The Ministry of Health this week released a new report on the situation of indigenous peoples in the Yanomami territory in Roraima, the country’s largest indigenous territory. It recorded an 80.8 percent reduction in malaria-related deaths between January 2023 and the end of 2025, after the Brazilian government declared a Public Health Emergency of National Importance (ESPIN) to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the invasion of illegal gold miners.

The report cites a 75.9 percent increase in the number of tests conducted through active case finding. Testing for the disease also rose from 144,986 to 257,930 in 2025.

Notícias relacionadas:

• UN calls for integrated efforts to protect Yanomami children.
• Indigenous protesters target Brazil’s Congress in open letter.
• Indigenous demonstrators take over downtown Brasília.

Deaths from malnutrition fell by a significant 53.2 percent between 2023 and 2025. During the same period, the share of children under five with adequate weight increased from 45.4 percent to 53.8 percent, according to the report.

There was an increase in the number of children receiving regular follow-up care from health teams, rising from 70.1 percent to 85.1 percent. Severe malnutrition also declined, with the share of children who were severely underweight falling from 24.2 percent to 15.2 percent during the period.

The number of consultations for acute respiratory infections increased by 254 percent between 2023 and 2025. As a result, the disease’s case fatality rate fell by 76 percent, while the number of deaths declined by 16.7 percent since the start of the Public Health Emergency response.

Vaccines

In the area of immunization, the Ministry of Health confirmed a 40 percent increase in the number of doses administered in 2025 compared with 2023, rising from 31,999 to 44,754. The percentage of children under one year of age with a complete vaccination schedule more than doubled during the period, rising from 27 percent in 2023 to 60.6 percent in 2025. Among children under five, the rate grew from 47.4 percent to 78.3 percent, reflecting stronger routine vaccination efforts.

According to the Ministry’s Secretary of Indigenous Health, Lucinha Tremembé, the results reflect expanded access to healthcare in the territory, reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting lives and promoting the health of indigenous peoples.

“We are making steady progress in improving health in the Yanomami territory, with a reduction in deaths and, above all, in deaths from preventable causes such as malnutrition and malaria. These results reflect the current administration’s ongoing effort to strengthen the Brazilian government’s presence, ensuring comprehensive, high-quality care that respects the cultural specificities of indigenous peoples,” she noted.

Health services

Among the advances highlighted by the Brazilian government is the expansion of the healthcare workforce in the territory. Since the start of the health emergency, the number of professionals has more than tripled, rising from 690 to over 2,130 workers deployed directly in villages, at the Indigenous Health Center (CASAI) in Boa Vista, and within the facilities of the Yanomami Special Indigenous Health District.

In the area of infrastructure, the Yanomami Center for Emergency Public Health Operations highlighted the completion of 261 interventions in water supply systems, along with the installation of more than 1,400 filters, helping expand access to safe water.

The government also installed 61 solar energy systems and upgraded health facilities, strengthening the foundation for primary care in the territory.

Another important milestone during the national emergency period was the renovation and expansion of the Indigenous Health Reference Center (CRSI) at the Surucucu base camp, deep inside the territory.

Since its restructuring, the facility - which serves as a reference point within the indigenous territory - has provided 4,374 outpatient consultations. Of these, 2,081 were laboratory tests and 328 were ultrasound exams. The facility serves 48 communities and handles most patient transfers to higher-capacity healthcare facilities in the region.

“This specialized infrastructure has helped improve clinical management, strengthen community ties, and streamline care pathways,” the Ministry of Health said in the statement.

The Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday (Apr. 7) authorized the resumption of the case in Federal Court in Minas Gerais to determine the criminal liability of former Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman in the 2019 dam collapse at the Córrego do Feijão mine in Brumadinho.

By a majority vote, the justices of the Sixth Panel of the Superior Court accepted an appeal from the Federal Prosecutors’ Office to overturn the March 2024 decision of the Federal Regional Court of the 6th Region, which had dismissed the criminal case against the former CEO.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brumadinho tragedy case heads to court after seven years.
• More Mariana tragedy victims choose compensation in Brazil.
• London court to hold new hearing on Mariana tragedy in July.

At the time, the court ruled that there was no evidence of Schvartsman’s involvement in the dam collapse and no justification for continuing the proceedings.

The case began being heard by the Court in September of last year and was suspended three times due to requests for review.

At the start of the trial, Schvartsman’s defense argued for upholding the TRF6 decision, stating that the Court had recognized that the former CEO could not be held liable.

The dam burst in January 2019, and more than 270 bodies were recovered from the tailings by the Fire Department.

Oil and natural gas production in Brazil reached a record high in February 2026, according to a report released on Wednesday (Apr. 1) by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels (ANP).

A total of 5.304 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) - a measure that includes both oil and natural gas - were produced. The previous record was set in October 2025, at 5.255 million boe/d.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Central Bank: Brazil better prepared for oil price volatility.
• Petrobras discovers oil at Marlim Sul pre-salt field.
• Petrobras says it can reduce impact of high oil prices in Brazil.

Considering only oil, 4.061 million barrels were extracted per day - a 2.7 percent increase from the previous month and a 16.4 percent rise from the same month in 2025.

Natural gas production in February stood at 197.63 million cubic meters per day (m³/d), representing a 2.3 percent growth from January and a 24.5 percent expansion from February 2025.

Production came from 6,079 wells, 582 of which were offshore and 5,497 onshore. Offshore fields accounted for 98 percent of the country’s oil production and 87.8 percent of its natural gas output.

Fields operated by Petrobras, either alone or in consortium with other companies, accounted for 89.46 percent of total production.

