The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for Brazil on 21 September 2026, adding new guidance about a spike in “taxi express-kidnappings” targeting business visitors in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The notice retains its existing warning against all but essential travel to stretches of the Amazon River but now urges travellers to use only authorised app-based taxis or pre-booked hotel cars, avoid hailing vehicles on the street and keep doors locked at traffic lights. British insurers often benchmark coverage exclusions against FCDO advisories, meaning the wording change could affect corporate travel policies. Companies sending staff to Brazil may need to review duty-of-care protocols, ensure employees have ride-sharing apps installed before departure and include taxi-safety briefings in pre-trip orientations. The update follows several high-profile incidents this month in which international executives were held at knifepoint and forced to withdraw cash. According to São Paulo state police, reports of “sequestro relâmpago” involving unregistered taxis have risen 18 % year-on-year. Trade organisations such as the British Chamber of Commerce in Brazil (Britcham) welcomed the clearer guidance, noting that small and medium-sized exporters are particularly vulnerable because they often lack local security contractors. While the overall advisory level for Brazil remains at “exercise increased caution,” experts caution that some corporate insurance underwriters may now require written proof that best-practice ground-transport measures are in place. Mobility managers are therefore advised to update travel-risk assessments, track travellers in real time and maintain a 24/7 emergency hotline in Portuguese and English.
