![Founded in the 1970s, the newspaper Folha do Borel was a significant favela-based media outlet that resisted the military regime and advocated for the rights of favela residents until its final edition in 1988. Source: Igor Soares' personal collection. Founded in the 1970s, the newspaper Folha do Borel was a significant favela-based media outlet that resisted the military regime and advocated for the rights of favela residents until its final edition in 1988. Source: Igor Soares' personal collection.](https://rioonwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Folha-do-Borel-newspaper-Igor-Soares-personal-collection.jpeg)
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This article is part of RioOnWatch‘s series on Memories of Favela Power, which documents and celebrates the history of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas through narratives and reports from residents’ collective memory, in their daily struggle to lead fulfilling lives.
Created in the 1970s, the newspaper Folha do Borel was a significant favela-based news outlet that resisted Brazil’s military regime and advocated for the rights of favela residents until its final edition in 1988. Since its founding in 1921, the favela of Morro do Borel, located in the Tijuca neighborhood within Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, has been synonymous with resistance. Its first residents were evictees from the demolished hills of Castelo and Santo Antônio, in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Borel residents often organized around shared agendas and interests, such as daycare centers, land rights, leisure, and water, among other demands, which persist to this day.
The Borel favela established the Union of Favela Workers (UTF) in 1954, during Brazil’s post-World War II democratic period, a decade before the coup that ushered in the military dictatorship. Mauro Amoroso, historian and professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), points out that Brazil’s historical context at the time was characterized by intense government repression but also significant popular resistance, as exemplified by the UTF.
“The Union of Favela Workers was the first institution to bring together favela residents’ associations. This alone highlights Morro do Borel’s pioneering role in the history of resistance and activism, fighting against forced evictions.” — Mauro Amoroso
This scenario unfolded amid a legal battle between companies fighting for ownership of the land where Morro do Borel is located. “The UTF was very active in the struggle for rights, seeking to launch candidates who represented the residents’ interests, particularly in the legislative branch, such as lawyer Antoine Magarino Torres Filho, who contributed to the creation of the UTF and supported the residents’ fight,” notes Amoroso. However, in 1964, the military coup took place.
“The UTF was deeply impacted by the 1964 coup. It only began to regroup in the 1970s. There were often tensions between younger and older groups, but they all remained committed to reorganizing Borel and resisting the dictatorship.” — Mauro Amoroso
Over the course of Morro do Borel’s history, grassroots media have proven vital for protecting and advocating for the favela’s rights. “Favela media outlets are important for journalism because they establish an alternative to conventional media. They offer other possibilities, providing opportunities for favela residents to have their voices published and amplified, so these voices can be heard. Moreover, they focus on themes that directly resonate with this audience,” emphasizes Marialva Barbosa, journalism professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).
This was exactly the case with the newspaper Folha do Borel. Founded in the 1970s, it exemplified the effort to amplify favela voices. This was explained by Miramar Castilho, 70, who moved to Borel as a 10-year-old in the 1960s and participated in many favela mobilizations. As a former contributor to Folha do Borel, he shared a bit of its history, stating that the paper was well received by the community.
“The newspaper was born out of the need to promote films from the Oscarito Film Club, which was brought to life by sociology student Marisa Palácio. She brought a 16mm projector to Borel—one of those old movie-playing machines—and started working with a group here from the church… We would first put together an outline. Everyone had a specific role. I, for instance, was in charge of the leisure section: crosswords, spot-the-difference puzzles. There was Miriam, who handled the horoscope as Madame Mira. We’d walk around the favela distributing the paper, which had a print run of about 1,000 copies, typed on those old typewriters. The photos were black and white, and there were a few drawings.
The paper was very well received. People would look it over, but often, after reading, they’d use it to sit on the sidewalk… It was hard work, done once a week. We would get together, climb to the top of the hill, and then distribute it as we walked back down.” — Miramar Castilho
During an interview, Rute Barros, who coordinated the Memory Conductors Project, stated that the name Folha do Borel was chosen collectively by all its participants. Records of existing copies indicate that the newspaper was founded in 1976. According to her, it remained active for over ten years, with its final edition published in 1988.
