crime: brazilian police and media report that violent crime rate remains high in most urban centers. credit card fraud and atm scams are endemic in brazil. visitors should work closely with their financial institutions to monitor their accounts regularly for undocumented withdrawals or charges.
brasilia: brasilia has high rates of crime. residential burglaries continue to occur in the generally affluent residential sections of the city. public transportation, hotel sectors, and tourist areas report the highest crime rates, but statistics show that these incidents can happen anywhere and at any time. the 'satellite cities? that surround brasilia have per-capita crime rates comparable to much larger cities. police reports indicate that rates of all types of crime, including ?quicknappings,? have risen dramatically in brasilia in the last two years. brasilia's central bus station, or ?rodoviaria,? is a particularly dangerous area, especially at night. this location is known to have a large concentration of drug dealers and users.
rio de janeiro: the city continues to experience high incidences of crime, including armed robberies. crime can happen at any place or time within rio. while criminal activity is more frequent in certain areas, there is no area in rio that is immune. tourists are particularly vulnerable to street thefts and robberies in the evening and at night especially in areas adjacent to major tourist attractions. if robbed, do not attempt to resist or fight back, but rather relinquish your personal belongings. always, pay close attention to your surroundings and the behavior of those nearby. there have been reports of thieves and rapists slipping incapacitating drugs into drinks at bars, hotel rooms, and street parties. while crime occurs throughout the year, it is more frequent during carnival and the weeks prior.
when choosing lodging, consider location, security, and the availability of a safe to store valuables. do not answer your hotel room door until you positively confirm who is on the other side.
u.s. government personnel in brazil are prohibited from traveling to rio's ?unpacified? favelas but may visit rio's pacified favelas after obtaining permission from the consulate's security office (?pacification? is a law enforcement and social services program designed to reduce lawlessness in rio's ?favelas,? or slums). however, even pacified favelas can be unpredictable and dangerous, and u.s. residents and visitors in rio de janeiro who visit pacified favelas could be placing themselves at risk.be vigilant while on the roads, especially at night. there have been shootings and carjackings on the linha vermelha that links the international airport to the popular tourist areas in the city's southern zone. in rio de janeiro, motorists should be especially vigilant at stoplights and when stuck in traffic. carjackings and holdups can occur at intersections and in tunnels. crime on public transportation is frequent, and at times is violent. when traveling by taxi, tourists should only use taxis openly displaying company information and phone numbers, as well as red license plates. u.s. government employees are not permitted to use public vans and tourists are advised to avoid them as well.
rio de janeiro is also often the site of large scale events such as the upcoming 2016 olympics. reselling tickets to these types of sporting events may be seen as scalping and result in arrest. during the 2014 world cup the police apprehended numerous people for scalping tickets, some spending extensive time in prison waiting for trial.
report all incidents to rio's tourist police (deat) at (21) 2332-2924. the tourist police have been very responsive to victims.
sao paulo: all areas of greater sao paulo have a high rate of armed robbery of pedestrians and drivers at stoplights and during rush hour traffic. the downtown area and outskirts of the city are subject to higher levels of crime. the "red light districts" of sao paulo, located on rua augusta north of avenida paulista and the estacao de luz metro area, are especially dangerous. there are regular reports of women drugging men's drinks and robbing them while they are unconscious. armed holdups of pedestrians and motorists by motorcyclists are a common occurrence in sao paulo. criminals also target restaurants throughout the city, frequently between the hours of 10:00 pm and 4:00 am, including the upscale neighborhoods of jardins, itaim bibi, campo belo, morumbi and moema. victims who resist run the risk of violent attack. be aware of your surroundings and exercise caution at all times. respect police roadblocks and be aware that some municipal services may be disrupted. due to some recent violent attacks (including sexual assaults) at ibirapuera park, the u.s. government has advised all consulate personnel to avoid the park after dark.
favela tours have recently become popular among foreign tourists in sao paulo. avoid sao paulo's favelas as neither the tour company nor the city police can guarantee your safety when entering favelas.
