BRAZILIANS POISONED ON MASSIVE SCALE BY PESTICIDES

Rural Brazilians are being poisoned by pesticides sprayed near their homes, schools and workplaces, Human Rights Watch said in a report published Friday. The report documents cases of acute poisoning from pesticide drift in seven sites across Brazil, including farming communities, indigenous and Afro-Brazilian communities and rural schools. Many rural communities fear reprisals from wealthy and politically powerful farmers if they denounce poisonings. Members of five rural communities told HRW they had received threats or were afraid of retaliation.