One of the World’s Oldest Military Ships Is Sailing Down a River in Brazil
There is something beautiful about old ships and the sheer mechanical ingenuity to keep them working. In the U.S. Navy, the average ship lifespan is currently 18.2 years, with 36 years being the generally accepted maximum service life, although some ships will sail longer. Globally, the average commercial ship... Read more
Where Brazilian Gangsters Get Their Guns
This article originally appeared at InSight Crime. Brazil’s biggest criminal group has reportedly attempted to smuggle high-powered firearms from Venezuela in order to expand its illegal activities, taking advantage of the neighboring country’s economic crisis, lack of oversight on the part of the government and the new dynamics on the border... Read more
‘Classic Rio Gangster Battle’ Leaves Brazil Favela in State of Siege
This article originally appeared at InSight Crime. One of Brazil‘s largest favelas has been under siege for more than a week as two rival crime groups battle for territorial control, illustrating shifting criminal dynamics in the city and raising questions about whether or not security forces will be able to... Read more
It Never Ends Well When Brazil Sends Troops Onto the Streets
This article originally appeared at InSight Crime. Brazil’s defense minister has announced a new phase of security operations in Rio de Janeiro that will involve a massive military deployment, a strategy often used throughout Latin America that has repeatedly failed to produce long-term improvements. In preparation for the second... Read more
The Guarani Fighting Vehicle Is the Developing World’s Stryker
Brazil stands out in Latin America for its arms industry. There are more armored vehicles, artillery pieces and aircraft made in Brazil in service around the world than from any other country in the Western Hemisphere south of the Rio Grande. It’s one of the largest small arms exporters in... Read more
Gangs Are Killing a Record Number of Rio’s Cops
This article originally appeared at InSight Crime. A record number of police have been killed in Brazil’s state of Rio de Janeiro so far in 2017, in a seeming illustration of the police’s poor training and how they have become a central actor in the battle over that state’s... Read more