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#41
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Travelling to Rio
I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance
guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
#42
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Travelling to Rio
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americ...carnival.reut/
Three policemen killed, ten wounded in ambush in Rio de Janeiro Monday, February 16, 2004 Posted: 10:31 AM EST (1531 GMT) RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) -- Three policemen were killed and 10 wounded in Rio de Janeiro when gunmen ambushed the bus in which they were traveling in a new outburst of violence days before the annual Carnival, police said Monday. The policemen were returning from a security shift at the Maracana stadium Sunday evening after an important soccer game between rival Rio teams Vasco and Flamengo. The bus was passing by a shanty town along the busy Avenida Brasil thoroughfare on the city outskirts when it ran into a hail of bullets from assault rifles and a machine gun. The bus was completely destroyed. Police said they were investigating the attack and did not comment further. Drug gangs control many of Rio's slums. Last year, the federal government deployed army units to safeguard Carnival jamborees in the tourist mecca of Rio following a wave of gang-related violence that included attacks on police posts, city buses and even tourism spots. Rio authorities have since toughened their fight against organized crime and such incidents have become more rare recently. They say the attacks are normally retaliation by drug gangs for tough police action against them. The oceanside city, where murder rates are among the highest in the world, is swarming with tourists for five days of Carnival parades and all-night reveling. The pre-Lenten festival officially kicks off Friday, but loud samba processions have already taken to the streets. "B H" wrote in message ... I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
#43
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Travelling to Rio
http://www.namibian.com.na/2002/june...2682E9E71.html
Thursday, June 13, 2002 - Web posted at 10:20:39 am GMT Dead reporter unmasked Rio's macabre underworld RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, June 13 (Reuters) - The murder of a leading Brazilian reporter who worked on a story about sex abuse and drugs in a Rio de Janeiro slum shone a spotlight on the thin line dividing the city's normal life from macabre underworld where drug gangs reign. Answering accusations by reporter Tim Lopes' relatives that his employer Globo television had failed to protect him, Globo editors said Lopes was reporting in a public place, in a popular neighborhood, and not on a clandestine event. Indeed, hillside shantytowns that sprawl above the city's picturesque skyline are home to hundreds of thousands of people who live in misery but earn their bread honestly working as cleaning maids, waiters and elevator boys in the city. But dozens of gangs of gun-toting hoodlums who run the lucrative drug and arms trade also operate in the slums. Lopes, winner of the prestigious Esso prize for television journalists last year for a report on an open-air drugs market, was this time investigating a tip-off from residents of a slum about drugs and sex abuse during wild dance parties. Lopes, 51, had entered the Cruzeiro slum four times, twice reporting with a hidden camera. On June 9, a week after Lopes went missing, Rio police said a drug lord known as Elias "the Mad" had tortured him and then shot him to death. Police arrested four suspects on Sunday and received the evidence from them. Elias, who received his nickname for his extremely violent methods, is at large. Charred fragments and traces of blood were found in a cave near the slum last week. RISKY ASSIGNMENTS Lopes' brother-in-law Andre Martins accused Globo of sending Lopes to risky assignments and failing to protect him. "He risked a lot, but he always acted on Globo's consent, fulfilling its orders. It's the channel that has to evaluate risks, not the reporter," Martins, in tears, told Reuters. Workers Party parliamentary deputy Carlos Minc said some 700,000 people among Rio's 8 million live in slums run by drug gangs "in a land without a state." "They have the law of silence, curfew and have to produce foot soldiers for gang wars," he said. "It's a return to barbarian times." Drug gangs often outnumber and outgun the police force, and police are accused of being on the bandits' payroll. "The important thing is that residents were looking for help in the media and not public authorities ... and it seems that we now cannot do our work anymore," said Francisco Otavio, a colleague of Lopes who also reports on crime. "There used to be certain respect for journalists up the hill (in the slums) that allowed peaceful coexistence, but now we run the risk of turning into a Medellin," Otavio said, referring to the crime-ridden Colombian city notorious for being the base of a drug cartel. Lopes' murder was the first killing of a journalist from a nationwide media outlet by drug gangs in Brazil, and prompted expressions of indignation and concern by local and international media organizations. KILLINGS AND DANCE PARTIES DNA tests of the remains and blood will be ready this week, police said, but evidence points that it was Lopes' body been burnt in the cave after he was shot, police said. Detective Sergio Falante said the cave served as the venue for killings in which victims' bodies are squeezed into several car tires filled with gasoline and set on fire. "Bandits call it a microwave and use it quite a lot with their enemies," he said. "It was hard to tell whether we were dealing with human remains before we found teeth in the mess." Congressman Minc likened the method to those in Nazi death camps. "Those who stand up against crime are being burnt in the oven, like in Auschwitz," he said. At the same time, police said on Wednesday they had found another body in a clandestine slum cemetery and they were checking if that could be Lopes. Globo said Lopes was investigating a tip-off from slum residents that drug gangs were hosting wild dance parties, known as "bailes funk," at which drugs and sex flowed freely to lure new clients from the city