wednesday (Apr. 8).

The partner organizations bring together 16 biodiesel manufacturers operating 33 active plants. According to the member companies, this represents 63.7 percent of Brazil’s biodiesel production capacity.

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For Alckmin, biodiesel is strategic, especially at a time when international conflicts affect the fuel market.

“Instead of importing diesel, which is highly susceptible to global geopolitics, we produce our own fuel here for our country,” he emphasized.

According to the vice president, Brazil is the only country in the world that blends 30 percent anhydrous ethanol into gasoline, in addition to having 85 percent of its vehicle fleet made up of flex-fuel vehicles - that is, vehicles that can run on either ethanol or gasoline.

In Alckmin’s view, the use of biodiesel improves air quality and reduces pollution, as well as cases of respiratory illness. “There is no agenda more positive than this one. It speaks to every sector.”

The vice president also pointed out that biodiesel production has social benefits because it involves small farmers and creates jobs throughout the industrial and service supply chain.

“If we are world champions in agriculture, if we have the most competitive and efficient tropical agriculture in the world, let’s add value: produce biofuels, help the environment and public health, generate jobs and income, avoid importing products, and strengthen our country’s economy,” he added.

Conflict

Alckmin also highlighted the Brazilian government’s initiatives to ensure fuel supplies and mitigate the impact of rising diesel and gasoline prices amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Among the initiatives are the suspension of federal taxes (PIS/Cofins) on petroleum products and a diesel subsidy in collaboration with states and municipalities. “Most states agreed,” he noted.

A crackdown by the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro in the Maré favela complex resulted in the seizure of approximately 48 tons of drugs. The narcotics were stored in a drug trafficking bunker in the Nova Holanda slum. According to the state government, this is the largest drug seizure in Brazilian history.

The operation started on Tuesday (Apr. 7) and was completed early Wednesday morning (8). Police located the drugs with the help of sniffer dogs. Officers also confiscated five rifles and four handguns, in addition to recovering 26 stolen vehicles. One suspect was arrested.

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In the view of Commander-General Colonel Sylvio Guerra, the record seizure is the result of a “surgical operation.” He also highlighted the level of technical and operational expertise employed.

“Through planning, intelligence, and the specialized work of the K-9 Unit and all units involved in the operation, we achieved a significant result in weakening criminal organizations, and, most importantly, without collateral damage,” he said in a statement.

The 48 tons of drugs were valued at around BRL 50 million. Guerra views the operation as “a major blow” to drug trafficking.

The operation was carried out in the Nova Holanda and Parque União favelas, with the participation of approximately 250 military officers.

Record

According to the Military Police, intelligence reports led officers to locate a shipping container used by drug traffickers to store drugs in the early hours of the operation. At the site, they seized vials and some 200 liters of the inhalant drug known as “lança-perfume,” as well as materials used in its production.

The officers continued the search by raiding the favelas, when K-9 Unit agents identified a suspicious facility. There, they found a “drug trafficking bunker” containing more than 24 thousand slabs of marijuana, each weighing approximately two kilograms. The contraband was taken away in cargo trucks.

In an open letter released during the Free Land Camp (Acampamento Terra Livre) demonstration, in Brasília, indigenous organizations accuse the Brazilian Congress of treating the constitutional rights of indigenous people as “bargaining chips” in negotiations with private sectors, particularly agribusiness and mining.

“We condemn the fact that the National Congress functions as a machine of regression, acting as an enemy of [indigenous] peoples, launching daily attacks on our lives, and subjecting our rights to a bargaining table,” the text reads.

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This edition of the rally – referred to as ATL 2026 – is bringing together thousands of indigenous people in Brasília from Sunday, April 5, through April 11.

“They have turned the people’s house into a gambling den. They want to gamble in the National Congress, where our rights become a bargaining chip between lawmakers and private sectors, with national and foreign companies and corporations profiting off our lives,” the letter states.

Signed by the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the association organizing the mobilization, and by seven other entities covering the entire national territory, the letter criticizes the executive, legislative, and judicial branches – especially the federal government – for the delay in defining federal territories designated for the exclusive use of indigenous people.

Under the Brazilian Constitution, in effect since 1988, the federal government should have completed the demarcation of indigenous lands within five years of its enactment – i.e., by 1993.

“The timid demarcation of only a few indigenous lands fails to fulfill the political commitment to guarantee all our territories,” the associations point out.

