BRAZIL

In 2025, Brazil continues its difficult recovery from a political and institutional crisis, amid a climate of intense ideological polarization. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, re-elected in 2022, governs in the face of strong opposition from supporters of Jair Bolsonaro, whose influence persists despite his removal from political life.

Tensions have been reignited by the initiation of trials against several high-ranking Bolsonaro supporters implicated in the January 8, 2023, assault on democratic institutions in Brasília. Convictions were handed down in early 2025, sparking new waves of protests—sometimes violent—in several regional capitals.

In terms of security, major cities (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Recife) continue to face very high crime rates. The favelas continue to be the scene of violent clashes between law enforcement and criminal groups, with frequent use of armored vehicles and helicopters. The risk of being caught in the crossfire is real in certain neighborhoods, as is the risk of being kidnapped and held for ransom, particularly for foreign nationals—especially Westerners—who are perceived as wealthy.

Entire areas are beyond the state’s control, particularly in urban outskirts and regions bordering Paraguay, Venezuela, and Colombia. Drug trafficking, local corruption, and judicial impunity fuel these hotspots of insecurity in a country where social inequalities remain extreme.

Violent crime is also spreading to rural areas, particularly in the context of land conflicts between large landowners, indigenous peoples, and peasant movements. Targeted killings of environmental defenders, indigenous leaders, and human rights activists remain frequent in the Amazon region.

On the environmental front, the Lula administration has attempted to curb deforestation in the Amazon, but the results have been mixed. Illegal logging, gold mining, and cross-border trafficking continue to proliferate. Several dams were contested by local communities in 2024.

For travelers, Brazil remains accessible but requires careful planning. Risks are higher in major cities and in the north and northwest of the country. Travelers are advised against visiting favelas, border areas of the Amazon, and remote regions without a guide and security measures.

Natural climate-related hazards (landslides, floods) are also increasingly affecting the country, particularly in the southeastern and northeastern states, which were already hit by extreme weather events in 2024.