When you’re planning a trip to Brazil, questions about safety and crime are likely at the top of your mind. I prefer to be direct and honest on this topic: Brazil is not a safe country, for both locals and travelers, especially in metropolitan areas. Does that mean you should cancel your trip? Absolutely not, but we must approach it with a clear understanding of the risks. Let me explain step by step.
In Brazil, we are accustomed to levels of crime and violence that are almost unimaginable in places like North America, Europe, Australia, or Singapore. The statistics on murder rates, theft, and other crimes are sadly comparable to what you’d find in countries like South Africa or Mexico.
Growing up there, we learn to live with a constant undercurrent of fear: not walking alone at night, avoiding certain neighborhoods, and always being aware of our surroundings. Our homes are often surrounded by high walls and iron bars, and buildings frequently have security services, which can make them look like literal prisons. In fact, Brazil is the second-largest market for bulletproof cars in the world, just behind Mexico.
So, what’s the root cause of this? It’s not as simple as poverty or social inequality. The core issues are a combination of permissive laws for criminals, widespread corruption, and a lack of effective punishment. In a painful truth, crime in Brazil is often rewarding. Drug cartels are well-equipped with military-grade weaponry, and ordinary citizens are left largely defenseless.
What a Robbery in Brazil Might Look Like
Let’s imagine a scenario. You’re walking in Rio de Janeiro, and a young person steals your mobile phone and necklace. You go to a police station to file a report (B.O – Boletim de Ocorrência in Portuguese), which can take hours due to bureaucracy.
The harsh reality is that even if the thief is caught, he might be released sooner than you finish your paperwork, unless he’s committed a more serious crime like murder. He will be free to hunt for new victims, and you might be robbed again by someone else. And what if he hurts you? In most cases, he’ll sell or exchange your belongings for drugs.
This is why it’s not an exaggeration to say that Brazil can feel like a conflict zone. Travelers must be very careful about where they go and when. Having grown up in a small, relatively safer town, I still always ask locals about which areas to avoid and if it’s okay to go out at night. I also make sure to hide my phone and any other valuable items.
This might sound paranoid, but what else can we do? After living abroad in places like Switzerland, Israel, and Portugal, it took me a while to get used to walking around without constant worry. My advice is simple: don’t do that in Brazil.
The murder rate has been falling, but the numbers remain staggering. In the decade between 2010 and 2020, the average was 60,000 murders per year. Every 9 minutes, there’s a murder in Brazil. The homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants is around 27 per year. It’s no surprise that out of the 30 most dangerous cities in the world, 10 are in Brazil.
How Brazilians Deal with Crime in Daily Life
Living with this constant tension has forced Brazilians to become experts in creative self-preservation. Here are a few examples of “hacks” many locals use to protect themselves:
- Carry a “second wallet”: Many people keep a small amount of cash in a separate, easily accessible wallet to hand over to a thief, while their real wallet is hidden or kept at home.
- Hide valuables: We’ve learned to be creative, like hiding headphones inside a dental floss box or other mundane objects that a thief wouldn’t look twice at.
- Use “disguised” devices: It’s common to see people using cases that make their expensive smartphones look like old 1990’s devices.
- Carry a decoy phone: Many people carry an old, inexpensive phone when they go out, leaving their main smartphone safely at home or in a hidden pocket.
- Use traps: This can be anything from simple booby traps for home invaders to disabling the proximity payment feature on bank cards.
These are just a few examples. If you speak Portuguese, you may also receive scam calls with elaborate stories to get you to send money. Crime has corrupted our public spaces and social fabric, eroding trust in authorities. Many middle-class people in big cities live within gated communities, apartment complexes, or frequent shopping malls, where the risks of encountering criminals are lower.
Safety Recommendations for Travelers in Brazil
Since Brazilians live with these realities daily, travelers must also take precautions. Most of the serious crimes against tourists happen in areas I would never set foot in, just like any local. Here are some essential safety tips:
- Don’t display valuable items: Avoid flashing expensive smartphones, tablets, watches, or branded clothing. This instantly makes you a target.
- Avoid risky areas: Ask locals which neighborhoods to avoid, especially at night.
- Stay in well-known, populated areas at night: Stick to crowded bars, clubs, and main streets where there are plenty of people.
- Protect your payment methods: Be careful when using your card at restaurants, especially along highways, as it can be cloned. Keep the tap-to-pay feature disabled on your bank cards. If a thief steals your card, they could drain your account quickly.
- Be cautious of scams: Brazilians are sociable and friendly, but be aware of scammers who specifically target foreigners (gringos).
- Take taxis or ride-sharing services to avoid walking through dangerous streets, especially after dark.
Should I Visit Favelas?
Visiting a favela might pique your curiosity, but I personally don’t recommend it. If you do go, you should never do it alone and only go with a reputable local guide. These areas are often controlled by drug traffickers, and it’s their rules that matter. It’s common to see people carrying weapons in the streets, and you never know when a conflict might break out.
As someone who doesn’t feel safe going to favelas, I wouldn’t feel right recommending that a traveler does. While 90% of the people who live in favelas are honest and hardworking, you have no defense against the arbitrary decisions of criminals. A pretty girl who denies dating a gangster is likely to be raped and murdered, for example.
Are There Safe Places in Brazil?
Yes, there are safer spots in Brazil where you can live without being paranoid about crime. Outside of the biggest cities, there are regions where murder rates are similar to the average in North America and Western Europe, the infrastructure is reasonable, and the standards of living are higher than the Latin American average.
In Brazilian small and medium-sized towns, life can be tranquil, cheaper, and put you in touch with rich regional cultures. However, in these places, you’ll need to speak at least some Portuguese, as most locals aren’t used to dealing with foreigners.
For a more peaceful stay, consider cities like Florianópolis, Balneário Camboriú, Curitiba, Gramado, Maringá, and Londrina. These are examples of safer spots where crime is not as disproportionate as it is in state capitals like Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, or Porto Alegre. In any case, always be careful with your surroundings, just as locals do.
Originally posted 2022-10-16 20:47:21.