They maintain that the government’s “inaction” has contributed to an atmosphere of insecurity, with rising cases of violence, invasions of recognized, demarcated, or claimed indigenous areas, and the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

“The federal government has an obligation to demarcate and protect indigenous territories and lives, as well as to guarantee free, prior, and informed consultation. We demand concrete action for land regularization, territorial protection, and respect for the autonomy and leadership of our peoples,” the document says.

Indigenous organizations, however, acknowledge progress, such as the creation of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and the formal recognition of 20 indigenous areas from January 2023 to November 2025, following a four-year hiatus from 2019 to 2022.

“Indigenous presence in institutional spaces has advanced as a direct result of our struggle,” the groups point out, citing the presence of historic leaders of the movement at the helm of bodies responsible for managing public policies and the growing number of representatives from the community in Congress, state assemblies, and municipal councils.

New Policy

In a statement to Agência Brasil, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples emphasized that the creation of the ministry in 2023 led to indigenous people assuming strategic and decision-making roles, as the indigenous movement itself has acknowledged.

“The creation of the ministry marked a break from the paternalistic approach that had guided indigenous policy for decades,” the statement says.

Decisions regarding the rights and needs of Brazil’s more than 391 indigenous peoples are now made by individuals who are familiar with and understand their demands and challenges, the ministry states.

Among the key initiatives undertaken over the past four years to guarantee the rights and safety of indigenous people is the official recognition of 20 indigenous territories, equivalent to some 2.5 million hectares of protected land across 11 states, the ministry reports.

The Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday (Apr. 7) authorized the resumption of the case in Federal Court in Minas Gerais to determine the criminal liability of former Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman in the 2019 dam collapse at the Córrego do Feijão mine in Brumadinho.

By a majority vote, the justices of the Sixth Panel of the Superior Court accepted an appeal from the Federal Prosecutors’ Office to overturn the March 2024 decision of the Federal Regional Court of the 6th Region, which had dismissed the criminal case against the former CEO.

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At the time, the court ruled that there was no evidence of Schvartsman’s involvement in the dam collapse and no justification for continuing the proceedings.

The case began being heard by the Court in September of last year and was suspended three times due to requests for review.

At the start of the trial, Schvartsman’s defense argued for upholding the TRF6 decision, stating that the Court had recognized that the former CEO could not be held liable.

The dam burst in January 2019, and more than 270 bodies were recovered from the tailings by the Fire Department.

A drop in coffee exports and an increase in vehicle imports caused Brazil’s balance of trade to record its lowest surplus for March in six years, the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services reported Tuesday (Apr. 7). Last month, exports exceeded imports by USD 6.405 billion.

The result represents a 17.2 percent drop from the same month in 2025, when the surplus stood at USD 7.736 billion. The surplus is the lowest for March since 2020, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the result was a positive USD 4.046 billion.

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The figures were as follows:

• Exports – USD 31.603 billion, up 10 percent from March last year;
• Imports – USD 25.199 billion, up 20.1 percent from March last year.

The value of exports is the second highest for the month of March since the beginning of the time series, surpassed only by March 2023. Imports reached the highest value in the series, which began in 1989.

Sectors

Broken down by sector, exports in March varied as follows:

• Agriculture – +1.1 percent, with a two percent decline in volume and a three percent increase in average price;
• Extractive industry – +36.4 percent, driven by oil, with a 36.4 percent increase in volume and a 0.2 percent increase in average price;
• Manufacturing – +5.4 percent, with a 4.2 percent increase in volume and a one percent increase in average price.

Imports

As for imports, the increase is mainly linked to vehicles, with purchases from abroad rising by USD 755.7 million in March compared to the same month in 2025. By category, the main products are as follows:

• Agriculture – fish (+28.9%); fruits and non-oil seeds (+26.6%); and soybeans (+782%);
• Extractive industry – ores and concentrates of base metals (+33.7%); non-agglomerated coal (+59.9%); and crude petroleum oils (+19.4%);
• Manufacturing – other medicines, including veterinary medicines (+72.2%); chemical fertilizers (+61%); and passenger cars (+204.2%).

Year to date

In the first three months of the year, the trade balance recorded a surplus of USD 14.175 billion, 47.6 percent higher than the same period last year. The surge is due to the import of an oil rig in February 2025, a transaction that did not occur in 2026.

