Part of a pending adoption law in the Brazilian congress that would have allowed gay couples to adopt has been rejected because the country does not have a federal law recognizing same-sex civil unions:
“A proposal granting same-sex couples the same rights as married heterosexuals has stalled in Brazil's Congress for more than 10 years, prompting some states to take their own actions. Southern Rio Grande do Sul state has permitted same-sex civil unions since 2004, and a Sao Paulo state court allowed a gay couple to adopt a 5-year-old girl in late 2006.