Adventures of a Gringa

Rio's Renaissance: Will Public Works Last?

During my recent trip to Rio, someone told me that Rio is experiencing its "golden age" because of the upcoming mega-events and the growing investments the city is attracting. So given this fact, what would be the best legacies to result from this presumed renaissance? A functional public transportation system? Improved public schools? State-of-the-art hospitals? A modern sewage system? Maybe. But one thing that will definitely come out of this period are grandiose public works, ones that certainly contribute to the city but ones that also need to be maintained after the Olympics or risk becoming white elephants. That's really one of the big questions: if everything being built and accomplished in this window of time can survive until 2017.

I'd like to give two examples of these public works, which I had the chance to visit this month, and a third example of a cautionary tale.

The Rio Museum of Art (MAR) is an amazing new institution, which opened to the public in March. It's made up of two connected buildings: an uber-modern one with a sleek design, and another that resembles the early 20th century architecture that you find in downtown Rio.

The museum not only has a great collection of modern art, but it has entire sections that showcase Rio. It's like a trophy case for the city, and a wonderful way for people to celebrate Rio, its history, and its culture in a meaningful way. It's not that Rio doesn't already have good museums, but often they are places seen as places for, and sometimes with works catered to the elite. It was heartening to see not only that the museum was packed, but that there were Cariocas from across the socioeconomic spectrum. 

And at MAR, it's not what you usually find at Rio's museums, like paintings from the 18th century. There are lots of works focusing on favelas, as well as Rio social movements. For example, there's an amazing installation of a favela made out of cinder blocks, wire, beer cans, and other recycled materials (see below). But even those classic paintings are wonderful, showing the city in its colonial days.

Another plus: tou can go all the way to the roof and see a view of the bay. MAR is part of Rio's massive port revitalization project, and there are several screens that have an interactive view of what the area will look like when all the construction is done, with videos showing the simulated buildings and infrastructure. (The Museum of Tomorrow, for example, will be built on the spit of land you can see in the photo below). Looking at the simulations, you can't help but hope that not only will they actually come to fruition, but that they'll also last.

Next is another public work on the other side of town. Parque Madureira, a huge, beautiful park surrounded by favelas and blue-collar neighborhoods, is a perfect example of creating public space where it's needed. (It's also a smart political move, but anyway.) The park opened last June, and now not only attracts Cariocas but also performances from singers like Daniela Mercury and a visit by skater Tony Hawk.

There's a stage with a large plaza for concerts and shows, numerous areas for different sports ranging from volleyball to ping pong, a bike path, koi ponds, a playground, a fountain for kids to play in, gym equipment, several cafés, and a skate park that Hawk called one of the best in the world. It's also very green, both literally and figuratively, with different elements made from recycled materials, some solar panels, and plants sprouting from building facades. There's also a visible police presence, including both municipal guards (who can't carry guns) and military police.

One of the coolest parts of the park is the "nave de conhecimento," or knowledge ship. It's one of several located throughout the city that give locals free internet access. There are iPads for kids, an upstairs with laptops for events and classes, and evidently, a Wifi signal that people use by sitting outside. There are also several large touch screens that allow people to search maps, look up information, and make suggestions to local government about their communities.

The government wants to expand the park even more. But walking through and seeing everything looking new, it made me concerned about what will happen once Paes is out of office, let alone 2017.

And then we come to Engenhão.

This photo was taken in 2007 during the Pan-American Games, when the stadium was brand-new. Now, with less than 2 months to go before the Confederations Cup and about a year away from the World Cup, Engenhão is closed indefinitely. That's because the six-year-old stadium is essentially falling apart. The city found that the stadium--which cost $190 million to build--had structural problems, particularly with the roof. That mega-event, Brazil-based journalist Andrew Downie points out, was over budget with promised infrastructure projects that never happened, and venues that aren't being used or now have to undergo costly renovations. "It is nothing short of scandalous that the organizers are being given a second chance," he wrote.

Will 2017 be different? We have to hope so.