• Exports – USD 82.338 billion, up 7.1 percent compared to the same period last year;
• Imports – USD 68.163 billion, up 1.3 percent in the same comparison.

The cumulative surplus is the third largest in the time series, surpassed only by the first quarters of 2024 and 2023.

The Ministry of Labor and Employment on Tuesday (Apr. 7) released a list of 169 employers newly included in the Registry of Employers who have subjected workers to conditions analogous to slavery​.

Among the names included is Chinese automaker BYD, located in an industrial complex in Camaçari, in the state of Bahia. The company’s first automobile factory in Brazil, focused on the production of electric and hybrid vehicles, was inaugurated in October 2025 with an investment of BRL 5.5 billion.

Penalty

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The Ministry of Labor and Employment, through the Labor Inspection Division of the Regional Labor Superintendency in Bahia (SRTE/BA), carried out a series of enforcement actions in Camaçari between December 2024 and May 2025. These actions included inspections of both the construction site and the housing provided for migrant workers involved in building the industrial facility.

In one such operation on December 19, 2024, 471 Chinese workers were identified as having been brought into Brazil illegally, 163 of whom were rescued from slave-like labor. In the following months, the Tax Audit Office continued collecting statements, analyzing documents submitted by the companies involved, and carrying out other investigative measures.

According to the inspection team, the investigation concluded that the Chinese automaker bore direct responsibility for the illegal entry of the 471 Chinese workers into Brazil - including the 163 rescued from slave-like labor - to work on the construction of its industrial facility.

Although BYD presented service contracts with other companies, tax auditors found that, in practice, the workers were directly subordinate to the automaker. An employment relationship was thus established, in accordance with the criteria of Article 3 of the Brazilian Consolidated Labor Laws (CLT).

The tax auditors also found evidence that the automaker itself committed fraud against Brazilian immigration authorities, aiming to facilitate the entry of foreign workers into the country without proper registration and in violation of current legislation.

Another significant violation notice issued during the inspection concerns the subjection of workers to conditions that violate labor protection standards, including instances of forced labor and conditions analogous to slavery.

According to the inspection team, the finding was based on the identification of three main elements: forced labor, degrading working conditions, and excessively long work hours.

Degrading conditions

The workers were subjected to extremely precarious living and working conditions. They slept on beds without mattresses and had no lockers, forcing them to keep their personal belongings alongside work tools and food, both raw and cooked.

In one of the dormitories, there was only one bathroom for every 31 people, forcing them to wake up at 4 am to prepare for the workday. The kitchens operated in unsanitary conditions, with food stored near construction materials. Only one dormitory had a makeshift dining hall, which led most workers to eat their meals in their beds. The water they drank came directly from the tap, without any treatment.

Exhausting workday

The imposed workday lasted at least 10 hours, with no regular days off. One injured worker reported going 25 days without a day off. During the inspection, several health and safety risks were identified, leading to the suspension of deep excavations and the partial closure of a dormitory and a bench-mounted circular saw due to missing safety guards. Restrictions on freedom of movement were also found, as workers needed authorization even to go to the market.

In January of this year, BYD signed a Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC) with the Labor Procecution Office worth BRL 40 million.

Thousands of indigenous protesters from across Brazil are marching this Tuesday (Apr. 7) down Brasília’s Esplanade of Ministries, where a number of government buildings are located, including the National Congress. The demonstration is part of the 22nd edition of the Free Land Camp, an event that began on Sunday (5) and is considered the movement’s largest and most significant mobilization in the country.

Under the scorching sun, representatives from some of the 391 indigenous peoples camped out walked the six kilometers to the National Congress – the main focus of the movement’s criticism. The group accuses the majority of federal representatives and senators of proposing and passing laws that violate the constitutional rights of indigenous peoples, putting their territories and ways of life at risk.

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The demonstrators also accuse lawmakers as well as federal and state officials of yielding to pressure from agribusiness, mining, and large-scale development projects, thereby allowing non-indigenous people to exploit traditional territories for economic gain.

Painted and wearing the traditional attire of their ethnic groups, the protesters carried six large banners bearing the slogans “Congress enemy of the people,” “Our territory is not for sale,” “The future belongs to indigenous peoples,” “The Time Framework is a coup,” “Demarcation is the future,” and “Down with the Time Framework.”

To comply with an agreement with the Federal District’s security forces, the indigenous groups left their bows, arrows, clubs, spears, and blowguns at the camp and occupied three of the six lanes and part of the lawn of the Eixo Monumental, the avenue that cuts through central Brasília from east to west.

