City Crime Issues Listed by US State Department
BRASILIA: Once spared the crime rates of other Brazilian cities,
Brasilia now has significant crime problems. Following the citywide
trend of previous years, reports of residential burglaries continue
to occur in the generally affluent residential sections of the city.
Public transportation, hotel sectors and tourist areas are still
the locations with the highest crime rates, though statistics show
that incidents can happen anywhere and at anytime. The majority
of kidnappings in Brasilia continue to be the “quicknappings.”
RIO DE JANEIRO: The city continues to experience a high incidence
of crime. Tourists are particularly vulnerable to street thefts
and robberies on and in areas adjacent to major tourist attractions
and the main beaches in the city. Walking on the beaches is very
dangerous at night. During the day, travelers are advised not to
take possessions of value to the beach. During 2006-07, the Consulate
General assisted many Americans who had had incapacitating drugs
slipped into their drinks at bars or in their hotel rooms and then
robbed. Tourists continue to suffer attacks along trails leading
to the famous Corcovado Mountain, on the road linking the airport
and the South Zone and on the beaches of Copacabana. Over the past
year, attacks against motorists increased. In Rio de Janeiro City,
motorists are allowed to treat stoplights as stop signs between
the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to protect against holdups at intersections.
While most police officials are honest, in 2006, there were several
cases of corrupt police officials extorting money from American
tourists. All incidents should be reported to the tourist police,
who can be reached at 3399-7170/71/72/73.
SAO PAULO: While similar incidents may occur elsewhere, all areas
of Sao Paulo have a high rate of armed robbery of pedestrians at
stoplights. There is a particularly high incidence of robberies
and pick pocketing in the Praca da Se section of Sao Paulo and in
the eastern part of the city. As is true of "red light districts"
in other cities, the areas of Sao Paulo on Rua Augusta north of
Avenida Paulista and the Estacao de Luz metro area are especially
dangerous. There are regular reports of young women slipping knockout
drops in men's drinks and robbing them of all their belongings while
they are unconscious. Armed holdups of pedestrians and motorists
by young men on motorcycles (“motoboys”) are an increasingly
common occurrence in Sao Paulo. Victims who resist run the risk
of violent retaliation. The number one item of choice by robbers
in Sao Paulo, especially with regards to business travelers, is
laptop computers. Recent efforts of incarcerated drug lords to exert
their power outside of their jail cells have resulted in sporadic
disruptions in the city, violence directed at the authorities, bus
burnings and vandalism at ATM machines. These occurrences have not
resulted in any injuries to U.S. citizens. Visitors and residents
should respect police roadblocks and be aware that some municipal
services may be disrupted.
RECIFE: Deceptively tranquil, Recife now has one of the highest
murder rates (per capita) in all Brazil. As in Rio de Janeiro, tourists
in Recife should take special care while on the beaches, as robberies
may occur in broad daylight. In the upscale Boa Viagem neighborhood,
car-jackings can occur at any time of the day or night. Some of
Brazil’s most popular beaches lie in the Recife consular district:
Fortaleza, Natal, and Maceio. Beachgoers should heed the signs posted
on beaches alerting to the higher-than-average probability of shark
attacks. Shark attacks are recorded in Recife every year. |