![The Folha do Borel newspaper was in circulation for over ten years, amplifying favela voices in their fight for rights. The front page of this edition features headlines about the Residents’ Association elections, the social role of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school in Borel, activities at the local church, and more. Source: Igor Soares' personal collection. The Folha do Borel newspaper was in circulation for over ten years, amplifying favela voices in their fight for rights. The front page of this edition features headlines about the Residents’ Association elections, the social role of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school in Borel, activities at the local church, and more. Source: Igor Soares' personal collection.](https://rioonwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/The-Folha-do-Borel-newspaper-was-in-circulation-for-over-ten-years-amplifying-favela-voices-in-their-fight-for-rights-Igor-Soares-collection.jpeg)
The Catholic Church aided in the printing process, and local merchants contributed what they could, according to Barros. Castilho says that the possibility of charging a few cents to sustain the paper was considered at the time, but the idea didn’t take off, and the paper continued operating with support from the church and merchants.
The paper’s contents focused on issues of common interest to residents. However, the struggles were not limited to Borel. They also embraced the demands of other favelas, such as Morro da Formiga, also located in Tijuca, which gained room to voice their needs at the time.
Editorial meetings were held at Igrejinha [little church], a location at the top of the hill named after a Catholic church. Members from outside the community took on the role of exchanging information with other media outlets. According to Castilho, since the newspaper’s members lacked the tools to produce the news, a typewriter was donated by a UFRJ student at the time.
Folha do Borel featured permanent sections that remained consistent across editions: editorial, interviews, O Linguão (or “The Big Tongue,” dedicated to sharing information from meetings and assemblies held by the residents’ association), horoscope, games, a poetry corner, and recipes.
![The editorial criticizes the poor quality of public transportation, the constant fare increases, the low wages of passengers, drivers, and fare collectors, and the growing resignation of workers in the face of exorbitant public transport fares. Source: Igor Soares’ personal collection The editorial criticizes the poor quality of public transportation, the constant fare increases, the low wages of passengers, drivers, and fare collectors, and the growing resignation of workers in the face of exorbitant public transport fares. Source: Igor Soares’ personal collection](https://rioonwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Editorial-criticizes-the-growing-immibility-of-workers-faced-with-exorbitant-fares-Collection-Igor-Soares.jpeg)
Like any newspaper, it featured the main news on the front page, with a headline and boxes highlighting other stories that readers could find in that edition.
Printed on A4 paper, the newspaper featured typographic variations and discrepancies in language and spelling. However, these differences were insignificant, as the primary goal was to inform. Mistakes were corrected by pasting a piece of paper over the error, since the typewriter didn’t allow for corrections. The front page displayed a handwritten logo with the name Folha do Borel, inspired by the newspaper Folha de São Paulo. It also included the year and circulation details. Each weekly edition had a print run of 1,000 to 1,200 copies.
Regarding its content, a 1982 edition, for instance, called on residents to vote with awareness in the upcoming gubernatorial elections. After years of struggle for direct voting, 1982 marked the return of direct elections for state governments. It is important to note that, during this period, Brazilians were still not allowed to vote for president. The country remained under military rule. Only years later, in 1989, were direct presidential elections reinstated, four years after the end of the military dictatorship.
Folha do Borel was not only critical of the regime but also displayed courage by including the paper’s opinions on the elections, the dictatorship, and the dictator João Figueiredo. The outlet published harsh criticisms of politics and the regime, referring to the military as “the men” who did not allow the election of a president, only governors.
“Nothing improves. On the contrary, we are eating worse, our wages are decreasing, transport is getting worse and more expensive, we live in terrible conditions, and medical care is deteriorating and becoming more expensive due to the government’s incompetence. There is little regard for the people’s health,” read an excerpt from the published editorial.
