Brazil has a reputation as a rather dangerous place, both for people and their possessions. It's not entirely undeserved, but it's a subject that is often treated hysterically, and many visitors arrive with a wildly exaggerated idea of the perils lying in wait for them. While you would be foolish to ignore them, don't allow worries about safety to interfere with your enjoyment of the country. Certainly, if you take the precautions outlined below, you are extremely unlikely to come to any harm - although you might still have something stolen somewhere along the way
Robberies, hold-ups and thefts
Remember that while being a gringo can attract unwelcome attention, it can also provide an important measure of protection. The Brazilian police can be extremely violent, and law enforcement tends to take the form of periodic crackdowns. Therefore,...
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The police
If you are robbed or held up, it's not necessarily a good idea to go to the
police
. Except with something like a theft from a hotel room, they're very unlikely to be able to do anything, and reporting something can take hours even without the...
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Drugs
You should be very, very careful about
drugs
.
Marijuana
-
maconha
- is common, but you are in serious trouble if the police find any on you. You'll probably be able to bribe your way out of it, but it will be an...
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