GOTHAM CITY ON GUANABARA BAY
Gotham City was once considered the most corrupt city in the world, but it has been outmatched by Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While Gotham City exists only in the world of comic books, Rio de Janeiro is not a fictitious city. Recently, during an audience at the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF), a lawyer indicated that in the State of Rio, it was easier to elect the supervillain Joker than Batman! In the blasé and cocooned world of Brazilian magistrates, the remark drew a tense laugh. Rio is the seat of the state government and therefore the center of never-ending shenanigans of a politico-corruption nature. Even by Brazil’s mammoth political corruption standards, Rio beats every other state. Over the last twenty years, seven state governors, nearly all of them, have been either arrested or convicted of corruption. In April 2026, the seating governor resigned before being found ineligible for office by a high court. He was accused of hav...