A Little Context to Explain the Brazilian “Riots”.

The Brazilian People have taken to the streets in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife and Rio Grande do Sul in protest to the a raise in public travel costs of 20 Cents. To the rest of the world this may seem like not a lot, especially since the raise is below the rate of inflation.

The São Paulo is the 4th largest city in the world, in the greater São Paulo area 22 million people live in the megalopolis. 7 million people take the metro every day, just the metro, not the bus or the train, 7 million people take the metro. The metro faire used to be R$3:00 x 7 million = R$21 million per day! The big question on Brazilian minds is; where is the money? The amount of 20 cents doesn´t seem like much on the outside, but it does represent the authorities taking more advantage of the people.

Why Riot?

A few months ago, Pastor Marco Feliciano was voted in behind closed doors as the Head of the Commission of Human Rights, an Evangelical Priest who is openly homophobic to the point where he wants to introduce legislation to provide a “gay cure” on the national health system. Marco Feliciano who also preaches that all African descendents are cursed which, in a country where 90% of the population relate to being of Black descent, didn´t go down very well. The Evangelical preacher also believes that woman should stay at home raising children as following a career may lead to lesbianism.

The conspicuous election of Marco Feliciano caused the Brazilian people organize protests across the land and even around the world. These protests went on for days, very well organized protests, legal protests with police protection and consent from the authorities. Despite huge public opinion, Pastor Marco Feliciano remains in position with no sign of him leaving. It has been proven to the Brazilian people that organized protest does not work, hence the unorganized protests of travel cost raises.

The travel cost rise is really the straw breaking the camel´s back. Politicians João Paulo Cunha and José Genoino both sentenced by the Supreme Court on corruption charges, neither of whom have served their jail sentences are now back in the political arena working in, no other than the Ministry of Justice.

Paulo Maluf; ex-governor and ex-mayor of São Paulo who is wanted by Interpol for embezzling money is also back in the political arena.

PEC 37 is a new Law that has been put forward to the congress by the corrupt laden Ministry of Justice which grants immunity to any Politian involved in corruption.
Corruption in Brazil costs more than 50 Billion Reais a year in a country that pays its politicians more than any other country in the world, and that has reduced its political working week to just Tuesday to Thursday.

20 cents on travel expenses isn´t much, it is what it represents more than anything else. The Brazilian people have had enough of paying for the luxury enjoyed by its politicians that fail to represent the people.