below. "It seems they organized some kind of an erotic show in which they offered young girls from the favela," Otavio said. Bailes features loud music similar to rap, sometimes with songs that call for killing informants or police, and youths staging mano-a-mano fights to its beat. WORKING ON THE EDGE Lopes' colleagues and police said the journalist must have had an agreement with the drug lords in order to simply enter the slum. Strangers are not allowed in, and it is not uncommon for trespassers to never return from a slum. "You have to protect yourself by a treaty with the slum lords, but I imagine filming with a microcamera wasn't part of any treaty," Otavio said. "Tim always worked on the edge." Just as in the case of the drugs market, Lopes, who was married and had a son from a previous marriage, took a spy camera that can be hidden in clothes on his latest assignment, his colleagues said. "I'm sure bandits marked him to die since his program about the drug market, which brought serious damage to them," said Falante, adding that the slum where the first story was filmed and Cruzeiro were run by allied gangs. The Association of Brazilian Newspapers said Lopes' death would not stop investigative reporters from doing their jobs. "We declare that this tragedy will not stop us. As a tribute to our slain colleague and to all Brazilian journalists, we reiterate the commitment to truth that is our very reason for being," it said in a statement. Nampa-Reuters "B H" wrote in message ... I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
#44
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Travelling to Rio
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americ...carnival.reut/
Three policemen killed, ten wounded in ambush in Rio de Janeiro Monday, February 16, 2004 Posted: 10:31 AM EST (1531 GMT) RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) -- Three policemen were killed and 10 wounded in Rio de Janeiro when gunmen ambushed the bus in which they were traveling in a new outburst of violence days before the annual Carnival, police said Monday. The policemen were returning from a security shift at the Maracana stadium Sunday evening after an important soccer game between rival Rio teams Vasco and Flamengo. The bus was passing by a shanty town along the busy Avenida Brasil thoroughfare on the city outskirts when it ran into a hail of bullets from assault rifles and a machine gun. The bus was completely destroyed. Police said they were investigating the attack and did not comment further. Drug gangs control many of Rio's slums. Last year, the federal government deployed army units to safeguard Carnival jamborees in the tourist mecca of Rio following a wave of gang-related violence that included attacks on police posts, city buses and even tourism spots. Rio authorities have since toughened their fight against organized crime and such incidents have become more rare recently. They say the attacks are normally retaliation by drug gangs for tough police action against them. The oceanside city, where murder rates are among the highest in the world, is swarming with tourists for five days of Carnival parades and all-night reveling. The pre-Lenten festival officially kicks off Friday, but loud samba processions have already taken to the streets. "B H" wrote in message ... I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
#45
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Travelling to Rio
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2806981.stm
Friday, 28 February, 2003, 22:46 GMT Violence mars Rio carnival dawn Rio's famous carnival celebrations have officially kicked off, after Friday morning was marred by more street violence between security forces and drug gangs. Click here for more pictures One armed gang of about 30 men initiated a three-hour shoot-out with police on one of Rio's biggest thoroughfares, Brazilian media reported. A motorist died after being shot at point-blank range by one of the group when he refused to give up his car. Tens of thousands of armed police - and, for the first time, troops - have been sent onto the streets to help guard Rio de Janeiro's carnival following the wave of violence. 'Inferno' In another incident, 28 terrified passengers on a bus bound for Sao Paulo threw themselves to the floor when their bus was hit by a hail of bullets and a Molotov cocktail. The Brazilian newspaper O Dia said the Avenida Brasil, a dual carriageway, was "transformed into an inferno: cars screaming off in the wrong direction, a bus on fire and many bullets". In addition to the man who died, other motorists were attacked and ordered to abandon their vehicles in the incident, which occurred during the early hours of Friday morning local time. It was the latest in a string of attacks in which over 50 buses have been torched. On Monday shopkeepers were forced to close their businesses after receiving threats. More than 50 buses have been torched The violence prompted the Brazilian Government - headed by Workers' Party President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - to deploy military police. He said the population was threatened by "insecurity, unrest and fear". Revellers vowed not to let the violence spoil the four days of carnival, a pre-Lent festival of drinking and dancing. Alex de Oliveira, who - at 135 kilograms (300 pounds) - was elected carnival's Rei Momo (Fat King), received the symbolic key to the city and festivities began. No soldiers could reportedly be seen as evening approached. Seaside Freddy The authorities are blaming the violence on a drugs cartel, the Red Command, which has thousands of heavily armed followers and controls many of Rio's shanty towns. Notorious gang leader "Seaside Freddy" was moved away They say they intercepted the gang's leader giving orders on a mobile phone from inside the maximum-security jail where he is a prisoner. Fernandinho Beira Mar, or Seaside Freddy, as the gang leader is known, has now been transferred to another prison in the neighbouring state of Sao Paulo. With 400,000 visitors expected for the celebrations over the coming days, the city authorities say they are worried the violence could affect Rio's tourist industry. 'No worries' Rio state governor Rosinha Matheus said 36,000 police officers and 3,000 soldiers would keep the peace under an operation dubbed "Safe Rio". CARNIVAL Associated with Christian period of Lent Brazil samba schools introduced in the 1920s Nudity officially forbidden in the Rio carnival Rival carnivals include Trinidad and New Orleans But our correspondent in Rio, Tom Gibb, says most visitors seem to have taken little heed of the stories of violence. Major Gilberto Tenreiro of Rio's tourist police said he thought the worst was over. "The violence was a phase that has already passed," he told news agency Associated Press. "We are doing everything to make sure tourists can enjoy carnival without any worries." "B H" wrote in message ... I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