Rio's Airport ATM Scam

At the end of a long hall on the second floor of Rio's international airport, there is a group of ATMs designed to rob bank account numbers. Despite reports of these robberies allegedly dating back to 2008 and police reports from victims, no one has done anything.

The horrific rape of an American woman in Rio earlier this month, as well as the rapes of Brazilian women that only came to light as a result, put the city on high alert. In an ideal world, these crimes should serve as a wake-up call about impunity and rule of law--that police should actually attempt to investigate all crimes, not just those with rich or influential victims. In addition, this week's attack in Boston brings into sharp relief the need for even more security during mega-events. Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota said that Brazil will take "all necessary measures" to do so. The city government is already taking steps to try to reduce crime, with programs like the pacification units (whether that is really working is another question, but it is at least taking steps).

So with that in mind, I realize that an ATM scam pales in comparison to any of the aforementioned unspeakable crimes, or many of the crimes taking place in Rio, for that matter. But it's emblematic of a continuing problem in Rio with the police failing to act and of impunity in general. Police sometimes are unhelpful; the last time my husband tried to report a card getting cloned in Rio a few years ago, the police actually wouldn't even file the report. When people do report crimes--in this particular case, both foreigners and Brazilians--nothing is done. All in all, this is the kind of thing that makes Brazilians purse their lips and shake their heads, and say something about how that's a shame but that's Rio. But it doesn't have to be this way, not for smaller crimes nor for the more serious ones. It shouldn't have to be.

***

I became the unwitting victim of the scam last week while traveling in Rio. I was alone and didn't want to wander around the streets with cash, so I thought I'd take out money as soon as I got the airport. The airport, after all, should theoretically be one of the safest places in the city. Theoretically.

I remembered that there were some banks on the top floors, but I just needed an ATM. I asked around and was sent to the second floor. I remember thinking that it was nonsensical that there weren't any ATMs on the arrivals floor. But I went upstairs anyway. I headed down the long hall, recognizing a drugstore where I usually buy stuff before departing flights. The drugstore was open, but the place where the ATM guard would sit was empty. A man in front of me seemed to have trouble taking out money, and gave up. I should have known better, but I was exhausted and impatient. I picked the HSBC ATM, quickly took out money, and left.

A few days later, my bank emailed me saying my account had been blocked. When I called, they told me that someone had tried multiple times to take out large sums of cash from my account. But going through each transaction with the representative, I told her that the first withdrawal was in fact mine. "Oh, I just wanted to check that," she said. "That type of ATM is associated with fraud." I cut up my ATM card.

Later, numerous people told me they'd also been victims of the same scam at the same ATMs in Galeão, and sent me links to forums--such as this one and this one--with people reporting the same crime starting in 2011 and even allegedly dating back to 2008. Not every single person who uses the ATMs is getting robbed, evidently, but a consistent pattern is clear. These types of scams take place all over the world. But the fact that one of only two sets of freestanding ATMs in an international airport have been used for several years to rob people is something that could theoretically be resolved easily.

***

Before my flight home, I briefly stopped at the drugstore across from the ATMs. I asked one of the cashiers if he ever noticed anything unusual at the ATMs. "Well, you always see all sorts of weird people," he said. I told him about the scams. He didn't seem surprised. "Yeah, I mean, this hall is totally empty," he pointed out. The guard, I noticed, was in his post this time. "The guard isn't always there," the man added. When I left, the guard was talking on his phone.

To be honest, I'm a little tired of these pre-mega-event stories, of these will-Rio-be-ready stories and is-Rio-tourist-friendly stories, and all of that. I'm much more interested in if the UPPs are working, if new transportation projects are going to happen and if they're going to help commuters, if some of the incredible new public works being built will survive in their current form after 2016. (More on that next week.) So consider this one a freebie to all of the journalists looking for a World Cup/Olympics story. Given how and which crimes seem to get the attention of police in Rio, the media might be the easiest way to tackle this one. It shouldn't be that hard to investigate, and both the tourist and civil police should theoretically have records of some of these complaints. Theoretically.

