Hunger Soars in Brazil Leading People to Seek Bone Meat
Economic crisis leads residents to resort to eating items rejected by supermarkets, such as ox waste
The economic crisis caused by the pandemic has brought back a threat to many Brazilians: hunger. With high inflation and unemployment, the country is starting to register more scenes of people looking for food donations and even items rejected by supermarkets.
The most recent case occurred in the south of Rio de Janeiro. A report in the Extra newspaper showed that a truck with leftovers of meat and bones became a distribution point for needy residents seeking food.
Traders in the region told Folha that the scene usually takes place in the morning during the week. The article tried to contact those responsible for distribution but had no response. To Extra, the truck driver indicated that people used to look for the bones to give to dogs and that today the leftovers go for their own consumption.
Scenes like this are not unique to Rio. During the pandemic, cities like Cuiabá also registered lines of people looking for donations of ox bones. The remains of meat have become the main dish.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon