Veja (, English: see, look [at it]) is a Brazilian weekly news magazine published in São Paulo and distributed throughout the country by media conglomerate Grupo Abril. It is the leading weekly publication in the country and one of the most influential outlets of the Brazilian printed media. Veja publishes articles on politics, economics, culture, world events, entertainment, and war. It also regularly includes editorial pieces related to themes like technology, ecology, and religious debate. It has recurring sections on cinema, television, practical literature, music, and guides on diverse subjects. It has been described as politically aligned with right-wing movements, though it does not describe itself as such. History and profile Veja was first published on 11 September 1968, and was subject to censorship by the Brazilian military dictatorship from 1969 to 1976. In 1974 the magazine boosted the sales and the number of subscribers began to increase. Veja is known for its attacks on the worldwide left-wing; for instance, when Cuban ruler Fidel Castro left power, the magazine's front cover read "It was about time!" The magazine supports free market economy, more toughness on crime and the promotion of individual liberty. Well-known contributors to the magazine include Reinaldo Azevedo, Stephen Kanitz and Lya Luft. During its early days, Veja was known for publishing hoaxes as facts. In 1975 it declared that the Loch Ness Monster was real before ultimately recognizing the news were fake. In 1983, it re-published an April Fools' Day prank from the British magazine New Science as real. According to Veja, scientists were able to fuse the molecules of a cow and a tomato in order to produce tomato-flavored meat. In 1989, it published a controversial piece about singer Cazuza, who was terminally ill from AIDS. It was considered of bad taste and proclaimed that the singer's legacy would not last. The same year, the magazine published a cover praising then presidential hopeful Fernando Collor de Mello later impeached for corruption. On 2005, as part of its growing right-wing agenda, Veja defended the rejection of the prohibition of firearms in that year's referendum. According to Folha de S. Paulo columnist Barbara Gancia, Veja tried to mislead its readers presenting the referendum as a proposition of the ruling Workers' Party (PT) and its owners had a conflict of interest in campaigning against banning firearms; Veja publishing company Editora Abril was a business partner of the Birmann family,