Image: Galeão, by Zel Nunes.

Brazil's English Language Challenge

You've probably read about how different cities in Brazil are preparing for the World Cup by offering English courses to certain groups, from taxi drivers in Rio to prostitutes in Belo Horizonte. With a year and a half left before the mega-event, some are scrambling to teach foreign languages--especially English--in preparation for the expected flood of foreigners in the next few years. There's also growing consciousness about the fact that the lack of English speakers in Brazil means the country is losing money, not only in tourism but business, too.

Unfortunately, a lot of the focus on expanding the pool of foreign-language speakers has to do with Brazil's upcoming mega-events. A very amusing report from Correio Braziliense, for example, found few English and Spanish speakers in Brasilia, where a McDonald's employee pointed a Spaniard to a bathroom after he asked for a vaso (cup, in Spanish), and a host at a fancy restaurant simply hung up after discovering he was unable to understand the foreign caller. Meanwhile, the Belo Horizonte sex workers story made instant headlines around the world. But tourists aren't going to just be lost during the World Cup or Olympics; this is a problem now, and will be after 2016. And even more importantly, the shortage of English speakers adds to the so-called "Brazil cost," a combination of factors that makes Brazil less competitive, across the spectrum of industries.

Luckily, President Dilma Rousseff and some in her administration understand this: Brazil's language gap is a bigger, long-term problem. In late December, Brazil's Education Minister Aloizio Mercadante announced that the government will launch "English Without Borders" in March. The program--which echoes the government's STEM initiative to send students abroad to study science and technology--aims to benefit half a million students over the next year. Initially, 100,000 students with high marks on the country's college entrance exam will receive access to an online English course ("the best in the world," Mercadante says). Students will take the TOEFL exam to see which level they qualify for, and 10,000 students with high scores on this test will receive preferential access to English courses at federal universities. Later, the government hopes to expand the program to Spanish, German, and Chinese. According to a brief report on the plan this week, it's the most ambitious English-language program ever launched by the government.

Still, key questions remain. Will distance learning really be effective? Will the classroom courses have qualified teachers? Will the program be extended past 2014? One certainly hopes so.

But like with many of Brazil's education challenges, an even better approach would be starting much earlier--on the elementary level, as well as the secondary and university levels. It's the difference between CEOs who cannot communicate with foreign colleagues and five-year-olds who have never been to an English-speaking country but speak like California natives. They both exist now. If a government initiative was created for elementary students, particularly in public schools, imagine what the difference would be in 20 years. Hopefully, English Without Borders is the start of more expansive foreign language programs to come.

Image: Acariquara. Shirt captured at a Walmart in Bahia. The first dialogue bubble reads: "It's coll."

A Tale of Two Rios

Even a few years ago as Rio's resurgence was beginning, there were two Rios as far as outsiders were concerned. There was the postcard Rio: the beaches in Ipanema and Copacabana, the Christ statue and Sugarloaf, Maracanã and the Sambodrome. Then there was another Rio, incredibly rich in history and full of cultural gems: Santa Teresa, Escadaria Selarón, the old city center, excellent museums, the Portuguese Library, the Teatro Municipal, Praça XV..the list goes on. Sometimes tourists would experience both Rios, but the allure of the city for outsiders--considered for years to be a city in decline--lay in the attraction of its natural beauty, Carnival, and soccer. In other words, Rio has always been an interesting destination in terms of culture and history, but it was never quite taken seriously because of a combination of lack of security, investment, PR, and a reputation as a "real" cultural center. And despite being the headquarters for Petrobras, BNDES, and other large Brazilian corporations, it was never really taken seriously as a business city, either.