“Our march is peaceful, heading toward a Congress that is not peaceful. It is an enemy of indigenous peoples,” said one of the members of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the entity organizing the demonstration.

The Time Framework

A recurring target of criticism from indigenous communities is the Time Framework – a legally established doctrine that holds that indigenous people are only entitled to the territories they occupied in October 1988, when the Brazilian Constitution was enacted.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled the Time Framework unconstitutional. Nevertheless, in 2025, the Senate approved a constitutional amendment that imposes the same time limit on indigenous claims for land demarcation.

Since the senators modified the text that the lower house had approved in 2023, the amendment was sent back to federal representatives for reassessment, which has not yet occurred.

Protesters are also demanding that the federal government recognize more indigenous territories.

According to movement leaders, after a four-year period (2019–2022) during which no new areas of traditional occupation were officially recognized, the federal government validated 20 new territories from January 2023 to November 2025.

Brazil’s national indigenous agency Funai reports that the new territories amount to approximately 2.5 million hectares of protected land across 11 states.

“But we continue this struggle, this fight for territorial guarantees,” APIB Executive Coordinator Dinamam Tuxá told Agência Brasil on Sunday (5).

“We have a really high backlog of demarcations and a situation of widespread violence and vulnerability on indigenous lands that no government has managed to overcome. This has been a motivating factor for indigenous people to come to Brasília to stand up for our concerns,” Tuxá said.

He also noted there are currently about 110 new areas under review that have been claimed as federal lands for indigenous use.

The National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels (ANP), the sector’s regulator, announced Monday (Apr. 6) that the upcoming pre-salt auction will feature 23 exploration blocks.

The confirmation came through an update to the notice for the Permanent Production Sharing Offer (OPP). The auction initially included eight blocks, and on March 27, the ANP board added 15 more.

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All areas are located in the so-called Pre-Salt Polygon, off the coast of the Southeast region, with eight in the Campos Basin and 13 in the Santos Basin.

According to ANP, all exploration blocks have received a favorable environmental feasibility opinion from the competent agencies, as well as a joint statement from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

With the publication of the notice listing the 23 areas, the blocks are now eligible to receive expressions of interest from oil companies, along with the corresponding bid bonds.

Upon receiving an expression of interest from one or more registered companies for one or more blocks in the notice, ANP may set the auction date.

Permanent Offer

The Permanent Offer is the primary bidding mechanism for oil and natural gas exploration and production in Brazil. According to ANP, unlike traditional bidding rounds, this system allows for the continuous offering of exploration blocks.

Thus, over time, companies are free to study the technical data of the areas and submit bids whenever they deem most appropriate, without being bound by strict deadlines or specific bidding cycles.

“This flexibility has made the Permanent Offer an essential tool for fostering competitiveness and attracting investment in Brazil’s oil and gas sector,” the regulatory agency reiterated.

Production sharing and concession

Permanent offers can be structured as either concessions or production-sharing agreements. The production-sharing model is used in the pre-salt layer, where Brazil’s largest known oil reserves are located, as well as in other areas deemed strategic by the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE), a multi-ministerial advisory body to the Brazilian government.

Under the production-sharing regime, the company or consortium that wins the auction pays a fixed signing bonus. However, it is not this bonus that determines the winner; rather, the auction is decided by the share of production surplus the operator offers to the state. Each block has a required minimum percentage.

This surplus, which must be shared with the state, can be understood as the profit from production after all costs have been covered.

In addition, the country receives taxes, royalties, and a special share in the case of high-production fields.

Under the production-sharing regime, the state’s interests are represented by the state-owned company Pré-Sal Petróleo (PPSA), headquartered in Rio de Janeiro and affiliated with the Ministry of Mines and Energy. PPSA is responsible for auctioning the oil delivered to the state by the operating companies.

In contrast, under concession contracts - used in other exploration areas - the winner is the company or consortium that offers the highest signature bonus for the right to explore for oil.

On April 8 and 9, representatives of the foreign ministries of countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere will meet in Rio de Janeiro for the 9th Ministerial Meeting of the South Atlantic Zone of Peace and Cooperation (ZOPACAS).

ZOPACAS is a diplomatic mechanism established in 1986 by the United Nations to keep the region free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The Zone of Peace and Cooperation comprises Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and 21 countries along Africa’s west coast, from Senegal to South Africa.

