Brazil - citizens kick-off in protest at bad government spending decisions: Olympics/ World Cup

Brazil is on the world stage. It's hosting the World Cup and then the Olmypics. It's one of the fastest growing economies in the world - part of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China). It has one of the most diverse cultures and mix of races in the world. It has the most amazing natural habitat that is part of the World's lungs. It has the best parties, the most vibrant and kind people, incredible food...YET the people aren't happy.

For the first time in over 20 years the people in Brazil are standing up to its government. Not to force the PM to stand down, but rather to tell them to spend their money differently. Just watch this video to get a sense of what this Brazilian woman is feeling...

I asked my friends in Brazil what their opinion was:

Friend 1:

Hey my friend! It's happening the greatest protest in the history of Brazil!

 

Friend 2: 

The brazilians can't help so much corruption anymore, the government is spending 30 billion in stadiums to the World Cup, and the school, hospitals, roads, airports are trash! Our economy is going down, the inflection is eating our salaries... And many others wrong things!

I'm happy to see that the brazilians finally realized that life is more than samba and futebol. And we pay to much taxes and receive trash back! The most of demonstrators are peaceful but a little part of them are violent and take the opportunity to terrorize and sure some people get hurts but nobody dead.

but the problem is not only the world cup or olympics games!!!! the problem is 500 years of suffering, we have been explored for a long time, we want the governement spends with infrastruture. we have more priorities to invest this money.

 

Friend 3: 

As a people we are used to sucking it up every time the government do something arbitrary or harmful to us but now its about time someone actually did something about it as opposed to just moan. I'm not happy about the violence but I reckon its fair enough that people go out in the streets and shout back at those who think they can play us like chess pieces. We are absolutely thrilled that we are hosting the world cup and the Olympic games but we are NOT impressed that to achieve that our hospitals, schools, roads and etc are falling apart due to the lack of investment. The initial budget for the doing up of the stadiums was R$600 million and they reckon that by the time we're done we'll have spent just over R$1 billion. Where has that money gone and why wasn't it spent on what really mattered before? We really need to get our priorities right.

Plus, after years of being apathetic to what is going on around us and what's being decided about us this is the biggest demonstration of democracy we have had in bloody years. The mayor of Rio is particular deserves to be bitch-slapped for being such a wanker!

 

    

 

[*Note: figures mentioned are not exact, just examples of how they perceive the money spent]