Even more contagious than the new strain of coronavirus that emerged in mid-December is misinformation about the disease. The number of cases is jumping every day; people are dying, and the world is beginning to panic. As of January 29, 15 countries had already confirmed having at least one coronavirus infection. In our podcast (episode #93), we explained how it could affect Brazil—or whether the country is “ready” for the virus.
But hold on, Mr. Coronavirus. End of the line. Let’s remember that there are a lot of other unsolved problems Brazil needs to deal with first. In 2019, having barely recovered from the Amazon rainforest fire crisis—9,762 square kilometers of the Amazon rainforest were deforested—, another environmental matter to worry about came to light.
Several oil stains have appeared all across the country’s Northeast border, damaging flora and fauna and making the region’s idyllic beaches unusable. Worst, it took the government about a month before ordering an effort to clean up some 100 tons of sludge from the coast.
We also have a violence issue. According to the Institute of Public Security, the Rio de Janeiro Military Police kills more than criminals in São Paulo, reaching a rate of 10.5 killings per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2018 alone, police officers were responsible for 6,220 deaths nationwide, more than the total of homicides in all of Europe. Not to mention the indigenous struggle, led by Mr. Bolsonaro anti-demarcation speech, the record of transgender’s murder in 2019 …
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