From the News

From to print to radio, and everything in between, we bring you the relevant stories straight from the headlines.

  • On 15th of December 2013, elections took place in the Laboriaux sub-bairro of Rocinha, which re-established the residents` association of Laboriaux, AMAVL (sometimes known as AMAVLVC). AMAVL stands for the Association of Residents and Friends of Vila Laboriaux. When the VC is included (as in AMAVLVC) it is because the sub-bairro of Vila Cruzada, which…

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  •     Eduardo Paes finally Visits Laboriaux, our community, which he condemned, in its entirety in 2010 for eviction. After three years of protests, campaigns and organized demanding of rights the residents of Laboriaux finally pressured him to visit the community. He promised in front of dozens of cameras and eagerly listening residents that not…

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  • On Monday, March 26, 2012 the president of one of Rocinha’s three residents associations (AMABB) was shot and killed. Vanderlan Barros de Oliveira, known as Feijão, walked a short distance out of the association’s headquarters when he was shot at five times in broad day light by a man on a motorcycle wearing a helmet.…

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  • The city of Rio de Janeiro spends R$ 377 million (215 million USD) in order for resident’s of a wealthy area of Ipanema to remain where they live while a major infrastructure project is completed around, and under them. At the same time, and hypocritically, the City is removing at will, and arbitrarily, dozens of…

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  • There’s an ambitious government programme underway in one of Rio de Janeiro’s biggest slums, or favelas. The aim is to clear Rocinha – home to over 100,000 people – of the drugs gangs that have dominated there for decades. The strategy, known as ‘pacification’, begins with a raid by Brazilian elite forces to drive out…

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  • After the police occupation in November of 2011, rent has increased by 30% The occupation of Rocinha by security forces has put the community in focus. Conveniently located in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro, close to the beach and overlooking the ocean, peace should be cause for celebration for the residents, but instead it has…

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  • For their participation in these reports, Paul Sneed and the Back|Story team would like to thank religious leader Pai Almir who lives in the favela Rocinha. Also a big thank you to Viviana Rodrigues who is a teacher in Rocinha and co-founder of 2bros.org. A big thank you, as well, to Sergi Navarro-Rivero, a Harvard…

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  • Great article from the Guardian by Ignacio Cano – a senior lecturer in research methodology at the department of social sciences of the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Worth the read – which is why we posted this article.  The real test for Rio is not whether it can make the World Cup and Olympics safe,…

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  • On Sunday November 20th one of Brazil’s largest media corporations, Rede Record, was in Laboriaux filming for their hugely popular TV show Balanço Geral. They followed one of Laboriaux’s best known residents, Carlão, as he describe what the issues and what the major problems are. Balanço Geral came to Laboriaux at the request of persistent…

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  • International firm AECOM has won the open bid to build Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Village. This is the same firm that is building London’s Olympic Village for the 2012 Olympics. Along with the winning contract AECOM was awarded a R$100,000 bonus. A total of 60 firms, from 18 countries had submitted proposals for the lucrative…

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