James Armour Young
Contributor
Dilma Rousseff's impeachment trial begins in Brazil
Projections suggest senators will vote to remove Rousseff permanently from the presidency, putting a final end to almost 14 years of Workers’ Party rule that had initially turned Brazil into a symbol of hope on the world stage.
The Rio Olympics want you to forget that Brazil is in turmoil
The Rio 2016 OIympics began in the midst of a political crisis, a deep recession, and bad press that has already branded them a disaster.
Rio has broken its promise of an environment-friendly Olympics
It was supposed to be the Green Games for a Blue Planet but Rio de Janeiro is nowhere near complying with any of the ambitious environmental commitments made when it bid for the event.
Brazil is rethinking its promise to accept 100,000 Syrian refugees
The government of Dilma Rousseff made the promise last year but the new right-leaning government headed by President Michel Temer is reportedly backtracking.
Meet Brazil's Donald Trump: He's Deliberately Outrageous and He Wants to Be President
Legislator Jair Bolsonaro has always been brash and, often, deeply offensive. Now his refusal to be "politically correct" is turning him into one of the big winners of Brazil's current political crisis.
The Rio Olympics Just Got $500 Million Less Secure
The slashing of the security budget for Rio has raised doubts over the city’s ability to guarantee the safety of visitors to the Games, as well as its ability to deal with potential terrorist attacks.
Police Question Brazil's Ex-President Lula for Four Hours in Petrobras Scandal Probe
The dramatic events directly tie Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the Operation Car Wash investigation into a massive bribes and money laundering scandal involving the state-run oil company that has already led to the arrest of Brazilian politicians.
Brazilian Feminists Tackle Carnival Sexism by Joining the Party
This year's carnival season included several feminist blocos, or street parties, that challenge what they see as male-domination of the festival with its sexualized "carnival queens," and general acceptance of the idea that women are prey.
Financial Crisis and Zika Threaten Carnival in Brazil
Even Rio's biggest samba schools say Brazil's recession means they are struggling to fund their huge elaborate parades at the city’s Sambodromo, which has also been sprayed in an effort to contain the threat of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.
The Murder Rate Is Down in Rio — But Its Cops Continue to Kill
The authorities claim that the drop in homicides to their lowest level since 1991 is largely due to a special favela policing strategy, though others say more attention is also needed to shocking levels of police brutality, including a string of...
Rio de Janeiro Is in the Middle of a Major Public Health Crisis
The condition of the region’s hospitals stands in stark contrast to the the gleaming new Olympic arenas and doctors are warning those planning to attend the Games not to get sick.
The Rio Olympics Is Being Used as 'an Excuse' to Evict Poor People From Valuable Land
The city council argues that mass evictions are not only essential for the hosting of the games because they will also improve transportation networks, but many charge the real driving force is property development.