But as the city's renaissance began, the two Rios began to move closer together. This became abundantly clear this week when The New York Times named Rio as the number one place to visit in 2013 "because the whole world will be there in 2014." Appearing on CNN, Times travel editor Dan Saltzstein explained why Rio was the paper's top pick--and not just because of the World Cup and Olympics. "It's not exactly a new destination," he said, "but there are new reasons to go." Echoing the article, Salzstein listed mostly cultural destinations, and said "the arts are booming." In addition to "formly decrepit areas being revived," namely the port area, he named literary festivals, the partially inaugurated City of Arts cultural center in Barra, the forthcoming Rio Museum of Art, and the planned Museum of Tomorrow as reasons to go. Now, with the mega-events and growing investments, Rio is being taken more seriously as a "high culture" destination.

Rio, too, for expats was traditionally a place for researchers, English teachers, oil company executives, and the occasional multinational employee. Now, there's been a small explosion of foreign correspondents and a growing tide of foreign professionals. When I moved to Rio in 2007, there was almost no English news coverage of Rio--just a few major international outlets which would publish mostly about major events. Now, there are dozens of sources, some reporting daily. "For many years, São Paulo has been the place for multinationals to open a Brazil office," an August 2011 Economist article explains. But, it goes on, "it is no longer foolish to let prospective expats fly down to Rio to take a look." More and more young American professionals are heading to Rio for short-term stints to get "Brazil experience," opting to work in growing number of companies in the Cidade Maravilhosa rather than São Paulo.

Still, expats and frequent Brazil travelers often argue that tourists should avoid Rio and see what the rest of the continent-sized country has to offer. (I find that the argument is more common among expats based in São Paulo, but anyway). Rio, some say, isn't the "real" Brazil and that tourists should experience other places. And while it's true that you could spend a lifetime exploring Brazil, I can't see any reason why a first-time visitor would skip Rio. There was no good reason before, and there still isn't now.

Photo: Rio's historic downtown, Ariane Mittidieri

Rio's 2012 Election: Now What?

Today, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes swept the election in Rio, winning with nearly 65 percent of the vote. In second place was Rio state assemblyman Marcelo Freixo, who won 28 percent of the vote. For those familiar with Rio politics, it wasn't a surprise: Paes is a popular incumbent who raised much more money than Freixo (around 14 times more at nearly R$3 million), had a huge coalition (Freixo refused to create one), enjoyed much more TV advertising time than Freixo, and has support from the state governor, President Dilma Rousseff, and former President Lula. Amid a construction boom with new government-funded hospitals and education centers, Paes also counts among his administration's accomplishments presiding over the preparations for the World Cup and Olympics. In addition, Paes won despite recent accusations of corruption--allegedly paying off another political party not to run for the mayoralty of Rio. Freixo also was at a disadvantage due to popular appeal; Paes is a seasoned politician, whereas Freixo--who comes from a background of academia and activism--is less accustomed to smooth-talking.

Supporters of Freixo backed him, among other reasons, to support his stand against corruption in politics, as well as his famous opposition to militias and organized crime as depicted in Tropa de Elite 2. He's been critical of the mega-event preparations, saying during the most recent mayoral candidate debate: "We want the Olympics. But a city that's good for the Olympics must be good for the people who live in it." He also stood up to Paes on the campaign trail, and is not one to mince his words. Supporters saw him as a change from the usual suspects in Rio government. Given all that he was up against, it's impressive that he received nearly a third of the vote. It's also important to note that his party, the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), doubled the number of seats in the city legislature from 2 to 4.

So what does this mean for Rio?

From my perspective, it means Freixo is well-positioned to play the role that fits him best, given the circumstances: that of a watchdog, a critical voice who will try to ensure transparency during the next Paes administration and the upcoming mega-events. As an activist who has worked hard to combat militias, there's still lots of work to do there. And given Rio's recent history with the PanAm Games and concerns about white elephants already emerging in the run-up to the World Cup, there's a long road ahead for the city. He's exactly the right person to spearhead efforts to see that the local government does what's best for its residents and not FIFA or the IOC. He's also the right person to work to oversee the city's preparations for the mega-events to prevent corruption and overspending. Maybe he'll be something of an Al Gore for Rio.