![Folha do Borel editorial on the 1982 elections, still under the military dictatorship, stating, "People commonly say that politics is for politicians. That’s wrong. Politics must be for all of us, who carry the country on our shoulders." Source: Igor Soares' personal collection Folha do Borel editorial on the 1982 elections, still under the military dictatorship, stating, "People commonly say that politics is for politicians. That’s wrong. Politics must be for all of us, who carry the country on our shoulders." Source: Igor Soares' personal collection](https://rioonwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Folha-do-Borel-on-the-1982-elections-still-under-military-rule-Igor-Soares-personal-collection.jpeg)
In that same edition, female residents issued a public call for women to discuss societal issues, such as why men went to work while they were left at home to care for the children. They demanded gender equality. These women called for daycare centers for their children—a struggle that continues to this day. It was a feminist movement in a country where feminist debates still did not include women from favelas. Nevertheless, they organized in Borel, united in favela sisterhood.
“Friends, the Borel Association has a women’s project, the Female Department, where we, women, discuss our rights alongside men: our children growing up without schools; traffic lights which are a danger to all, especially our children; and the right to share daily struggles with our partners. We discuss all issues, including the high cost of living. Just because we are women, doesn’t mean we are just meant to clean, cook, and iron. We are mothers, lovers, and women. Mothers who should be able to raise our children without being constantly concerned about the cost of living. Lovers who share our love with our partners. Women who are family, especially in times of illness,” read an excerpt from the newspaper.
“Even though we were in the final stages of the military period, it’s always important to remember that shocking events in Brazilian history still took place, such as the Riocentro bombing. The ‘Diretas Já!’ rally itself [demanding immediate direct elections for president] was highly mobilizing, demonstrating how much society wanted the dictatorship to end. It garnered significant support but wasn’t enough to secure direct elections in 1985, as society had hoped.” — Mauro Amoroso
“It was a period when the military was still, in a way, entrenched in their ideology. Restrictive, they continued to hold back many things. This was particularly evident in terms of censorship,” adds Amoroso, noting that censorship extended to art, culture, soap operas, and other productions.
He references the book Grassroots Journalism in Rio’s Favelas by Marco Morel, released in 1986, which highlights grassroots media as a tool for local transformation. “It shows how favela residents were reorganizing their social movement through community journalism and community media,” as they were mobilized and discussing the revival of the Federation of Favela Associations of Rio de Janeiro (FAFERJ), known at the time as the Federation of Favela Associations of the State of Guanabara (FAFEG). The federation had been persecuted and outlawed since the beginning of the dictatorship in the 1960s.
“It’s important to highlight the many political groups involved with the people of Borel. There were numerous activists from Ação Popular (Popular Action), a group rooted in the Catholic Church. There were also notable activists and the October 8 Armed Movement (MR8), a Marxist revolutionary group that participated in the armed resistance against the military dictatorship,” described Amoroso. According to him, after the dismantling of armed groups, activists sought new ways to continue resisting the regime and began engaging in dialogue with other groups, including those in favelas. Despite tensions among them, the groups pursued a strategy of “tactical coexistence,” according to the researcher, competing over resident associations and other initiatives.
“Folha do Borel played a crucial role in reorganizing activism, particularly among younger activists in Borel itself. It’s important to emphasize this role of grassroots media, which served as a catalyst for the reorganization of young favela activists in Morro do Borel while also becoming a reference.” — Mauro Amoroso
![Front page of an edition of Folha do Borel published between the 1970s and 1980s, featuring illustrations and accessible, engaging headlines that demand rights and call residents to action. Source: Igor Soares' personal collection Front page of an edition of Folha do Borel published between the 1970s and 1980s, featuring illustrations and accessible, engaging headlines that demand rights and call residents to action. Source: Igor Soares' personal collection](https://rioonwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Front-page-of-Folha-do-Borel-published-between-the-1970s-and-1980s-includes-illustrations-and-accessible-headlines.-Igor-Soares-personal-collection.jpeg)
About the author: Igor Soares was born and raised in Morro do Borel and is a journalist with a degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He currently contributes to #Colabora and works as a freelancer. He has experience covering topics related to cities, human rights, and public security, having previously worked at Estadão, Portal iG, and produced reports for Folha de São Paulo.