Dia da Mentira - Brazil's 'A Mentira' newspaper hoax

APR 01 1828

Brazil's 1 April observance is called Dia da Mentira ('Day of the Lie') or Dia dos Bobos. Its documented national origin is the Minas Gerais newspaper 'A Mentira' ('The Lie'), launched on 1 April 1828 with the false news of the death of Dom Pedro I, contradicted the next day. The paper published until 14 September 1849, signing off with a final prank summoning creditors to settle accounts at a nonexistent location.