Santo Daime in the Sacred Valley
In the early part of the 20th century, Raimundo Irineu Serra—known today as Master Irineu—ventured into the Brazilian Amazon to work as a rubber tapper. There, he encountered the practice of drinking ayahuasca. During an extended participation in this ancient ritual, he received a vision from what he perceived to be the Virgin Mary. She instructed him to establish a specific spiritual doctrine. In 1930, Master Irineu formally established the first church of the Santo Daime.
Brazil Passes Internet Bill of Rights
In the wake of revelations that she herself was the subject of NSA surveillance, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff ratified the country’s first Internet bill of Rights.