A night at Latin America’s biggest cemetery

Photographer Vincent Bosson produced a photo essay at São Paulo's Vila Formosa cemetery, accompanying the burials of Covid-19 victims and reflecting on a pandemic out of all control

In full protective gear, a gravedigger at Vila Formosa cemetery looks on burying another Covid-19 victim. Photo: Vincent Bosson

By Vincent Bosson

Apr 21, 2021 10:59 4 min read

Brazil is a far cry from controlling its coronavirus spread. Health networks are constantly facing the risk of collapse, and funeral services are simply unable to cope with the sheer demand for burials. As The Brazilian Report covered earlier this month, many cemeteries were forced to suspend services as they hit full capacity. Space, however, is not an issue in São Paulo’s Vila Formosa cemetery. It is the largest in Latin America — expanding over 750,000 square meters, it is the fourth-largest green space in São Paulo — and instead of halting burials, it is digging new graves around...

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A night at Latin America’s biggest cemetery

Photographer Vincent Bosson produced a photo essay at São Paulo's Vila Formosa cemetery, accompanying the burials of Covid-19 victims and reflecting on a pandemic out of all control

Access all of The Brazilian Report

Start your 7-day free trial.

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