Brazil expands facial‑recognition video surveillance across multiple cities

The Federal District launched the DF 360 program, allowing private cameras to be linked to the public video‑monitoring network to improve preventive security. In Chapadão do Céu, a municipal AI‑assisted videomonitoring system was installed, featuring automatic license‑plate recognition and real‑time alerts.

Belo Horizonte’s Muralha BH program signed a partnership with the Federal Police, integrating over 10,000 city cameras for facial‑recognition support that can help locate fugitives and missing persons, while maintaining that decisions remain with authorities. A similar partnership with the Federal Highway Police gives the city access to a national vehicle‑restriction database.

During the EXPOIMP 2026 fair in Imperatriz, the event‑specific Medusa facial‑recognition system identified two men with open civil‑procedure arrest warrants for unpaid child support, leading to their detention within 24 hours.

Separately, São Paulo’s citywide facial‑recognition system, described as the world’s largest municipal deployment, has been criticized for alleged racial profiling and abusive policing, prompting public debate over privacy, bias, and the need for stricter regulation.