POPULATION:
188,078,227

LITERACY RATE:
85%
SELF DEFENSE FORCES:
 Brazillian Armed Forces, Arasaka,
LANGUAGES:
 Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
ETHNIC GROUPS:
white, mulatto, black, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian)
BORDERING COUNTRIES:
Panama, Peru, Venzuela, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana,
Brazil - A corporate controlled paradise surrounded by hell, with virtually the entire country becoming a mecca for tourists and corporations. Rio, one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations for decades, is now controlled solely by the joint conglomeration of Biotechnica, Arasaka, EBM, SOVOil, Multi-foods, and Net54.  A feat made possible after the 2018 elections, when they collectively funded both President David Imez's campaign and used all their dirty tricks to smear the other candidates.  Their complete control over the new president allowed them the political influence to all but take over the country.  Initially this led to riots and extreme civil protest, but Net 54, by this point masters of media manipulation was able to convince the majority of the country it was in their best interests. While Brazil still boasts its own armed forces, consisting of army, navy and air forces, they are almost completely supplied by Arasaka and old soviet surplus.  Brazils police forces have been completely replaced with Arasaka forces, making it one of the only countries in the world to be completely dependent on corporate security for its law enforcement.  Arasaka achieved this after a hostile take over of the Brazillian home offices of Amazonian Security in 2017 after the two companies won the defense contract in Portugal a year earlier. This corporate run police state has outlawed private gun ownership completely (except of course for police and military, provided solely by Arasaka) and private corporate security. It is also illegal for anyone to possess cybernetics which enhance the abilities of the user past normal human limits, in fact the only cybernetics allowed in brazil are strictly medical replacements (limited options are allowed, like vidscreens, news readers, etc..) and minor cosmetic options. Cyberpsychosis is almost unheard of in Brazil. Bio sculpting on the other hand is widely practiced, and in some places mandatory, as most tourist sites and corporations enforce a beauty standard on their employees (going as far as paying for the body sculpt themselves). In fact Brazil is the only country on earth where cosmetic surgery is covered by the socialized medical program. This means that the population of Brazil now boasts the most attractive people in the world, making it even more enticing to tourists.

For tourists virtually every vice is catered to, drugs, debauchery, and hedonism of the highest order are completely legal and celebrated. The corporations slowly achieved this state through by filtering the catholic practices over time to the point where it is religion in name only. While strictly practiced by virtually all of the natives, gone are any taboos about sex and sexuality, making the youth of the country virtually uninhibited. Violence however is strictly forbidden and harshly dealt with, usually leading to long prison sentences for even minor infractions. Murder and rape almost always carry a life sentence.  There is no death penalty in Brazil, though to shorten their sentences, convicts may opt to partake in corporate sponsored televised deathmatches, which have become some of the highest rated shows broadcast worldwide.

Tourists to Brazil are checked thouroughly for cybernetics, and any illegal cybernetics are immediately removed and the culprit imprisoned. Cyberlimbs, upon entering the country, will immediately undergo an inhibition process by official cybertechs in customs which drop the strength rating of the cyber down to 8. This process can be undone when leaving the country, and takes an hour. The inhibitors can be undone illegally (with a skill roll of 25) but anyone doing this, or anyone caught with illegal cybertech may face up to life in a corporate run work prison. It is advised that anyone with prosthetic limbs have them equipped with a quickchange mount, and replace the arm with a brazilian manufactured one which will meet the legal requirements.

Vagrancy and unemployment is almost completely abolished in the large cities in Brazil, anyone with a job is allowed free corporate housing (which basically amounts to "coffin" complexes) with better lodgings easily affordable. The habitually unemployed are usually forced out of the city, or forced to live with relatives who are willing to support them. Sleeping on the streets generally earns a prsion sentence of 2 -6 months depending on frequency of offense. The countries socialized health care system is second to none, though somewhat resented, since it is mandatory every citizen undergo routine examination monthly and that they carry an up to date identification card which stores this information via datastrip readable from any card reader. Tourists are also subjected to this health examination upon entering the country, and anyone, citizen or tourist diagnosed with a bloodborn pathogen or veneral disease is forced to have an indiscriminate and temporary tattoo placed on their genitals. Anyone found in violation of this is mandatorily imprisoned for 6 months and or banished. This again increases Brazils image as a tourist spot where you can live your wildest and most wanton fantasies. Prostitution, for both men and women, is the most widely practiced form of self employment in Brazil among native young adults, whose legality is made possible via their strict health program.

In the rural areas and jungles things are not so friendly, as the people banned from the major cities for political dissonance, violence, vagrancy, or just plain not being pretty enough have formed small bandit groups.  These groups prey on tourist safaris and travellers.  So far they are a mild annoyance, kept in check by Arasaka Patrols.  However underground political leader Cristo Vargas has been organizing many of these groups into a small rebel army.  Rumor has it he is working with covert american advisors who want a foothold in the country.  Their cause is strengthened by hard core catholics who take offense at what has happenned to their cities, and college professors and students who idealize their former independence and self reliance.

Among the natives, opposition to the corporate control over their country runs high, in spite of economic stability and financial growth.  Taurus Arms and displaced former heads of Amazonian security as well as many heads of agriculture and biodeisel engineers have formed a secret cabal, and covertly advise and fund the rebels as much as they can.  They feel their corrupt government has let them down by allowing interlopers and foreign interests to take control, when just a few short years they solved most of the worlds fuel problems with the invention of CHOOH2 and other envorinmentally friendly products.  Brazil could have been in a position to become a world power in a few short years had not their corrupt leaders sold them out for greater personal profit to foreign corporations.

In addition to the tourist and CHOOH2 industry, Brazil still maintains itself as the largest exporter of coffee and is a major exporter of textiles, lumber, fish, coal, oil, and diamonds.  Its cities of Sao Paolo and Belo Horizonte are two of the wealthiest financial centers in the world, and Brazil boasts its own Alcantara Space port, the equal of any found in europe or north america.  The Brazilian Space Agency itself works closely with both the JSA and the ESA.  Furthermore, as a new industry, brazilian made cybernetics are highly regarded for their aesthetic beauty and functionality, even if they are limited to human ability, Brazillian cybernetics giant Belo Horizonte  is quickly becoming a major economic force and one of the most well respected companies in the industry.  In addition, Brazil is second only to Switzerland in the field of Biosculpting.

As a third South American War begins in the north, Brazil staunchly patrols in an effort to ensure conflict does not spill over,  These patrols are hindered by the many rebel groups working with the cartels in Columbia, Nicaragua, Peru, Bolivia, and the rest, with offers to help traffic drugs in return for assistance with kicking the foreign threat out of there countries.  As of yet this bargaining has yeilded little, but the corporate conglomerate in charge of Brazil is keeping a very close eye on the situation, and rounding up any insurgents they can find near the borders.  Large rewards are posted for anyone with information leading to the arrest of these dangerous and treasons groups and their leaders.
HOTSPOT:
RIO DE JANEIRO


(Written by Deric "D" Bernier, Belo Hozonte Cybernetics created by Mike Van Atta)