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As has been the case throughout its 40-year history, the country hosting the ZOPACAS ministerial meeting assumes the presidency of the mechanism for two to three years. Brazil will succeed Cape Verde.

With the risk of armed conflict reduced among the 24 countries in the region, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry aims to strengthen cooperation.

“For 40 years, United Nations member states have, by consensus, reiterated this declaration [regarding a zone free of weapons of mass destruction]. However, ZOPACAS is also a zone of peace and cooperation, and this aspect, in our view, has not developed to its full potential,” said Ambassador Carlos Márcio Bicalho Cozendey, Secretary for Multilateral Political Affairs at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Documents

According to the diplomat, the countries are expected to sign three documents in Rio: a convention on the marine environment; a cooperation strategy establishing three areas of action (subdivided into 14 thematic areas); and the Rio de Janeiro Declaration, which is political in nature.

Although it is a “political declaration,” Ambassador Carlos Bicalho rules out the possibility that the 30–40 paragraphs of the text currently being drafted will contain references to conflicts in the Middle East or Eastern Europe. “One should not expect statements on all current events,” he said.

The ZOPACAS ministerial meeting, however, should “reiterate and make clear that this is a peaceful region and that the countries of the region themselves are capable of and interested in maintaining it as a region of peace and security” and “prevent extra-regional powers from bringing their conflicts and problems here,” the diplomat added during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brasília.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is expected to attend the meeting’s closing ceremony.

The head of Brazil’s Supreme Court, Justice Edson Fachin, refuted accusations of censorship against digital platforms contained in a report by the US House Judiciary Committee released Thursday (Apr. 2).

Written by lawmakers who support President Donald Trump, the report states that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes committed acts of censorship against freedom of speech in the US by ordering the suspension of social media accounts belonging to Brazilians living in there who are accused of carrying out online attacks against Brazilian institutions.

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In an official statement, Justice Fachin said the report has “distorted characterizations” of the nature and scope of certain court decisions.

He also argued that the Brazilian legal system protects freedom of speech, but that this right is not absolute.

“It is understood that, in certain cases, freedom of speech may exceptionally be subject to specific limitations, particularly when these are necessary to preserve the effectiveness of another fundamental right. Similarly, one cannot invoke the right to freedom of speech to commit crimes defined by law,” he stated.

He also stressed that Justice Moraes’ orders to remove illegal content were issued as part of investigations into digital militias accused of committing crimes against democracy and attempting a coup d’état in Brazil.

“The legal framework established by the 1988 Federal Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, elevates freedom of speech to the status of a preferential right among fundamental rights. Other rights prevail over it only in exceptional cases, under the law, particularly in situations where freedom of expression is invoked to commit crimes defined by the law,” he added.

Indigenous people from across Brazil began arriving in Brasília this Sunday (Apr. 5) to participate in the 22nd edition of the Free Land Camp (ATL 2026).

Organized by the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB ), the event runs through Saturday (11) and is considered the country’s largest and most important mobilization of the indigenous movement. According to the organizers, between 7,000 and 8,000 people, both indigenous and non-indigenous, are expected to participate this year.

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The ATL typically brings together representatives of most of Brazil’s 391 Indigenous peoples, as well as delegates from other countries, to discuss the defense of territories and denounce violations of indigenous rights. In recent years, the agenda has expanded, and the event has also come to include discussions on indigenous political and electoral participation, the climate crisis, and the defense of democracy. However, the central focus of the discussions remains the need for the Brazilian state to recognize indigenous peoples’ right to land.

“As we do every year, we are waiting for the Brazilian government to announce the creation of new indigenous lands,” APIB  Executive Coordinator Dinamam Tuxá told Agência Brasil.

According to him, after a four-year period (2019–2022) during which no new indigenous lands were established, the Brazilian government approved 20 new territories between January 2023 and November 2025. According to the national indigenous authority Funai), this amounts to approximately 2.5 million hectares of protected land across 11 Brazilian states.

“But we continue this struggle, this fight for territorial guarantees,” Tuxá added, noting that about 110 claimed indigenous land areas are currently under review.

“We face a very large backlog of demarcations and a situation of widespread violence and vulnerability on indigenous lands that no government has been able to overcome. This has been a motivating factor for indigenous peoples to come to Brasília and present our demands,” emphasized the APIB  coordinator.