Rio politics may not have changed dramatically yet. But with someone like Marcelo Freixo working outside of the Pálacio da Cidade, there's a chance that there will be more accountability and a push for more transparency, as well as a continued fight against organized crime.

Photo: Marcelo Freixo 

Favela Surveillance in Rio

In a bit of news that made only a small blip in the Brazilian media and virtually no impact in the international media, the special forces in Rio, known as BOPE, began testing drones over favelas citywide. Called UAVs in English and VANTS in Portuguese, the vehicles are being used to monitor drug trafficking groups and are also to experiment with a new security technique ahead of the upcoming mega-events. The military says this type of surveillance could save lives by avoiding fire from traffickers.

Mercopress reports:

So far three VANTS are on test surveillance and in the near future could be used for several tasks including monitoring and support operations in many of the favelas which remain under control or threat from the drug-related gangs that hide among the impoverished residents.

Folha spoke to the head of the project, Major Jacy Montenegro Magalhães Neto:

"You send soldiers into a favela, in alleys and back streets, and they can suffer an ambush...when you send the VANT ahead, it sees things the soldiers don't see. We think of the VANT as a way to save lives [of the soldiers]."

Earlier this year, the army began using high-definition cameras in a number of pacified favelas, both on the ground and from the air. An important advantage to using them on the ground was to provide more transparency following complaints from community members of abuses by the armed forces.

Rio Grande do Sul will also see the use of drones for public security, Folha reported. The state previosuly tested VANTS during large soccer games in 2010. There will also be drones on parts of Brazil's borders. Last week, Embraer announced a $1 billion project using VANTS on the border with Bolivia and Paraguay.

Photo: QinetiQ Group

Q&A With Christopher Gaffney

Will Rio be ready for the World Cup and the Olympics? It's a favorite question of many international media outlets, and a hot topic among Cariocas. But the more important questions include what will happen to Rio after the mega-events, and what the development for these events will mean for the city. Christopher Gaffney, an American geographer, writer, and professor living in Brazil, is perhaps among the most outspoken voices on these matters. A journalist and author, he writes a blog called Hunting White Elephants with analysis and observations on mega-events, as well as insight on what's happening with all of the changes taking place in Rio. Christopher is also a visiting professor at the Universidade Federal Fluminense in Niterói, and he's researching the social and urban changes--as well as a variety of impacts--associated with the World Cup and Olympics in Rio and in other host cities in Brazil.

"These events need a massive restructuring, a dose of humility, and should attend to the demands of the places in which they are held. As it is, they are ever-larger, require ever-more public funds, and re-shape spaces and places to meet the exigencies of international sport federations and their corporate partners while stimulating real-estate speculation and re-enforcing false notions of 'progress' and 'social development'...But shouldn’t these projects have long-term urban and social planning as their foundation?" writes Christopher on his blog.

I spoke to Christopher about his work and his outlook for the mega-events in Rio. Have a read below.

What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?

It’s as much as a pressure release valve for me as it is a way to communicate the complexities of Rio de Janeiro to a wider audience. Some of the things happening in Rio are so frustrating and the actions of the “mega-event industrial complex” so maddening and nasty, that I need to write them down in order to process them. Fortunately, it also serves as a way for me to write about what is happening in Rio in a more accessible format than I do with academic writing. I’m also hoping that my blog will generate attention and educate people. It’s also a bit of fun to watch the dots light up on the globe when someone accesses the site. I’m getting around 2,900 hits a month and Hunting White Elephants has been accessed from 142 countries.

What are some of the possible "white elephant" projects that will result from Rio's mega-events?

