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Latest News
  • [ June 15, 2026 ] Cruzada São Sebastião—70 Years of Public Housing in the Heart of Rio de Janeiro’s Upscale South Zone Neighborhood of Leblon #EvictionsWatch
  • [ June 8, 2026 ] World Environment Day Rally in Rio de Janeiro Demands a ‘Sustainable Future With Thriving Forests, Clean Air, Water and Land for All and More Humane Urban Mobility’ *Highlight
  • [ June 1, 2026 ] Visiting Rio Before July 30th? Don’t Miss ‘Favela Climate Memory’ Exhibition at the Favela Museum Overlooking Ipanema: ‘We Learned to Survive So We Can Tell Others How’ *Highlight
  • [ May 31, 2026 ] Rio de Janeiro Evictions Museum Celebrates Ten Years of Art, Memory and Resistance Since the Olympic Games #LegacyWatch
  • [ May 31, 2026 ] Critical Urban Park in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone Is at Risk of Disappearing After Decades of Government Neglect *Highlight
HomeWritersRamon Vellasco

Writer: Ramon Vellasco

*Highlight

‘Maré’s Specials’ Combats Ableism and Guarantees Rights to Over 700 Atypical Families in Rio de Janeiro’s Largest Favela Complex

By Ramon Vellasco • Translation by Hannah McKenzie • October 15, 2025

Clique aqui para Português In Complexo da Maré, a group of 16 favelas with 140,000 residents in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, the Especiais da Maré project (Maré’s Specials, in free translation) serves over 700 […]

#UPPWatch

Violence Is Literally Sickening: A Mother’s Testimony Corroborates Research Showing That Police Violence and the Denial of the Right to Grieve Cause Physical and Mental Illness in Brazil

By Ramon Vellasco • Translation by Fred Hanson • October 15, 2024

Clique aqui para Português “There are days when we just want to cry, to stay in bed, and not speak to anyone because we don’t have our children to hug anymore.” — Gilsara Mendes, mother […]

*Highlight

Three Years After Deadliest Massacre by Police in Rio de Janeiro History, Mothers of Jacarezinho Victims Continue Fighting for Justice

By Ramon Vellasco • Translation by Ujwala Murthy • May 23, 2024

Clique aqui para Português Three years have passed since the Jacarezinho Massacre, during which Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police (PCERJ) killed 28 residents in the deadliest police operation in Rio state history, the pain still […]

*Highlight

Mirante Project: After Jacarezinho Massacre and Countless Others, New Investigative Methods Will Be Applied to Police Violence in Favelas

By Ramon Vellasco • Translation by Nathan Bergrin • April 30, 2024

Clique aqui para Português During the transition from 2023 to 2024, while most of Rio de Janeiro joyfully celebrated the world’s largest New Year’s Eve party, the Jacarezinho favela in the North Zone experienced a […]

RioOnWatch’s anti-racist reporting series won silver in the 2022 inaugural The Anthem Awards, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category among Best Local Awareness Programs.
A Project of

About

In May 2010, Catalytic Communities launched what was originally Rio Olympics Neighborhood Watch (hence RioOnWatch), a program to bring visibility to favela community voices in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This news site, RioOnWatch.org, grew into a much-needed and unique reference featuring favela perspectives on the urban transformation of Rio. With diverse and deeply interlinked articles by a mix of community reporters, resident opinions, solidarity reporters, international observers, and academic researchers, we work to engender a more accurate picture of favelas, their contributions to the city, and the potential of favela-led community development in Rio and around the world.

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10 Years! Check Out Our Story:

Awards

Special Thanks

Fundação Heinrich Böll Brasil
World Habitat
Fideicomiso de la Tierra Caño Martín Peña
Pastoral de Favelas
Center for CLT Innovation
Global Land Alliance
Ecocity Builders
Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation
SDSU Behner Stiefel Center
The Rio Times
Forum Grita Baixada
Beto Paixão Graphic Design
Architecture Museum of Vienna
Yale School of Architecture

  • Home
    • Highlighted Stories
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  • Communities
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  • Policies
    • Public Security
    • Housing
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Health
    • Sanitation
  • Violations
    • Human Rights
    • Housing Rights
    • Police Violence
    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
    • Community Organizing
    • Community Solution
    • Resistance
    • Sustainability
    • Participation
    • Protest
    • Culture
    • Responsible Tourism
  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
    • by Int’l Observers
    • Series
      • Anti-Racist Series
      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
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    • Research & Analysis
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    • Listicles
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  • About
    • Timeline
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