Society

Numbers of the week: Aug. 8, 2020

This is Brazil by the Numbers, a weekly digest of the most interesting figures tucked inside the latest news about Brazil. A selection of numbers that help explain what is going on in Brazil. This week’s topics: Brazil’s coronavirus death toll, racism in numbers, potential economic relief, Caetano Veloso turns 78, fake currency on the streets, another chapter of the job apocalypse, Bolsonaro’s Covid-19 cabinet, and improved industrial sector results.

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Almost 100,000 coronavirus deaths

Brazil is very close to reaching 100,000 total Covid-19 deaths, though still 60,000 away from the total tally in the U.S., still the country with most losses. During the week, President Jair Bolsonaro tweeted his condolences to the over 150 victims in the explosions in Beirut, capital of Lebanon. However, the coronavirus kills almost ten times more people in a single day in Brazil. Yet, Mr. Bolsonaro is still dismissive of the crisis. Discussing the rising death toll, he said “let’s get on with our lives and find a way out of this.”


8 in every 10

Racism is institutionalized in Brazil and the numbers don’t lie. A study by the Rio de Janeiro Public Defender’s Office showed that 80 percent of...

Lucas Berti

Lucas Berti covers international affairs — specialized in Latin American politics and markets. He has been published by Opera Mundi, Revista VIP, and The Intercept Brasil, among others.

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