Brazil’s largest and richest cities have voted to ban app-based taxi services like Uber, because critics say they unfairly dodge local regulations. On September 10, city councillors voted 43-3 in favour of a ban in São Paulo, and on Aug. 25, city councillors in Rio De Janeiro voted 41-1 in favour of a similar measure. Uber’s fate in Brazil now rests in the hands of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro's mayors who are weighing the possibility of vetoing the bans issued by their respective city councils. The Brazilian government has been trying for years to crack down on Uber and other ride-hailing services, which it says threaten public safety and put drivers at risk of being robbed or killed.
Brazil’s largest and richest cities have voted to ban app-based taxi services like Uber, because critics say they unfairly dodge local regulations. On September 10, city councillors voted 43-3 in favour of a ban in São Paulo, and on Aug. 25, city councillors in Rio De Janeiro voted 41-1 in favour of a similar measure. Uber’s fate in Brazil now rests in the hands of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro's mayors who are weighing the possibility of vetoing the bans issued by their respective city councils. In Rio, Uber has targeted Mayor Eduardo Paes with an aggressive public media campaign, and mobilising their supporters, are promoting the hashtag #FicaUber (Uber stays).