Mobilization

The ATL also marks the beginning of what is known as Indigenous April, a month of nationwide mobilization during which the movement seeks to draw attention to other issues, such as the need for greater investment in indigenous health and education. This year’s theme is “Our future is not for sale: we are the answer.”

“We are promoting a broad debate on various topics, such as education, health, and international relations with indigenous peoples from other countries - in short, a range of public policies,” Tuxá noted, confirming that the traditional marches along the Ministries Esplanade will take place.

The first march is scheduled for next Tuesday (7) in protest against proposed legislation that, according to APIB, runs counter to the interests of indigenous peoples, such as authorizing mining on indigenous lands or establishing the so-called “temporal framework” - a legal doctrine under which indigenous peoples are entitled only to the territories they occupied in October 1988, when the Federal Constitution was enacted.

Elections

The 2026 elections will also be a focus of some of the main debates at the Free Land Camp, including the one scheduled for Thursday (9), “Indigenous Campaign: We Are the Answer to Transforming Politics” - the title of the manifesto that APIB published last year, reaffirming its commitment to continuing the initiative to strengthen indigenous political participation, launched a few years ago.

“We will launch the Indigenous Campaign, an initiative aimed at guiding the candidacies put forward by a coalition of parties allied with the indigenous movement. We will advise interested indigenous people to join these parties that have defended our rights. And, throughout the year, we will promote actions to strengthen these indigenous candidacies in order to ensure greater [indigenous] representation in Congress,” Tuxá said.

A study released Tuesday (Mar. 31) by the NGO ACT Promoção da Saúde in partnership with Agência Bori shows that food inflation in Brazil is a structural phenomenon, making fresh products more expensive compared to ultra-processed ones.

The survey was conducted by economist Valter Palmieri Junior, who holds a Ph.D. in economic development from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp).

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Food inflation in Brazil, he says, cannot be attributed exclusively to seasonal factors – temporary fluctuations that tend to correct themselves spontaneously when the season changes. The study cites the example of rising tomato prices during the off-season.

The economist also argues that, likewise, food inflation cannot be explained solely by cyclical factors – variations caused by non-recurring events that may last for months or a few years. One example is a sudden devaluation of the exchange rate.

The study classifies food inflation as structural, resulting from persistent pressures that do not resolve on their own and require changes in the way the economy is organized.

“Inflation is structural because it does not stem solely from temporary shocks; it is specific because it is linked to the historical characteristics of the Brazilian development model,” the specialist notes in the study.

Up above inflation

In nearly 20 years, the cost of food for Brazilians has surged 302.6 percent – in other words, it has quadrupled – while the country’s overall inflation rate stood at 186.6 percent. This means that, from June 2006 to December 2025, the rise in food prices exceeded the Brazil’s broad price index IPCA — which is used to gauge the nation’s official inflation – 62 percent.

By way of comparison, Palmieri Junior notes that during the same period in the US, food prices rose about 1.5 percent above general inflation.

The researcher points out that in Brazil, when some kind of crisis occurs and food prices rise sharply, there is resistance to a decline.

“It’s easy for prices to go up, but then, at some point, for them to fall a little – that’s extremely difficult. I’ve seen this with some other countries, too,” he said in a conversation with journalists to present the study.

When breaking down food cost categories in Brazil, the study reveals that the items with the highest price increases were tubers, roots, and vegetables (359.5%); meat (483.5%), and fruit (516.2%).

Healthy foods vs. ultra-processed foods

The survey shows that the loss of purchasing power is most acutely felt when it comes to fresh foods.

“If a person allocated, for example, five percent of the minimum wage to buying food in 2006, today, with that same percentage, they would be able to buy more ultra-processed products and fewer healthy foods,” he said.

From 2006 to 2026, purchasing power for fruits fell by about 31 percent; and for vegetables, by 26.6 percent. In the case of soft drinks (+23.6%) and processed meats such as ham (+69%) and mortadella (+87.2%), it increased.

Regarding ultra-processed foods, the economist points out that the lower prices are linked to the fact that they contain ingredients like additives, “which are industrial and subject to less price fluctuation.”

In the professor’s view, the reduced impact of inflation on ultra-processed foods influences purchasing decisions, leading people to buy less healthy products.

“You start to see a shift in consumption patterns as a result.”

Export-oriented model

One of the factors driving the persistent rise in prices, the study notes, is Brazil’s integration into the global economy and its agro-export model.

