In Brazil, a parrot puppeteer’s death stirs the nation

RIO DE JANEIRO — In a time of so much loss, it is rare for an individual death to stir a country. “I woke up today and kept thinking how I was going to manage to get here and say ‘Good morning’ to you, because it hurts a lot,” Braga, 71, told viewers, barely holding herself together while standing in front of a drawing of Louro José with a halo. The character became part of people’s lives.” Louro José often wore costumes, and even traveled. “Louro José was one of the greatest creations in the history of Brazilian television,” wrote Neto, who TIME magazine recently named one of the world’s 100 most influential people. “Thank you for everything Louro José, Tom Veiga,” one Twitter user identifying as Lia Carioca said.