Brazil face Argentina in Buenos Aires tonight in a crucial World Cup qualifying tie. Win or lose, however, Brazil’s future looks less than bright under unpopular manager Dunga. But, as James Young explains, the country’s footballing problems run much deeper than that – and it might just be the fault of the fans. By James Young(…)
Rio Olympic spending turns from gold to bronze
As the Rio Olympics draw closer, organizers are cutting costs – but it may have more to do with Brazil’s crumbling economy than IOC initiatives or financial good governance. Jules Boykoff, author of “Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics” explains. By Jules Boykoff Rio de Janeiro Back in 2009, when the International Olympic Committee awarded(…)
Crime and punishment in Brazil
Overcrowded, unsafe, and wracked by sickening levels of violence, Brazil’s prisons were described by a report published last week as a “human rights disaster”. To make matters worse, many inmates have not yet been convicted but must endure months in appalling conditions while they wait for their case to be heard. By James Young Belo Horizonte If, as Dostoyevsky put(…)
River transport in the Amazon – Manaus to Porto Velho by boat
River transport in Brazil’s Amazon region is both an essential means of getting around for locals and an unforgettable experience for travellers. And with a unique sense of river camaraderie, it’s hard to feel lonely. In search of adventure, Sam Cowie took the slow boat from Manaus to Porto Velho. By Sam Cowie Manaus Spending(…)
Fear, loathing and vigilantes on Rio’s beaches
A weekend of mob robberies on Rio’s beaches saw some Zona Sul residents attempt to take the law into their own hands. But the “crime mobs”, the vigilantes, and the social divisions that underpin them are nothing new, as James Young explains. By James Young Belo Horizonte Despite the start of the summer season and the giant Rock in(…)
Brazil’s political crisis explained
While much has been made of Brazil’s economic downturn, a toxic political climate is equally responsible for the current woes of President Dilma Rousseff and her government. Mauricio Savarese looks at the complex backdrop to the crisis. By Mauricio Savarese São Paulo There is no easy explanation as to why, just under a year after being reelected by a narrow margin,(…)
Brazil welcomes refugees with open arms
Brazil president Dilma Rousseff declared last week that the country would welcome refugees “with open arms” and talked of the important role immigration has played in Brazilian history. But can such optimism survive the tensions that surround the issue? By James Young Belo Horizonte Surrounded by a withering economic crisis, the billowing Petrobras corruption scandal, a kick-in-the-teeth credit rating downgrade, and(…)
TV from the dark ages shines spotlight on Brazil’s race debate
Recent high-profile examples of prejudice have stirred up the complex race debate in Brazil, a country that has in the past claimed to be built on foundations of racial democracy. By James Young Belo Horizonte From the glorious colonial architecture of Ouro Preto in the hills of Minas Gerais to the exquisite Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, Brazil(…)
As politicians fight in Brasília, reality bites in the periferia
Once a symbol of growth and rising confidence, the sprawling suburbs outside Brazil’s urban centers are feeling the pinch as the economy nosedives. And there are few places in the country where it is so obvious how out of touch the bickering politicians in Brasilia are with the realities of daily life. By James Young Belo Horizonte(…)