The fact that the country is one of the world’s largest food exporters means that producers prioritize selling to other countries and receiving payment for their production in dollars, rather than supplying the domestic market.

The study shows that in the 2000s, the country exported 24.2 million tons of food and imported 14.2 million tons. By 2025, exports had jumped to 209.4 million tons, while imports stood at 17.7 million.

“This indicator shows the net amount of food produced in the country destined for the foreign market, reinforcing Brazil’s role as a major exporter and increasing the influence of the international market on domestic prices,” he stated.

The focus on exports leads Brazilian producers to prioritize crops that are in higher demand in other countries – such as soybeans, corn, and sugarcane.

The area devoted to growing these crops increased from 41.93 million hectares in 2006 to 79.30 million hectares in 2025. This difference is larger than the entire territory of Germany (35.7 million hectares).

During the same span, the area dedicated to the cultivation of rice, beans, potatoes, wheat, cassava, tomatoes, and bananas shrank from 10.22 million to 6.41 million hectares.

More expensive supplies

Another factor cited as a cause of recurring food price increases is the cost of agricultural supplies – fertilizers, pesticides, harvesters, and other machinery.

The study compared prices for 2006–2008 and for 2022–2024 and identified the following hikes in real terms:

fertilizers – 2,423%
herbicides and growth regulators – 1,870%
harvesters – 1,765%
insecticides – 1,301%
urea (nitrogen fertilizer) – 981%
agricultural machinery parts – 667%

In the expert’s opinion, this reflects the absence of a development strategy, with the expansion of commodities based on supplies and technologies controlled by oligopolies in developed countries.

He argues domestic prices are caught in a vicious cycle.

“This has affected prices for everyone, including that small bean farmer. He doesn’t even export, but he’ll have to pay the high cost of supplies, and that cost will be passed on to the price of beans,” he said.

Concentration

This dependence is linked to another factor that, Palmieri Junior argues, drives food inflation – concentration in the production chain.

In his study, he reveals that four foreign seed companies alone account for 56 percent of the global market.

In the case of pesticide companies, four foreign firms hold 61 percent of the market.

In agricultural machinery, four foreign companies hold a 43 percent market share.

In the food industry, the study continues, five brands from two companies hold a 74.2 percent share of the Brazilian margarine market.

A similar situation exists in the instant noodle market (73.7%). Five brands from three companies account for 83 percent of the market for chocolates.

Invisible Inflation

The economist notes that food inflation is even worse than the numbers suggest, due to “invisible inflation,” which cannot be measured. He defines this phenomenon as products that maintain their price but alter their ingredients, substituting cheaper items for more expensive ones, causing the final product to lose quality.

One example is ice cream, which now contains less milk and more sugar. The same happens with chocolate, which loses cocoa powder and gains sugar.

“If the cost is reduced by lowering quality and it sells for the same price, that’s inflation that isn’t accounted for by research agencies. How are you going to capture that?” he asked.

Solutions

The publication outlines several approaches capable of reversing the upward trend in food prices.

“The price of food is not merely an economic variable. It reflects political, distributive, and civilizational choices regarding the model of society we aim to build,” he stressed.

Among the suggestions are:

• decentralization of production and strengthening of local economies;
• rebalancing exports and domestic supply;
• strengthening of institutions such as the National Supply Company (Conab) and state supply centers (Ceasas);
• expanding access to land; and
• production credit conditional on production for the domestic market.

Palmieri Junior cited the example of developed countries, such as the US and European nations, which have carried out land reforms.

“It means making land more accessible to a segment of the population. This contributes to food sovereignty,” he said.

He believes land reform is beneficial to the interests of capitalism.

“If food is cheap, citizens have more money left over to buy other things that capitalism is producing and profiting much more from,” he noted.

“If a large portion of the population’s income has to be spent on food, other productive sectors are harmed,” he added.

Companies play a key role in combating violence against girls and women and must act on three fronts: prevention, intervention, and support. This assessment was made on Tuesday (Mar. 31) by Márcio Rosa, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, in Rio de Janeiro, during an event discussing Corporate Responsibility in Combating Femicide, Gender-Based Violence, and Cultural Transformation.

In his view, the productive sector must also drive the cultural transformations needed to address the causes of the high number of femicides in the country.

