Newspapers around the world splashed news of violence in Rio in the headlines, citing the battle last week in Zona Norte as an embarrassing reminder of Rio's security threats. But the truth is that though it was indeed scary and tragic, it wasn't really out of the ordinary in terms of violence in Rio. This type of thing happens sporadically, but the international media doesn't tend to pay attention. I suppose this is an advantage of the Olympics, since now Rio will be under a lot more pressure to implement real, lasting measures to combat violence.
But here are two pieces of news you may not have heard, that are much more telling.
Here's the good news first. Thank you to Luiza, who has Conjur on her Google Reader and spotted this small but hopeful little article to create an Olympics watchdog committee of district attorneys who work to protect the environment and consumers. The committee, which was formed within the Ministerio Publico, will track not only Olympics expenditures but also World Cup ones as well. Since there was out of control spending during the Pan Am Games in 2007, the committee hopes to ensure that spending is kept within the bounds of the budget, estimated at R$50 billion. The committee intends to protect the people of Rio, rather than the drooling contractors, politicians, and businessmen--or so we can hope.
The second piece of news isn't so good, but is much scarier in terms of violence in Rio. Favela battles tend to be confined to the favelas, keeping the residents of other neighborhoods relatively untouched. Even though police may be gunning down traffickers a half hour away, the residents of Ipanema or Gloria may as well be in another country. But this news is one of violence downtown, and it's unclear what really happened.
A social activist, Evandro João da Silva, who worked at AfroReggae, one of Rio's biggest non-profits that works with children in favelas, was shot to death during in a mugging in Centro last week. He was out with his friends at a bar, and at first glance appeared to merely be the victim of an armed robbery. But then, someone leaked security tapes that caught the murder on camera, and things got a lot more complicated.
The footage shows Evandro being approached by two men, the men tackling him to the ground, and the fatal shooting. It then shows the two men removing Evandro's jacket and shoes and running off. But then, a military police cruiser appears, in plain sight of Evandro dying on the ground. Instead of getting out of the car and rushing to his aid, the police cruiser keeps going as the officers confront the robbers. Instead of cuffing and arresting them, they let them both go. The video shows one of the robbers walking away calmly just a few minutes later. Then, the footage shows one of the officers with Evandro's belongings, confiscated from the robbers, which he puts into the police car. And then the police drive away, leaving Evandro bleeding to death on the ground just feet away. (His body was later discovered by other police officers.) Later, it was discovered the confiscated items were never given to Evandro's relatives and were kept by the police officers (after the news came out, the belongings were returned). The two police officers are now under investigation.
Was it a hit? Or was it just another horrific incident of violent crime and police corruption? Either way, this is the story the media should really be interested in.
oh that's so sad. hey i was wondering if you happened to watch Oprah the other day, she was doing a show on the happiest peoples in the world (well women i guess) and she focused on moms in Copenhagen, Dubai, and Rio. they showed the Rio moms house and yadda, and then they went to her maids, erm, house. not that i watch Oprah, but my mom was said "hey look Brazilian moms." :P hehe, so, Oprah likes to focus on the positives. .. .. like bedroom and closet sizes :P
Posted by: mallory elise | October 23, 2009 at 04:43 PM
"But the truth is that though it was indeed scary and tragic, it wasn't really out of the ordinary in terms of violence in Rio. This type of thing happens sporadically, but the international media doesn't tend to pay attention."
"Favela battles tend to be confined to the favelas, keeping the residents of other neighborhoods relatively untouched. Even though police may be gunning down traffickers a half hour away, the residents of Ipanema or Gloria may as well be in another country."
Rachel made a very good point -- again. I have co-workers who live in favelas and they say that things are difficult. Some even joke that if they don't show up the next day or the day after that will mean they have died. As for myself, I live in a relatively "safe" neighborhood. Bangu is a huge place, and it has some favelas. I don't live in a Favela, but I live very close to some (Catiri is the closest, that I can get to in about 15 minutes, walking. Not really "dangerous" there, though). It's been YEARS since I witnessed violence in the very neighborhood where I live (a young guy was gunshot right at the corner of my street. Gossips spread that he he was involved with car robbery, and he was killed because of a "misunderstanding" with another member of the same gang. Just gossip..). There are 2 policemen living in the same street as me (there were more before), so that helps give us all a feeling of safety. I feel much safer to walk down the streets here than I felt when I lived in Leme, even when it's late evening (it's generally over midnight when I get home from work). And there are NO beggars in the street, not even those infant ones with indeed a threatening look in their faces (there are tons of them in Copacabana's street). Yesterday when I was commuting to work, as I approached Deodoro (one of the sites for the 2016 Olympics) we could see from the bus (100 meters distance, maybe?) a group of people and the police: they were looking at 2 bodies (probably killed by traffickers the night before). Although everyone in the bus rushed to the window to peer, 10 minutes later we all had already forgotten about it, because somehow we aren't shocked by that sort of scene anymore.
Magno.
Posted by: Magno | October 24, 2009 at 11:01 PM