This Could Get Interesting

"Troops to be sent to Brazil's Rio to provide security for municipal elections" - Xinhua News

Nothing really abnormal about that in a South American country. Except that this time the troops aren't just showing up for election day; they are being called in two months in advance. This is unprecedented (and possibly just the tip of the iceberg).

Rio's Governor, Cabral Filhos, known for his policies of heavy confrontation with traficantes, defended the decision saying it was to allow for free campaigning in all parts of the city and to prevent residents of the favelas from being forced to cast their vote for a candidate backed by a drug faction.

Well, ok. Fair enough. But then they're leaving, right?

"Cabral said the number of troops to be sent and the date would be set by the Superior Electoral Tribunal and state officials. He added that he intends to keep the troops there after the elections to help combat crime (emphasis is mine)." [1]

Oh boy. Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Besides sounding a lot like martial law is about to be selectively put into affect, maybe it's because the last time the military was used to provide protection in a favela, things didn't work out so good. (we won't even talk about what happened in 2006)

The Favelas, The Asfalto and Santa Teresa

View of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Guanabara Bay from the Parque das Ruinas

I spent this afternoon exploring my hill top neighborhood of Santa Teresa and it really is a place of beauty. It’s one of Rio’s oldest neighborhoods and as such has a completely unique vibe; old Portuguese architecture engulfed in tropical flora, crooked cobblestone streets and the some of the illest, most colorful graffiti to help remind you just which epoch you are inhabiting.

I hiked up to the Parque das Ruínas to take in its nearly uninterrupted views of Rio and Guanabara Bay. I posted up in the garden next to it and sat quietly watching three small monkeys at play in the trees above. But it’s far from some utopia here. Don’t get it twisted.

While geographically close, Santa Teresa is a world removed from Copacabana, Ipanema and the more modern center of town…the asfalto, or flat lands. But at the same time it’s not a typical morro (hill side) community either, although it is surrounded by 5 to 7 favelas. Yeah, there’s no mistaking that fact.

My apartment over looks two favelas in the fore ground as well as a few others in the distance. Opposing criminal factions control the two closest favelas and each one would be more than happy to relieve the other of their turf. I know this because it is what I have heard (literally) and seen…the unmistakable POP POP POP along with occasional red, military grade tracers I can see whizzing back and forth at night.



The view, as you can see, really is quite nice. But, like a politician, a picture can offer a thousand words on a subject but still manage to avoid the whole truth.

The favelas, the criminal factions and their traficantes (traffickers), the general inhabitants of these hill side communities and, of course, the police will be explored in greater detail in future posts so…um…stay posted.