A Brazilian lawmaker called on the south to secede from the country. Santa Catarina's deputy, Bruno Sousa, wants a referendum on independence, arguing that the region should no longer be ruled by a political majority that does not share its values. With deep German, Italian and Polish roots, southern Brazil has long maintained a distinct cultural identity. Now, Sousa wants to turn that identity into a political movement for independence.

A Brazilian lawmaker called on the south to secede from the country. Santa Catarina's deputy, Bruno Sousa, wants a referendum on independence, arguing that the region should no longer be ruled by a political majority that does not share its values. With deep German, Italian and Polish roots, southern Brazil has long maintained a distinct cultural identity. Now, Sousa wants to turn that identity into a political movement for independence.