Brazilian History

Wilson Pinheiro [d. July 21, 1980] was president of the Brasileia Rural Workers Union in Acre State, Brazil. Acre is a rubber-producing region in the Amazon River Basin. Wilson Pinheiro was active in fighting against ranchers who were destroying the Amazon Rainforest. He devised the system of 'empate' ['blockade'] involving large groups of rubber-tree tappers occupying forest areas scheduled to be cut down. The empates wrecked the shacks of the cutting crews and forced them out of the area.

Wilson Pinheiro was shot to death on July 21, 1980 as he watched a television program in the offices of the Brasileia Rural Workers Union. His murderers were hired by ranchers who opposed his efforts to save the Amazon Rainforest.

Wilson Pinheiro was a mentor of Chico Mendes [December 15, 1944-December 22, 1988], president of the Xapuri Rural Workers Union, who joined him in trying to save the Amazon Rainforest and to stop the displacement or rubber workers by ranchers. Pinheiro's assassination didn't make headlines. But Chico Mendes used his martyrdom effectively to switch the focus from the plight of rubber workers to the preservation of the rainforest environment.

Dilma Vana Rousseff, the current president of Brazil, became president on 2011 January 1, chosen by the Brazilian people in direct presidential elections.

Rousseff placed first in the initial election on 2010 October 3, garnering 46.91% of the vote. This forced a run-off against José Serra whom received 32.61% of the vote in the first round. In the run-off on October 31, Rousseff received 56.05% of the vote versus Serra's 43.95%.

Movement takes place at all hours and in all places of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It's both a historic and a modern cultural capital of Brazil and of the world. For example, there's movement between luxurious residences and high powered positions. There's movement between attractive neighborhoods and governmental jobs and small scale, private businesses. There's movement between 'favelas' ['slums'] and day jobs or places in which to beg or to steal.

That's in terms of resting on one's laurels or family background, earning a living, or trying to survive.

There also is movement between mansions and boarding or prep schools abroad. There's movement between comfortable houses or condominiums and private or exclusive public schools. There's movement between disadvantaged neighborhoods and on-your-feet association of written information with cues of color or design.

That's in terms of the best education that money buys, down to the non education that misery allows.

And there's movement between huge living spaces and posh vacation and second [and third...] homes, nationally and internationally. There's movement between comfortable living quarters and local opportunities for entertainment. There's movement from everywhere to the beaches.

And that's in terms of the many cultural and entertainment possibilities that Rio de Janeiro offers to visitors, tourists, residents, and guests.

Brasilia became the capital of Brazil on April 21, 1960. Rio de Janeiro was the capital from 1793 until 1960. Salvador was the first capital, from 1549 to 1793.

In 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek de Olveira [September 12, 1902-August 22, 1976], who was President of Brazil, 1956-1961, ordered the building of Brasilia to fulfill an article in Brazil's constiution. Dating from 1891, the article stated that the capital should be moved from Rio de Janeiro to a more central location within the country. It took 41 months to build Brasilia, from 1956 to 1960. Brasilia officially was inaugurated as the capital on April 21, 1960.
Brasilia.

Pedro Álvares Cabral [c. 1468 - c. 1520] was the first European explorer to land in Brazil. On April 22, 1500 he sighted the land and claimed it for Portugal. It was later named Brasil [Brazil] after 'pau-brasil' ['wood-ember'], a native tree with an orange-red heartwood that produces a red dye.

Fellow explorer Bartolomeo Dias [c. 1451-May 29, 1500] was a member of the expedition. The expedition had been organized to round southernmost Africa. But the members went too far west in trying to avoid an area of notorious calm off the west African coast.

After the discovery, the expedition headed back east to Africa. It was to be Dias' last voyage. His ship went down during a storm off the Cape of Good Hope, which he had discovered on an earlier voyage, in 1488.