Brazil faces rising agrarian conflicts and persistent feminicide rates

Brazil is facing complex challenges regarding violence and land disputes. Data from the Comissão Pastoral da Terra shows that while rural murders decreased in the first half of the year, agrarian conflicts rose to 841 cases, driven by the financialization of land and interest in rare earth minerals.

Violence against women remains a critical issue. In 2025, Brazil recorded 1,571 feminicides, a 4% increase from the previous year. While preliminary 2026 data suggests a slight decline, the rate remains high, with approximately four women killed every day due to gender-based motives. Most aggressors are current or former partners.

In response, political candidates in Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul are proposing various strategies, including specialized police stations, financial autonomy programs for victims, and increased use of AI for monitoring protective orders. In Santa Catarina, initiatives like the Ágora project are expanding to include reflective groups for male perpetrators to address the cultural roots of gender violence.

In a high-profile legal case, the Superior Tribunal de Justiça (STJ) upheld the arrest of a São Paulo Military Police lieutenant-colonel accused of murdering his wife and attempting to stage the scene as a suicide.