Ramblings of a Gringo Living in Brasil Good morning, bom dia! I know I have shared various comments, pictures, and stories about what is happening down here in Brasil, but this morning as a I was reflecting on the events of last night, and the preceding nights, I got to thinking a bit more on what is really going on here. As a “gringo” (as I am often referred to here), living in Brasil for almost a year now, of course I follow the news back home in the United States. I periodically watch the national news on podcasts, stay tuned to the local news in Michigan, and follow CNN and other news sources online. I hardly see anything about Brasil, or Latin America in general. Rather, the international coverage is focused on Turkey, the Middle East, and North Korea. Of course, these are all important stories and tied heavily to US interests. I get that. What you don’t see is that the 5th largest country in the world appears to be heading for a complete cultural and political revolution. This is country known to outsiders for its passion for football (soccer), beaches, and beautiful women, for great barbeques, people passionate about life, friends and family, Carnaval, and great parties. It is also a country of extremes. Extreme poverty and extreme wealth are on display everywhere. My office in a glitzy business district is directly across the river from a hillside favela, or slum. Helicopters come and go frequently from the tops of skyscrapers, while others sit in traffic for 1 or 2 hours to go just a few miles, or commute on ridiculously full trains and subways. Many of these people make the minimum wage of about $350.00 a month, while paying almost 20% of that just in transportation fares. Those that can afford private health insurance and care enjoy first class health care, while many are relegated to overcrowded, understaffed, and barely adequate medical facilities. The government is wracked with corruption and violence on the street is both extreme and random (they are even passing a law in Sao Paulo to turn many street lights to blinking yellow in the middle of the night to reduce high levels of armed robbery and carjackings). In spite of all of this, Brasil pays among the highest taxes on earth (nearly 50% of income on an annual basis, on average). For these taxes, services should be far superior. Couple this with the lavish spending on the Confederation Cup, the World Cup, and the Olympics (at least estimate, over $30 BILLION), and you have an environment ripe for unrest. The protests started a few weeks ago, small at first, but growing, over a roughly $.09 public transportation fare increase. But as they say here, “It’s not about 20 cents” (in local currency). This was the straw that broke the camel’s back and unleashed years of pent up anger and dissatisfaction. The protests started fairly benign, but after a violent crackdown last Thursday, it really galvanized the city, and the country. People of all socioeconomic classes are expressing their anger and taking to the streets. “Vem pra rua”, or “come to the streets”, has become the rallying cry and the number of issues being protested grow by the day. The demonstrations are getting bigger, better organized, and at times increasingly violent. But I see more and more support for the movements, despite the disruption they cause. Last night, there were protests in well over 100 cities nationwide, riot police were called in to MANY cities, and the army sent reinforcements to protect against an invasion of the National Congress and the Presidential Palace. Vandalism was largely directed at government institutions in a display of anger. I’m not saying this is right, but it is what it is. What you will likely see on the news is the small minority being suppressed by riot police in angry conflicts. Coming from a country where we enjoy many freedoms of expression, but rarely organize in these numbers, it is very exciting to see a country standing up for their rights and their beliefs. You won’t see much of that in the international press (although it seems to be getting a little more lately). I didn’t write this to sway your thoughts one way or another. I simply wanted those outside of the country to not dismiss what is seen on TV as a bunch of monkeys running wild on the streets causing mayhem. There is much more to the story. I am an American at heart and I love my country and fiercely defend it. I also love Brasil and the Brasilian people. They are friendly, have a passion for life, and want many of the same services, freedoms, and quality of life that we enjoy. They work hard, they pay their dues. In the midst of all of this chaos, they are simply demanding what they pay for and what they deserve. Thank you for your time! #VEMPRARUA!
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 12:34:57 +0000
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