Who Wants to Steal Your Beach? (2026)

Overview

You know that beach you go to for a bit of rest? They want to take it away from you. The so-called "Beach Amendment" (PEC das Praias)—championed in the Senate by Flávio Bolsonaro—could change who owns the Brazilian coastline, an area that belongs to everyone, by handing control over to hotels, resorts, and luxury condominium developments. In practice, these developments would take over the entire beach area, leaving access to the sand and the sea exclusively to tourists—while you, as a Brazilian resident, would lose your access to the beach. This model already exists in places like Cancún and Jamaica: there, the people in bikinis are foreigners, while the locals are the ones wearing uniforms and working. And that is exactly what could happen if Flávio Bolsonaro becomes president of Brazil.