All Content: Brazil

Public Health Approach Takes Back Seat to Law Enforcement as Brazil Cracks Down on Drug Use

21 Feb 2013
Analysis & Commentary
Despite some promises for change, law enforcement responses, rather than a public health approach, have come to define Brazil's drug policies.

Brazil’s Lessons in Rural Development

Family Agriculture, Access to Water, and Civic Engagement
21 Feb 2013
Publication
WOLA is pleased to announce the publication of the new report, “Brazil’s Lessons in Rural Development: Family Agriculture, Access to Water, and Civic Engagement,” which highlights two Brazilian policies that support small farmers.

The United States Should Declassify Documents Relevent to the Work of the Brazilian Truth Commission

7 Dec 2012
Publication
Like other Latin American Truth Commissions, Brazil’s has officially requested assistance from the United States in the form of a review and declassification of still classified U.S. documentation related to the human rights cases and military agencies that the Commission is investigating.

Nuevo Estudio: América Latina castiga a ofensores de drogas más que a asesinos o violadores

6 Dec 2012
News
En América Latina es más grave contrabandear marihuana con el fin de venderla a quien quiere consumirla, que violar a una mujer o matar voluntariamente al vecino.

Recent Corruption and Human Rights Trials in Brazil Could Signal Shift toward Justice

26 Oct 2012
Analysis & Commentary
There have recently been a number of high-profile criminal cases in Brazil that have caused some to proclaim that a culture of impunity is finally giving way to a culture of accountability where criminals face justice.

Brazilian Citizen Security Policies: Variety of Experiences Useful in Regional Debates

22 Aug 2012
Analysis & Commentary
Brazil, like many countries in Latin America, has struggled over the last 20 years with how to effectively address high levels of crime and violence.

Brazil security and human rights update

WOLA's Joseph Bateman on Brazil's evolving public security situation, human rights, and Brasília's foreign policy
1 Aug 2012
Publication
Adam talks to Joseph Bateman, WOLA's Program Officer for Brazil, about what he's learned on 3 recent visits. Topics include citizen security and policing, human rights and the new Truth Commission, and Brazil's foreign policy and relations with Washington.

The Human Cost of the Drug War

Drugs and Prisons in Latin America
16 Jul 2012
Publication
The people in the videos are featured because they represent the rarely revealed human side of the war on drugs.

Truth Commission in Brazil is Part of Reconciliation Process

16 May 2012
Analysis & Commentary
Although the Truth Commission does not include provisions for prosecutions, there are some that hope, and others that fear, that the information revealed by the two-year investigation will create the momentum necessary to overturn the Amnesty Law.

The Drug Policy Debate: Putting Everything on the Table

10 Apr 2012
Analysis & Commentary
When the hemisphere’s leaders emerge from their Summit conversations about drug policy, no one should expect them to announce a consensus position. But Cartagena can be the springboard to a sustained, structured, and increasingly specific consideration of a range of promising options.

Summit of the Americas: Walking the Walk on Partnership

5 Apr 2012
Analysis & Commentary
The presidents of the Americas (with some notable exceptions) will gather once again later this month. President Obama will likely again focus on partnership, engagement, and co-responsibility. These are the right ideas, and they can revolutionize our relationship with the hemisphere.

Brazil Joins the List of Latin American Countries Currently Addressing Historic Human Rights Violations

14 Mar 2012
Publication
For the first time, the government of Brazil is moving forward to criminally prosecute someone responsible for human rights violations committed during the 20-year military dictatorship.

As Brazil Begins Truth Commission, Tensions Surrounding its Mandate Remain High

2 Mar 2012
Analysis & Commentary
In November last year, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff signed the Truth Commission into law, marking a huge step forward in the process of addressing human rights violations that occurred during the Dirty War.

Event: Recent Developments in Human Rights Prosecutions in Latin America

1 Mar 2012
Video
In recent years, human rights prosecutions have advanced in cases of Latin American military officials, political leaders, and heads of state charged with responsibility for major human rights violations.

Police Strikes in Brazil Evidence of Deeper Structural Problems

10 Feb 2012
Analysis & Commentary
At the beginning of February, around 10,000 members of the military police in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia went on strike after years of failed negotiations for pay increases and better benefits. The strikes will likely spread to other areas of Brazil.

Government Records and Human Rights Prosecutions in Brazil

The Araguaia case and its implications for truth and justice
20 Jan 2012
Analysis & Commentary
On December 15, 2011, WOLA and the National Security Archive co-hosted a discussion to mark the one-year anniversary of the Araguaia ruling in the Inter-American Court on Human Rights (IACHR). Watch the event and read about their conclusions.

WOLA: Promoting Human Rights, Democracy, and Social Justice

22 Dec 2011
Video
As the year winds to a close, we hope you will enjoy this video about how WOLA works with partners in the region to advance human rights in Latin America. If you have not done so, we hope you will consider making a donation to WOLA to support our continued efforts. Your support makes a difference.

Tackling Urban Violence in Latin America: Reversing Exclusion through Smart Policing and Social Investment

Featuring strategies in Rio de Janeiro, Medellin, Ciudad Juarez, and Santa Tecla
13 Jun 2011
Publication
This report features attempts to improve citizen security by combining law enforcement and social investment in marginalized communities most affected by crime.

Trends in Latin American military spending

A conversation with SIPRI's Carina Solmirano
10 Jun 2011
Publication
South America's military budgets rose 5.8% in 2010, faster than any other region, says the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's latest yearbook. Adam and WOLA Fellow Lucila Santos talk with Carina Solmirano of SIPRI about her findings.

Tackling Urban Violence in Latin America

WOLA Releases Report Comparing Innovative Approaches to Citizen Security
6 Jun 2011
News
Today, as the Organization of American States (OAS) 41st General Assembly focuses on “Citizen Security in the Americas,” WOLA released a new report on innovative approaches to reduce urban violence.

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