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Human Rights Issues In Brazil

        The population in Brazil consists of 144 million people.
Brazil is one of the fastest-growing nations in the Western
Hemisphere. Its population is increasing at the rate of about 2% a
year. The constitution of Brazil gives the president tremendous
powers. For example, the president may intervene in affairs of
Brazil's states. The chief executive may even create new states from
existing ones.

        Brazil has three main ethnic groups-whites, blacks, and people
of mixed ancestry. Most of the whites are from Europe. According to
the Brazilian government whites make up about 60% of the nation's
population, and people of mixed races form about 30%. However, the
government of Brazil counts many lightskinned people of mixed ancestry
as white. Brazil's ethnic groups generally get along well with one
another. Racial discrimination in Brazil if far less widespread than
that in many other countries with people of several races. But
Brazilians of European descent have had better educational
opportunities. As a result, they hold most of the higher jobs in
government and industry. Many of the non-Europeans, particularly
blacks, have excelled in the arts, entertainment and sports.

        Brazil's prison system system is in crisis. Four years ago, in
its 1990 urban violence report Amnesty International described the
prisons as being at breaking point, holding double their official
capacity in "inhuman" conditions. Four years later the situation
has not improved. In some respects, it has deteriorated. Overcrowding,
lack of medical and legal assistance, torture and ill-treatment of
inmates and harassment of visitors are endemic. A frightening and
rising proportion of prisoners carry the HIV virus. In the Women's
Prison of Soo Paulom, around 33% of the inmates are infected with the
virus, while in the male prison the figure reaches 27% of the prison
population. A study published in 1994 shows that the majority of...