A most violent year: Brazil murder toll hits record 63,800

Gang crime and domestic violence fuel homicide tally ahead of presidential election

Brazil army
Brazil’s military took over public security in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year in response to rising violence
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Murder rates in Brazil rose by 3.7% to a record 63,880 killings last year, according to a new study released in the run-up to a presidential election dominated by the issue of violence.

So what is behind the nation’s steadily increasing homicide rates?

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More