The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) refreshed its travel-advice page for Brazil on 27 September 2026, reiterating warnings for river areas of Amazonas state and updating safety guidance on the use of taxis in major cities. The advisory remains ‘still current’ as of 27 September and continues to urge UK citizens to avoid all but essential travel along remote stretches of the Amazon, Itaquaí, Japurá and Rio Negro rivers because of piracy and organised-crime activity. While the overall risk level for Brazil stays at ‘monitor + be cautious’, the FCDO now emphasises the increasing number of opportunistic crimes linked to app-based ride-hailing. Travellers are advised to use only authorised airport or hotel taxi desks and to verify driver and vehicle details before boarding. The update follows several high-profile assaults on foreign executives in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro over the past quarter. For multinational companies moving staff to Brazil on short assignments, the renewed guidance has practical consequences. Corporate-travel policies should ensure that employees book pre-paid transfers or vetted ride-services, and expatriate security briefings need to be updated to reflect the specific river corridors flagged by the FCDO. Travel-insurance providers may also adjust premiums for trips that ignore the government’s recommendations, potentially increasing costs for non-compliant travellers. The advisory is published less than two weeks before the October holiday period, traditionally a peak time for UK tourists heading to Brazil’s beaches. Tour operators have said that, although the warning does not cover coastal resorts, it could prompt some travellers to reroute through established hubs rather than regional airports, affecting domestic-flight demand. Companies with operations in the northern rainforest, notably in mining and energy, should review emergency-evacuation plans. The FCDO notes that riverine routes can be the only means of transport in remote Amazonas; criminal control of stretches of river may disrupt logistics for expatriate technical teams and supply vessels. Liaison with local security consultants and real-time satellite tracking of boats are recommended mitigation measures.