It is easier to talk about the “non-white” elephants, and that’s a short conversation. Nearly everything under construction for the mega-events is being done with an urban plan that was created behind closed doors, and with little thought for the usefulness of the projects post-2016. I think they should actually paint everything white and put big ears on just to remind us. In the case of some stadiums like Maria Lenk, the taxpayers paid to build it in 2007, paid to maintain it and are now going to pay to reform it for tens of millions just five years later. Ditto Engenhão. Maracanã, pô. Ironically, the only way to make some of these things economically viable, and this is no accident, is to privatize them so that at the very least our taxes won’t go to maintenance. This was the case of the HSBC Arena but it too will need a nip and tuck before the Olympics.  If we look at the recent history of Rio’s mega-events and urban planning and then look at who is involved in the current administration of the World Cup and Olympics, we see a disturbingly familiar set of faces. The PAN 2007 left some small elephants for the city. They’ve grown up and are reproducing at an alarming rate.  With the same people, more money and more pressure to build grandiose projects, there is little hope for lasting benefit from the megas. So, let’s see, non-white elephant…BRT Transoeste? Unfortunately, people keep getting killed by the new buses as they use the bus lane for cycling and walking with children in strollers. It’s impossible to make things like this up.

What are your main concerns about Rio's preparations for the mega-events that could negatively impact the city?

I’m concerned about everything! Public transportation, militarization, privatization, cost of living, criminalization of basic civic acts, elimination of democratic institutions, the control of the public purse by parallel governments, the branding and marketing of everything in the city, the environmental degradation, traffic, access to sport and leisure, lack of transparency, short-term planning for long-term profit, exposure to unnecessary and avoidable risk, landslides, housing, education, health care, air quality, access to water, long term urban planning, etc.. All of these will be negatively impacted by the mega-events.

What's your take on the city's pacification strategy in the lead-up to the mega-events?

I recently published an article in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs about this and will have another article on security coming out in 2013. It’s insanely complicated and contradictory. What we can assert, without question, is that the pacification is explicitly and exclusively related to “securing the Olympic city”, that is, the Zona Sul, Barra, and the transportation lines for the Olympics. It’s about real-estate opportunities, making places and people transparent from the perspective of capital and control, re-asserting authority over territory, managing local populations to free urban space for the International Overlords of FIFA and the Olympic Family [sic]. While the UPPs have brought some very real improvements, they are not complete solutions. Rio’s very real problems of violence and oppression continue, but out of sight out of mind. People are very willing to be fooled by appearances when we know that the deep structural cleavages in Brazilian society will take generations to close. How could they not? My concern is that we aren’t changing the definition of security. To me, guns and boots and tanks are evidence of less-secure places. A Texan once told me, “Guns don’t kill people, they kill everything.”

What needs to be done to ensure Rio's mega-events have a constructive legacy for the city?

The word legacy needs to be erased from our vocabularies as quickly as it was introduced. Slavery is a legacy, is it not? These are impacts of varying intensity and duration. Taking the question literally a “constructive legacy” could be considered all of the concrete being poured on public projects right now. The Transcarioca project needs to be stopped as does the Transolimpica. The Metro project also needs to be stopped and the transportation plan for Rio 2016 completely and immediately re-evaluated by independent professionals.  This can only happen with a change of government. Then we can start to change the very idea of who these projects are meant to benefit. Without immediate, massive social action at the voting booth and on the streets, there is almost no way to ensure that the tens of billions spent on these investments will have social, economic, environmental, urban or cultural returns.


Based on your research, how do many cities ultimately fare after hosting large-scale sporting events?

Poorly. Beijing might be the best case example as they put through massive public transportation systems. They also forcibly displaced 2,000,000.  London 2012 seems to have accomplished some interesting objectives. Barcelona fine, whatever, good luck to the working class and nice going on a sterilized waterfront and Olympic Stadium Elephant.  Hosting mega-events is about selling what the local to an international audience while finding ways to keep the people who actually live there docile and off the streets during the event. The analysis of these events can get pretty dogmatic, academics talking past each other and a world of media-government-business-international sport federations. The cheerleaders are so cheerfully harmonious that a modicum of critical thinking reveals deep fractures in the joyous hullabaloo. Pointing out the obvious should happen before these projects get approved, not after they are revealed as public planning documents. It’s an easy solution but not as profitable in the short term. “Stronger, Higher, Faster” should not be the mantra of urban planners.

Read more from Christopher at Hunting White Elephants.