Mar 28 2025| Nº. 159

Editorial

In a landmark decision on Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) unanimously ruled to charge former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven of his allies with attempting to overthrow the government following the 2022 elections. This ruling, which holds that Bolsonaro must now stand trial, stems from accusations related to his involvement in plotting a violent coup to prevent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from assuming office. The charges against Bolsonaro include leading an armed criminal conspiracy, attempting to violently abolish Brazilian democracy, and orchestrating a coup d'état. The indictment also links him to the violent January 8, 2023 attacks on government buildings, including destruction at the presidential palace, the STF, and Congress, resulting in damages exceeding BR$20 million. If convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to 39 years in prison. The charges outline how Bolsonaro allegedly coordinated efforts to destabilize the government, including promoting violent actions against key political figures and neglecting to dismantle anti-democratic protests, all contributing to the escalating tension that led to the attacks on the nation’s institutions. His supporters have decried any attempt to link Bolsonaro to anti-democratic actions as judicial overreach, insisting that the former president is being unfairly targeted. His son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, has relocated to the United States to solicit US intervention on behalf of his father.

While Bolsonaro faced legal challenges, Lula visited Japan this week, signing ten bilateral agreements and 80 cooperation memoranda in sectors like energy, environment, and innovation. Key outcomes included a deal for 15 Embraer jets to All Nippon Airways and strengthened trade ties. However, securing Japan’s market for Brazilian beef and ethanol, a Brazilian priority, proved difficult due to strict restrictions, though both sides have promised to continue discussions. Lula also highlighted Japan’s US$5 million contribution to the Amazon Fund and agreements on renewable energy projects. As a foundation for future cooperation, bilateral talks raised the possibility of a MERCOSUL-Japan agreement in the future to strengthen ties even further.

While Lula dealt with diplomatic opportunities abroad, new hemispheric challenges appeared on the horizon. This week, the Brazilian government warned that the tariffs proposed by President Donald Trump could severely damage trade relations between the United States and Brazil. The Brazilian government urged the United States to prioritize dialogue and cooperation over unilateral trade restrictions, which could lead to a negative spiral of retaliatory measures. Brazil's response, submitted to the U.S. Trade Representative's office in early March, pointed out that 74% of U.S. exports to Brazil enter tariff-free due to various agreements, while Brazil’s average tariff on U.S. goods is significantly lower than the global average.

Highlights

• Celso Amorim. Celso Amorim, President Lula's special advisor for international affairs, , gave two important interviews in recent days to the newspapers Folha de São Paulo and Nexo. In both, he discussed relations between Brazil and the United States under the Trump administration and two other complex issues on the international agenda: the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Amorim reinforced Brazil's commitment to multilateralism and the peaceful resolution of disputes, although he acknowledged that both commitments are under threat by the actions of the new American government.
  

• Big Tech. Meta, owner of WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, said it will comply with the order given by the Brazilian Supreme Court to hand over data related to the profile of Allan do Santos, a far-right activist known for spreading lies on the internet, who is a fugitive from Brazilian justice in the United States. The influencer kept his profile active on social media after moving abroad. This is yet another episode that pits large U.S. technology companies against the Brazilian judiciary over the issue of freedom of expression.

• Memory and justice. The Ministry of Human Rights officially apologized for the negligent way in which it handled the remains of the clandestine grave in Perus, São Paulo, where the bodies of political opponents of the dictatorship (1964-1985) were dumped. To date, 35 years after the discovery of the site, only five political disappearances have been identified.

News from ABO and social organizations and movements:

U.S. pressure. Paulo Abrão, the executive director of the WBO, gave a long interview to Nexo Jornal, in which he analyzed the impact that Brazil could suffer due to the mobilization carried out in Washington by federal congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, who took leave from his congressional mandate to dedicate himself entirely to spreading fake news outside Brazil about the legal process in which his father is a defendant for an attempted coup d'état. Read more at the link.

Human rights. Paulo Abrão is one of the siganatarios, along with several other experts in international law, of an amicus curiae against the threat of deportation of young Mahmoud Kalil. The document, sent to the New Jersey Justice, is endorsed by approximately 100 experts in human rights and migration issues.

International award. The Pact for Democracy, which brings together 200 Brazilian civil society organizations, won the Skoll Foundation's social innovation award in 2025. The award “recognizes a select group of social innovators who are driving transformative change in urgent social challenges,” says the organization, which includes the Pact among “a notable group of bold organizations that have created innovative solutions to improve the lives of millions of people around the world.” Read more at the link.

