British Journalist Charlotte Peet Missing in Brazil
Since February 8, Charlotte Alice Peet, a freelance journalist and correspondent, has been missing from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to Brazilian authorities. The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in Brazil (ACIE) raised the alarm about the disappearance of the 32-year-old British journalist on Tuesday.
Peet had been working as a freelance journalist in Brazil, focusing on human rights, social issues, music, culture, and travel in Brazil and Latin America. Fluent in Portuguese, she was based in São Paulo and had worked for outlets such as The Times of London, The Telegraph, the Rio Times, and Al Jazeera.
On February 8, it emerged that Peet had contacted a friend requesting a place to stay in Rio de Janeiro. However, the friend declined her request, stating that they could not accommodate her at the time. This was the last known communication from Peet.
Concerned by the lack of contact, Peet’s family contacted her friend in Brazil, who reported her disappearance to the Rio de Janeiro police on Monday. Peet’s father, Derek Peet, expressed his worry in an interview with Sky News. He stated that it was highly unusual for his daughter to go away without informing her family, indicating that "[she] had something definitely on her mind."
The ACIE has urged the authorities to step up efforts in locating Peet and has expressed deep concern over her whereabouts. Edmar Figueiredo, the organization’s president, said, "ACIE would like to express publicly its concern for the whereabouts of Charlotte Alice Peet and manifest solidarity with her family and friends… She was known by some of the foreign correspondents, ACIE members. The association and its directors appeal to the competent authorities to intensify the investigations."
In response to the ACIE’s plea, a spokesperson for São Paulo’s Secretariat of Public Security (SSP) confirmed on Wednesday that an investigation into Peet’s disappearance was underway by the city’s Homicide and Personal Protection Department (DHPP).
The British Foreign Office has also acknowledged the situation, with a spokesperson stating, "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Brazil and are in contact with the local authorities."
As days turn into weeks, Peet’s family is distraught and actively seeking information about her whereabouts. They are appealing to the public for any assistance in locating their missing daughter.
