As a powerful "Super El Niño" threatens to bring unprecedented extreme weather to Rio de Janeiro, the city's government is taking an unusual dual approach. Alongside advanced meteorological monitoring, city officials have renewed a partnership with a spiritual group that claims to influence the weather through an Indigenous spirit. This blending of modern science and local spiritual tradition comes as the Brazilian metropolis prepares for increasingly severe climate events, which recently brought rare, destructive winds to the coastal city.
In late July, Rio de Janeiro was battered by winds of tornado-like strength, a phenomenon highly unusual for the tropical destination. Silvana Pereira, a 47-year-old hotdog vendor who works downtown, described the terrifying scene as trees swayed violently and one crashed directly onto a taxi. Pereira, who recorded the destruction on her phone, recalled that she had never witnessed such severe weather in her life. The storm caused widespread disruption across Rio, uprooting dozens of trees that blocked major roads and causing a power failure that temporarily shut down the city's subway system, severely disrupting daily commutes.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere acknowledged the severity of the storm. "What happened two weeks ago was an extreme event, probably intensified because of both El Nino, climate change and so on," Cavaliere said. While Rio is accustomed to intense tropical heat, the compounding effects of El Niño have made the weather increasingly dangerous. Following a severe heatwave in 2023 that resulted in the death of an overheated woman at a local concert, Rio established an extreme heat warning system. Now, the city is expanding its emergency communication network to include warnings for extreme winds, sending cellphone alerts to advise residents to seek shelter indoors and stay away from trees during high-wind events.
However, Rio's administration is not relying solely on scientific alerts. In a city where diverse religious beliefs have historically thrived, officials have also engaged a group of spiritual advisers from the Spiritism movement, a faith followed by millions of Brazilians. The group is run by a female medium who claims to communicate with an Indigenous spirit known as the coral snake chief, or Cacique Cobra Coral. When meteorologists forecast dangerous storms, the medium reportedly shares the data with the spirit, who is believed to have the power to summon opposing winds to neutralize or redirect severe weather.
Although the medium does not grant media interviews, her spokesperson, Osmar Santos, explained that the group does not charge any fees for its services. Instead of financial compensation, the foundation asks the Rio government to implement concrete environmental protection measures, such as preserving local forests, to help mitigate climate disasters. This unusual collaboration is not without precedent. Santos claimed the foundation has previously been called upon to keep rain away during Rio's world-famous Carnival parades, and noted that high-profile figures, including former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan, have allegedly sought their spiritual intervention in the past.
Mayor Cavaliere defended the city's approach, emphasizing that Rio is not abandoning science in favor of mysticism. During a recent press event at the city's high-tech operations center, Cavaliere showcased massive control panels that integrate real-time data, video feeds, and images from various municipal departments to prepare for incoming windstorms. When questioned about the city's formal partnership with the Cacique Cobra Coral Foundation, Cavaliere declined to elaborate on the details but framed the arrangement as a respectful nod to local heritage. He stated that he is proud to defend science, have faith in God, and respect the cultural traditions of his people.
Anthropologists and climate scholars suggest that integrating faith into public discourse can play a positive role in addressing environmental crises. Renzo Taddei, a Brazilian anthropologist who has studied the medium behind the coral snake chief, noted that spirituality and science can engage with one another in highly productive ways. Especially in a culturally diverse city like Rio de Janeiro, Taddei explained, faith and scientific preparedness can move hand in hand to help communities navigate the growing challenges of climate change.
SILVANA PEREIRA: (Non-English language spoken).
OSBORN: "It was horrible. Trees were dancing all over the place," says the 47-year-old hotdog vendor. "I've never seen anything like it in my life." As a huge tree smashed atop a taxi, she recorded the scene on her phone.