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In Brazil, six women are killed every day, according to the 2025 Annual Report on Femicides, prepared by the Laboratory for the Study of Femicides at the State University of Londrina. Last year, there were 2,100 victims and 4,700 attempted femicides, according to the report.

During the event, attended by representatives from major public and private companies - led by Petrobras and Banco do Brasil - the executive secretary stated that addressing gender-based violence cannot be limited to tightening criminal laws after the fact. In his view, the focus should be on taking preventive action, starting with creating a violence-free workplace.

“What is expected of companies is prevention, intervention, care, and support,” Rosa stated.

At the event, the secretary also argued that companies should ensure the same practices are applied throughout their supply chains, “going beyond their own borders.”

Rosa classified inaction on the issue as an “institutional omission” by companies, calling it an ethical failure. He criticized corporate practices that discourage reporting, expose victims, or fail to hold perpetrators accountable.

According to him, companies that fail to create safe reporting channels or that penalize victims contribute to perpetuating the problem.

“It is obviously necessary to combat an internal culture that tolerates any form of harassment or violence,” Rosa said.

The secretary also proposed that women take a leading role in developing internal policies implemented by senior management. “Culture only changes when it is accompanied by everyday, concrete, and natural actions,” he stated.

Reinforcing the Ministry of Industry’s commitment to the issue, Rosa emphasized that the National Pact for the Prevention of Femicide also involves the government and civil society. In his view, only joint action can break the cycle of violence: “This isn’t an agenda item for tomorrow; it should have been adopted yesterday,” he concluded.

Example

During the event, businesswoman Luiza Trajano, founder of Magazine Luiza - one of Brazil’s largest retail chains, specializing in electronics, home appliances, and furniture - presented Canal Mulher (Women’s Channel), created to support female employees who are victims of domestic violence. The program was launched after an employee became a victim of femicide in 2017 and provides support from psychologists and lawyers, among other resources.

Over the years, the company has even paid rent to help an employee move out of her home. The strategy was refined in 2019, when the company’s mobile app added a reporting button that immediately connects to the 180 hotline - a 24-hour public service that receives reports of violence and provides guidance on women’s rights.

“We made a pact; we also trained men to identify and address these situations, and our company will never again lose a woman to this violence,” she said.

Trajano praised the National Pact for the Prevention of Femicide, which takes an approach focused on men. “President Lula spoke to men, and at our company, we’re speaking directly to them: ‘Look, you need to take action, because one day it could be your daughter, a niece, a sister - and you wouldn’t even know it. And it’s not just ordinary people; some are secretaries who speak three languages.’”

“Companies have been hiring more and more women, and it’s important that these women feel their employers are committed to the cause,” said Wania Sant’Anna, president of the Pact for the Promotion of Racial Equity.

“Companies play an extraordinary role in raising society’s awareness of how unacceptable violence against women is,” she stated.

“The numbers are not a mere coincidence; they reflect a culture that has historically been violent toward women and tolerated,” Sant’Anna noted, citing the severity and extreme cruelty of crimes committed against them.

To support companies, the United Nations (UN) created the Global Compact. The initiative outlines ways for organizations to “take concrete actions toward the transformations we need to see in society,” said its director, Monica Gregori. Speaking at the meeting, she highlighted the importance of corporations addressing institutional violence first.

“Companies can adopt preventive measures, starting with raising awareness about gender-based violence - since femicide is its ultimate manifestation - and combating the psychological and sexual harassment that still occurs in corporations,” Gregori emphasized.

An enthusiastic supporter of the initiative, Brazil’s First Lady Rosângela Lula da Silva highlighted the role of companies and called for support for initiatives aimed at criminalizing misogyny, of which she herself has been a victim, particularly on social media.

“When we try to understand the reason behind this escalation of violence, we encounter a hostile environment for women on the internet. In this digital space, which seems like a no-man’s-land, we see the unacceptable proliferation of misogynistic, violent, and illegal content - content that preaches male superiority and incites gender-based violence,” she analyzed.

The media’s role

Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), which manages radio and TV stations as well as websites, was represented by its CEO, Andre Basbaum, who defended the role of public media in fostering dialogue with society.

“This is a national crisis; rates of violence [against women] are extremely high, and we are addressing this through debate,” he said.

Antonia Pellegrino, EBC’s Director of Content and Programming, added that media companies are responsible for shaping the public imagination - the mental images people form about various topics. “Our programming creates new imaginaries and paves the way for transforming reality,” she said.