Portraits from Rio de Janeiro's 'cracklands'

The markets are open around-the-clock, pulling in young mothers, truck drivers, the homeless, anyone looking to get high.

They are known as "cracolandia," or crackland, the open-air bazaars found in some Rio de Janeiro slums where crack cocaine users can buy rocks of the drug and smoke it in plain sight, day or night.

Brazil, according to some recent studies, has become the world's top consumer of crack cocaine, a cheap and highly addictive derivative of the coca plant grown in neighboring countries. An estimated 1 million crack users have become a frightening blight for the country, deeply troubling to government officials whose programs have done little to halt the drug's spread.

Individually, the epidemic is comprised of people from all walks of life, some of whom once held jobs, some with loving families, who harbored dreams of a better existence, all lost to their addictions.

A makeshift portrait studio — a scavenged chair set in front of a white backdrop, illuminated by two small lights — draws crack users from their dark, nightmarish surroundings. Some users open up and tell their stories, while others reveal it only through their eyes.

Sancler Rodrigues borrowed a soccer jersey from a friend before posing. "I didn't think my old black shirt would look good in your photo," the 32-year-old says.

The portrait-seekers include a woman pregnant with her third child.

Another woman smiles while holding the stuffed dog belonging to her infant son who was born prematurely and is hospitalized. Daniela Pinto, her thin arms jutting from her red dress, wishes to be freed from her crack addiction.

Carla Chris, 35, holds onto optimism. "Smile because life is beautiful," she says.

Henrique Felix Santos, 41, grows philosophical when asked for his thoughts while posing in crackland.

"The expression of each human being is consistent with reality," he says.

 Click on any image below to launch the gallery.

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 18, 2015 photo, Andrea, better known as Loira, which is the Portuguese word for 'blonde," poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Andrea says she is married and has a home, but she keeps returning to crackland to feed her addiction. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 17, 2015 photo, Sancler Rodrigues, 32, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rodrigues said he has been smoking crack for 7 or 8 years. “I didn’t think my old black shirt would look good in your photo, so I borrowed this from friend,” Rodrigues said. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 14, 2015 photo, Valeria de Brito, 36, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brito, who has been using crack for over 8 years says she does not like the crackland environment, that she prefers to use drugs elsewhere. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 18, 2015 photo, Carla Chris, 35, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carla Chris, who has been using crack for over 6 years, says getting into crack was easy. What is difficult is finding an opportunity on the outside. But she pushes herself everyday, saying: "Smile because life is beautiful. Jesus loves you and victory is certain. I am capable, prepared and self-sufficient, so I can do for myself." (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 18, 2015 photo, Ketellin Silva 17, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Silva, the mother of a 3-year-old girl, holds a stuffed toy dog she says belongs to her premature infant son who remains hospitalized. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 17, 2015 photo, Anderson Pereira, 23, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pereira wears a T-shirt with a message that reads in Portuguese; "Nothing should seem natural." (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

APTOPIX Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 17, 2015 photo, Daniela Pinto, 39, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Daniela who has been a crack user for 4 years, says she has been living in this crackland for about 4 months. She says she wants freedom, peace and love, but most importantly she wants to be freed from her addiction. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 14, 2015 photo, Andre Oliveira, 32, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Andre makes a living by collecting discarded, recyclable items on the streets. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

APTOPIX Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 17, 2015 photo, Renato Dias, 39, writes in his notebook as he poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dias, who has been using crack for about 4 years, says he uses his notebook as a form of distraction. He writes about super heroes and dreams of becoming one. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

APTOPIX Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 17, 2015 photo, Eduardo Santos de Souza, 46, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Souza, a father of 8 children, with 4 different women, says he has cut down on his drug use and has a life outside crackland. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 14, 2015 photo, Jorge, 35, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Teenage mothers, truck drivers, fathers, homeless, those struggling with mental illness - all manner of person can be found in Rio’s cracklands. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 14, 2015 photo, Lucilene Gomes, 44, adjusts her hair in preparation for a portrait, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gomes posed in a makeshift studio made up of an old chair against a white backdrop illuminated by two small lights. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 14, 2015 photo, Henrique Felix Santos, 41, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Henrique, who wanted to be sure his name was spelled correctly, says he has been in this life for quite some time. When asked about his thoughts, he replied: "The expression of each human being is consistent with reality..." (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 18, 2015, photo, Carla Cristina, 26, poses for a portrait next to her water stand in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carla Cristina sells cups of water with an aluminum seal, which users will transform into makeshift pipes for smoking their crack. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 18, 2015 photo, Douglas Wallace, 26, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Collectively, the estimated 1 million crack users in Brazil are a frightening blight that’s deeply troubling to government officials, whose programs have done little to halt the drug’s march across the nation. Some recent studies have shown that Brazil now consumes more crack than any other country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Galley

In this March 17, 2015 photo, Jose Mauricio Oliveira, 41, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Individually, the epidemic is comprised of people from all walks of life, some of whom once held jobs, some with loving families, who harbored dreams of a better existence, all lost to their addiction. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Crackland Portraits Photo Gallery

In this March 18, 2015 photo, Patricia Sebastiao, 22, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patricia, who has a 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son, is pregnant with her third child. She said she is 6 or 7 months pregnant, but was not exactly sure. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

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Text from the AP news story, AP PHOTOS: Portraits from Rio de Janeiro's 'Cracklands'.

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