A look into Brazil's makeover of Rio's slums
The favelas are part of Rio de Janeiro and are called the slums. Many drug-trafficking gangs lived in the favelas and police rarely entered. Many civilians died of overdoses or in drug violence. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva went to visit the slums in 2010. Marcos Rodrigo Neves was 16 when he painted walls and adjacent neighborhood walls with his signature image. In 2011 about 3,000 soldiers and police invaded the favela, the soldiers disarmed the drug gangs and arrested major traffickers. The soldiers tried to bring down violent crime levels to improve Rio de Janeiro’s image before the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. Brazilian police had a reputation for violence and corruption. Rodrigo’s artistic career landed him a prized commission to display four panels of graffiti art at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference and another to decorate downtown Rio’s port district. Brazil’s democracy was a growing democracy and was the world’s eighth-largest economy. Brazil still had a divide between the rich/poor and a racial divide. In 2002 Tim Lopes who was a Brazilian journalist was kidnapped by nine members of a drug gang near one of the most dangerous favelas. One year later, 2,600 soldiers and police invaded Complexo do Alemão. The soldiers killed at least two dozen gunmen. The war ended only after police entered the favela and shot Lulu who was the Comando Vermelho’s boss. Rocinha was one of Brazil’s least-developed regions and poor black migrants began to occupy a sugar-cane and coffee plantation on the outskirts of Rio. Development projects and new jobs were made after the armed criminals were mostly gone in Rocinha. The government seems more interested in backing projects aimed at tourists. Brazil’s governments were known for lavishing attention on poor communities when it’s politically advantageous and then abandoning them (Hammer 2013).
During our time in Brazil we might visit the favelas. Drug crimes and violent crimes can be directly related to poorer communities. Police controlling the areas is overall better for the community but highly dangerous. The favelas are called the slums of Rio de Janerio. These areas have always suffered from severe crime. In recent years, tourists have been targeted while entering the favelas especially if the tourists are not familiar with the area at all.
Hammer, J. (2013). A look into Brazil’s makeover of Rio’s slums. Smithsonian.
Guanabara Pollution
Populated areas in Brazil are heavily polluted and sailors have had to avoid obstacles such as TVs, floating bed frames and dead animals. Polluted areas can cause health risks. Getting trash such as a plastic bag stuck in the rudder can be crucial in races where competitiveness occurs. Boats are at risk to damages due to running over huge trash. The water can be unsuitable for swimming. The promise to clean up the notoriously filthy Guanabara Bay was part of Rio's Olympic bid. Only 34 percent of Rio’s sewage is treated and the rest goes into the waters raw. This data was found from Rio's Deputy State Secretary of Environment Gelson Serva. Fifteen cities surround Guanabara Bay. Over eight million residents, produce over 18,000 litres of sewage per second. The "Clean Guanabara" plan was announced last year, four years after the Olympic bid. Biologist Mario Moscatelli said they have money and the technology but do not have serious politicians which need to act now. To reduce the amount of solid waste in the bay, like "eco-barriers" installed at the mouth of rivers and "eco-boats" to scoop up rubbish from the water (Carneiro 2014).
Polluted waters can cause high risks to humans and the surrounding ecosystems. Water is needed to survive and needs to be swimmable. The swimmers in the 2016 Olympics were of risk of the polluted waters and the bacteria in it. Bringing the data to local officials and politicians can help pass plans in order to regulate the waters.
Carneiro, J. (2014). Rio’s Olympic waters blighted by heavy pollution. BBC News
Brazil's oil euphoria hits reality hard
The state-controlled oil company is called Petrobras and it is in debt. Foreign oil companies want to invest here. The country’s desirable deep-sea has suddenly become less alluring to big, rich oil companies. Other promising energy sources have emerged around the world. This including fields in Africa and tar sands in Canada. Shale gas deposits unlocked by hydraulic fracturing technology which is called fracking in the United States. Petrobras was among the world’s 10 biggest companies with production rising from 2 million barrels a day to 5.3 million in 2020. Petrobras is also forced to import and sell gasoline at below-market prices, a policy designed to control inflation. That has cost the company $20 billion since 2008 ( Forero 2014).
The oil and fossil fuel industry is extremely popular all over the world. Lately studies have shown that the oil industry is bad for the environment due to common oil spills and emissions going into the air. The oil industry is extremely popular in the United States. The main current issue in the United States is the Dakota Access Pipeline. In North Dakota, the government wants to put an oil pipeline through the Native American Standing Rock Reservation. This is causing Native Americans to protest against it to protect the land/water. Since the United States should have more clean energy it would be interesting to see the city of Curitiba.
Forero, J. (2014). Brazil’s oil euphoria hits reality hard. The Washington Post