Brazil and the United States have a great import and export relationship.
Brazil’s second biggest export market is the United States, where the country receives coffee, wood pulp, iron, steel, and other important products.
The U.S. imports aircraft, natural gas, and other things to Brazil.
Whether you are a United States native interested in visiting Brazil or you are from another country, there are some precautions to consider before visiting the country.
Once you have learned said precautions and you are ready to book your trip, be sure that you have completed the online Brazil visa application beforehand.
Brazil’s Formal Travel Advisory
The U.S. The Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Brazil on October 19, 2023.
It’s in your best interest to not be in the following areas described below during the particular circumstances outlined.
While there is an overall Level 2 travel advisory means to have more caution when traveling the area, the listed advisories are at a Level 4, which means to not travel to those areas whatsoever.
Lands Bordering Brazil Near Other Countries
You should steer clear of any land borders around Brazil within a 100-mile (150-km) radius because of organized crime.
The land borders that you need to avoid in accordance with the specified radius include Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.
Housing Developments
Organized crime is more likely to occur in housing developments such as comunidades, favelas, or vilas.
More individuals are concentrated into these housing developments, which are of varying demographics and backgrounds, which could mean that organized crime is afoot.
Satellite Cities At Night Time
There are some cities in Brazil that are more susceptible to organized crime at night time than others, which include Santa Maria, Paranoa, Ceilandia, and Sao Sebastiao.
These are otherwise known as the satellite cities, which are within Brazil’s administrative areas.
Brazil’s Criminality Score
When considering whether or not you want to travel somewhere, you should always consider the country’s criminality score.
For example, Brazil’s criminality rate increased from 6.50 to 6.77 just from 2021 to 2023. It is the 7th of 35 countries in the Americas with a high criminality score and the 4th highest crime score amongst 12 countries in South America, which is mighty concerning.
However, as long as you do not travel in the specified areas listed above, you should have a great travel experience in Brazil.
How To Sign Up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
Signing up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) courtesy of the Bureau of Consular Affairs is a great measure to take before you travel to Brazil in the event of an emergency if you are roped into the crossfire of organized crime.
Once you enroll for text alerts after stating where you are from and where you are traveling to, the Embassy will send you travel advisory updates on where to steer clear from while you are in that country you are visiting.
Whether you are traveling to Brazil or you frequently travel to different countries in general, signing up for a STEP account will inform you of local natural disasters, organized crime, and other emergencies.
If your family is trying to contact you because of a family emergency, the STEP alerts will notify you so you’re privy to said emergency.
Plus, if you are not traveling at the moment, but you want to stay updated on travel advisories around the world, you can still subscribe to email updates for the countries in which you are interested in receiving advisories about.
Be mindful that the list of countries does not contain the United States because it is for countries that are other than the USA.
General Safety Tips for Traveling Brazil
Now that you know where you shouldn’t travel and how to stay connected to local travel advisories for the country, here are some general safety tips to follow when you are traveling throughout Brazil:
- Never go to a bar or nightclub by yourself in the evening. Attend with a trusted family member or friend for safety reasons.
- Keep your best jewelry locked up where you are staying. Do not travel on the streets wearing this jewelry, as you could be a prime target for robbers.
- Stay on guard when you have to use an ATM to withdraw funds.
- If you want to go hiking, be sure you are with someone rather than alone.
- If you are robbed, do not try to resist to be as safe as possible.
Travel Smart When Traveling To Brazil
While there are some other areas of Brazil that you should not travel to, many of the best tourist attractions such as in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and the Amazon Rainforest are in safe areas for you to enjoy.
Plan your itinerary smartly and have fun with it!
Author Bio: Susan Noel is an experienced content writer. She is associated with many renowned travel blogs as a guest author, where she shares her valuable travel tips with the audience.