Gold mining. The Brazilian Supreme Court has decided to eliminate the presumption of good faith in the sale of gold from Brazilian mines. Until this ruling, the law allowed buyers of gold extracted from mines – Securities Distributors – to present as a guarantee of origin only the miner's word that the extraction was carried out in a legal area, exempting them from any liability. This decision has now been reversed. One of the organizations that helped support the change was Instituto Escolhas, which joined the action as Amicus Curiae.

Feature Article

Journalism, Technology, and Democracy: Challenges and Paths Toward a Sustainable Ecosystem

By Maia Fortes*

In a rapidly evolving information technology landscape, the journalistic ecosystem faces a dilemma: while technological advances have amplified the plurality of voices, diversified formats, fostered greater innovation, and enabled increased interaction with audiences, ensuring that the integrity of information has become an urgent priority, guaranteeing that technological evolution serves the public interest and democracy is an essential task for the future of journalism and society.

The Brazilian Digital Journalism Association (AJOR) remerged precisely from this dynamic and challenging context. The rise of independent and digital-native journalistic initiatives demanded the creation of an organization to represent and advocate for their interests. Today, AJOR brings together more than 150 journalism organizations from all regions of Brazil. This territorial and editorial diversity is one of our greatest assets — not only for its geographic and audience reach but, more importantly, for incorporating multiple journalistic approaches essential to keeping the practice vibrant, innovative, and aligned with the needs of both the public and society. We believe that the journalism of today and the future is built on diversity, collaboration, and a commitment to the public interest.

This connection with audiences and commitment to the public interest are fundamental in addressing the structural crisis affecting traditional journalism — exacerbated, in part, by the rise of new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence. In Brazil, as in many other countries, media concentration and resistance to regulatory measures, among other factors, have led to a decline in public trust in journalism, which is not widely recognized as a public good. We have a long way to go in reaffirming its essential role in combating disinformation and strengthening not only those who produce journalism but also media literacy initiatives aligned with efforts to defend democracy.

In this context, AJOR recently partnered with Momentum: Journalism and Tech Task Force and the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM), with support from Luminate, to organize the CTRL+J LATAM Conference. This event is part of a series of gatherings in different regions of the Global South aimed at sharing responses and strategies to address the asymmetries and pressures imposed by technological transformations on journalism — factors that directly impact journalistic viability and independence.

Organizing this event underscored the need for journalism to take an active and vigilant role in discussions about transparency and the accountability of corporations and governments in the ethical use of technology. Beyond simply adapting to changes, journalism must also exert influence in these debates. This gives new momentum to the media’s social responsibility in two complementary directions: while technology shapes journalism’s structure, it is also crucial for news organizations to retain their independence and lead discussions on these issues. This dual dynamic highlights both the power and the vulnerability of the sector today.

This context reinforces the urgency of structural transformation within the sector. Journalism must not only seize technological opportunities to innovate and rebuild public trust but also rethink its business models. The current structure—often driven by algorithms that prioritize virality over quality—jeopardizes the sustainability of journalistic activities. Overcoming this challenge requires time, resources, and a shift in mindset—elements that are increasingly scarce but indispensable to ensuring the continued production of quality information.

AJOR’s work is therefore based on two key pillars: fostering spaces for reflection and collective strategy-building, and strengthening the development of public and private policies that enable both access to and the advancement of technologies, as well as the production of public-interest journalism. This commitment involves bridging journalism with society and fostering collaborations with other key sectors, such as education and culture, which are also recognized as public goods. Additionally, this approach includes the production of analyses, research, and applied knowledge — fundamental elements in shaping a robust framework to support journalism, aligned with the sector's needs and the dynamics of the broader information ecosystem.

AJOR's recent engagement in debates on Artificial Intelligence and information integrity — topics that gained prominence during Brazil’s G20 presidency — along with the approval of Bill 2338 by the Federal Senate, reinforce our conviction that journalism must engage with other strategic actors in discussions on information production. Sitting at the table alongside artists, authors, scientists, content creators, and other professionals is essential to fostering a healthier and more sustainable information ecosystem.

Moreover, the intersection between information and technology highlights a crucial aspect of contemporary societies: the need to ensure increasingly democratic debate spaces, where productive discussions can flourish, grounded in respect for plural perspectives and diverse viewpoints. This is the backdrop that guides our daily work, directing our actions to strengthen journalism as an essential element to tackle the challenges of today.

*Maia Fortes is Executive Director of AJOR, social scientist with over twelve years of experience in management roles focused on projects, products, and operations within journalistic organizations.

Feature articles express the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or WBO.