Pre-salt production

The pre-salt layer accounted for 80.2 percent of Brazilian production, totaling 4.243 million boe/d in February. This represented a 2.3 percent increase from the previous month and a 20.1 percent rise from the same month in 2025.

A total of 3.264 million bbl/d of oil and 155.56 million m³/d of natural gas was extracted from 181 wells in the pre-salt layer.

The Tupi Field, in the Santos Basin, was the country’s largest producer of both oil and natural gas, with output of 865,980 barrels per day and 42.87 million m³/d.

Brazil’s Ministry of Sports has published a list with 10,885 beneficiaries of its Bolsa Atleta initiative for 2026.

The government’s individual sponsorship program benefits athletes who achieve strong results in recognized national and international competitions.

Priority is given to athletes in sports featured in the Olympic, Paralympic, and Deaflympic Games. Next, the grant is intended for athletes in non-Olympic sports – those featured in the Pan American Games and others.

Below are the six categories defined by the program and the monthly grants:

Grassroots – 518 recipients (BRL 410);
Students – 678 recipients (BRL 410);
National – 7,058 recipients (BRL 1,025);
International – 1,668 recipients (BRL 2,051);
Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic – 463 recipients (BRL 3,437);
Podium – 500 recipients (BRL 5,000 to BRL 16,629).

Podium includes high-performance athletes with medal potential in major international competitions.

Italian soccer coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday (Mar. 26), after the 2–1 loss to France in a World Cup warm-up friendly, that the Brazilian national team showed it can compete with the world’s best teams.

“Today’s game made it very clear to me: we can compete with the best teams in the world. I have no doubt. We played against a very strong, high-quality team and competed until the last minute to try to win. I am convinced that we will fight for the World Cup with all our energy,” said the Brazilian team’s coach after the match at Gillette Stadium in Boston.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brazil coach calls up new players for World Cup friendlies.
• Coach Ancelotti: Brazil set for top-level FIFA World Cup campaign.

At the post-game press conference, the coach made it clear he was not satisfied with the result but highlighted the team’s fighting spirit: “When you lose a game, you should never be happy; we are not. The result isn’t the most important thing, but it shows what we did well and what we didn’t […]. In the overall context of the game, I’m satisfied because the team competed, fought hard, and scored from a set piece, which is important.”

When asked about the possibility of Neymar (who was not called up for the friendlies against France and Croatia) playing for the national team at the World Cup, the Italian stated it is the time to focus on the players currently with the squad: “Now we have to talk about those who are here, who played, who gave their all, who worked hard. I’m satisfied.”

The Brazilian national team will return to action next Tuesday (May 31), when it faces Croatia at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

After that, Brazil will face Panama on May 31 at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Finally, on June 6, one week before its World Cup opener, the team will face Egypt in its final friendly before the tournament. The match will be played at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.

The Brazilian national team is set to face France this Thursday (Mar. 26) in a friendly match that marks the start of the final phase of preparation for the upcoming World Cup, to be held in Mexico, Canada, and the US. The clash will take place at Boston’s Gillette Stadium.

The team’s coach, Italian Carlo Ancelotti, stated in a press conference that he views the match as a key challenge. “For us, it’s an important test against a team that could be a favorite in the World Cup. We want to demonstrate a positive attitude and quality,” he stated.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brazil coach calls up new players for World Cup friendlies.
• Coach Ancelotti: Brazil set for top-level FIFA World Cup campaign.

The coach also said that one of the French team’s stars, forward Mbappé, will be given special attention. “These are players everyone knows – strong players with a lot of talent. Mbappé scored a lot of goals last year. Now he’s an opponent. We have to put on a good defense against him. He’s a fast player, talented, and really effective on the finish.

“Even against such a challenging opponent, Ancelotti made it clear that he will field an offensive lineup, with four attacking players. “We believe the game plan we want to implement involves four up front. Against France, an important test, we want to play a good match, controlling the game, trying to defend well – which is vital – maintaining balance, and playing well with the ball, showcasing the quality that our four forwards possess.”

A possible lineup to face France is Ederson; Wesley, Ibañez, Léo Pereira, and Douglas Santos; Casemiro and Andrey Santos; and Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, Vinicius Júnior, and Martinelli.

Pre-World Cup friendlies

Before the World Cup kicks off, Brazil’s seleção will play three more pre-tournament friendlies. The first will be on March 31 against Croatia at Camping World Stadium, Orlando.

After that, Brazil are scheduled to play a farewell match for Brazilian fans. The national team will face Panama on May 31 at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Finally, on June 6, one week before Brazil’s World Cup debut, the team should face Egypt in its final friendly before the tournament. The match will be played at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

Brazil at the World Cup

Brazil is in Group C of the 2026 World Cup. Their opening match will be against Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In their second match, Brazil will face Haiti at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Their final group stage match is slated for June 24 against Scotland at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

Former President Jair Bolsonaro left the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at DF Star Hospital in Brasília, where he is being treated for bilateral bacterial pneumonia following an episode of bronchoaspiration.

According to a medical bulletin released on Tuesday (Mar. 24), he remains hospitalized despite clinical improvement and continues to receive intravenous antibiotic therapy, clinical support, and respiratory and motor physiotherapy. No discharge date has been set.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Supreme court justice grants house arrest to Bolsonaro.
• Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years in prison for coup plot.

Also on Tuesday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court granted former President Jair Bolsonaro 90 days of provisional house arrest, after which his health status will be reassessed.

Moraes granted the request submitted by the former president’s defense. According to his lawyers, Bolsonaro is unfit to return to prison due to a deterioration in his health.

The house arrest will begin upon Bolsonaro’s discharge from the hospital, where he has been since March 13.