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Brazil's Hellhole

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Dateline has managed to get access to the largest prison in Latin America, where thousands of people are living and dying in filth and squalor. It’s described as like ‘being in a rubbish tip’, where prisoners die every day with little medical assistance.

Central Prison in the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil was built 50 years ago to house 2,000 offenders, but now has 5,000 inmates crowded into rancid, ramshackle cells.

Giovana Vitola, a broadcaster from SBS Radio’s Portuguese service, was able to film inside the prison for Dateline because those inspecting it are desperate to reveal its true nature.

But how is this able to happen in a country with a strong economy, preparing to host the world at the 2016 Olympics?

Watch Giovana describe her experiences and replay the live online chat, when Giovana's answered viewers' questions after the program.

You can also hear Giovana talk about her experience in Portuguese on SBS Radio's Portuguese website.

On air: 18th April 2010

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