There's a widespread culture of illicit distilling in Brazil, which for the most part is just people safely making rustic spirits at small scale, but when it goes wrong things like this can happen. (I'm guessing this has more to do with dishonest producers adulterating product to make it cheaply, but time will tell.)
Lethal methanol poisoning puts Brazilians off their caipirinhas - The Boston Globe
Drinkers in Brazil are becoming gravely ill from liquor contaminated with methanol, a toxic industrial alcohol used in solvents and fuel.
bostonglobe.com