#46
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A Thin Veil of Beauty Shrouds Reality in Rio de Janeiro -- Travelling to Rio
http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/opin/slogan2.html
A Thin Veil of Beauty Shrouds Reality in Rio de Janeiro by Sam Logan Rio de Janeiro, Brazil I live in Rio de Janeiro. It is the friendliest town in the world and arguably the most violent. You always see written in guide books and on signs in tourist-trap bars here that the locals call this place the "marvelous city." I never hear anyone say it though. True, Rio de Janeiro is a beautiful place to live. But daily crime and violence may soon overshadow the beauty. Many claim it already has. Marginalized for decades by the Brazilian State, impoverished masses live in the many slums or favelas that occupy the steep hillsides of Rio. They live in another world, a Hobbesian world. There is little other recourse but to live in a modern day fiefdom, where drug lords impose social order in exchange for silence and soldiers - a form of forced reciprocity according to Children in Organized Armed Violence Director, Luke Dowdney. Drug lords use their money and influence to improve favela life, and many who live there are content with the help, even if justice for slight infractions is lethal and swift. Yet many who live in the favelas admit they rather live under the drug lords. In their eyes, honesty works in the favela, where as outside, politicians breed lies and corruption, and policemen shoot first, asking questions, if at all, later. Daily favela "blitz" occupations, whereby civil police enter and take command of a favela, are executed like a military operation in this city. And the ensuing gun fights between the police and drug soldiers increase the odds of violent death, whether or not your corpse is found holding a gun or your child. Why the favelas are both slums and battlefields is directly related to a well documented historical trend. Forty years ago purchasing a pistol, Uzi, AK-47, or grenade was not convenient or necessary for the masses here. Some people had weapons, but most did not. Over time, the drug trade and gang institutionalization produced a need for arms. Brazil is now a leading small arms importer in the world. Simple economics then explains why drug dealers, thieves, and many working-class Brazilians, including taxi drivers, now carry a pistol. Automatic weapons are ubiquitous among gang members. Police retaliate in kind. Hand guns, especially revolvers, are more available and cheaper than ever. According to a clandestine arms dealer, who lives in a favela here, 50 Brazilian reales (some $18 dollars) buys you a .38 caliber revolver. Such a low price mixed with a common mistrust of police results in a serious problem with small arms proliferation. Add extreme poverty, police corruption, a thriving arms trade and institutionalized criminal gangs, and you've got the core reason why Rio de Janeiro is such a dangerous place to live, especially if you live in a favela or work for the police. Meanwhile, Brazil's current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has finally won the coveted post this past year. After eight months as Brazil's commander in chief, Lula has managed to form a political coalition in Congress, practice prudent economics and meet some campaign promises. But crime in Brazil, especially in her cities, is a problem much more pressing upon the consciousness of all Brazilians, if not the Executive office. But more pressing is a lack of political will to generate a genuine social policy to improve life for those who live in the favela. But they gave up on the Brazilian government long ago and have chosen what is now known as the "parallel power" to maintain a social contract. It seems Lula can do little to implement the social programs that might begin to change life in the favelas because he is too embroiled in political disputes over pension and land reform, and international trade. So until he and the rest of Brazil's privileged politicians take a sincere approach to educate and employ Brazilians who live on the margins of society, the shadow of crime in this city will continue to block out the beautiful light that illuminates the beaches, and the eyes, of those who live here. Also see: Over Four Thousand Small Arms Destroyed on Eve of UN Conference by Sam Logan About the author: Sam Logan is a freelance journalist living and working in Rio de Janeiro. As an American with over five years of life and experience in Latin America, Sam covers human security and social development stories in South America. He speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese and has lived in Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Chile, and Brazil since 1998. Sam is from New Orleans, and is currently completing a Masters in International Policy Studies with the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. Published in In Motion Magazine September 28, 2003 "B H" wrote in message ... I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
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Drug lords shut Rio de Janeiro; police move in -- Traveling to Rio
http://www.namibian.com.na/2002/Octo...289DED645.html
Tuesday, October 1, 2002 - Web posted at 10:33:55 GMT Drug lords shut Rio de Janeiro; police move in RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Thousands of businesses in crime-plagued Rio de Janeiro shut down on Monday fearing that drug lords had ordered a lockdown just days before general elections in Brazil. Police commanders sent all units into the streets to try to re-establish order after many stores and schools failed to open, including some in the busy city center and the posh South Zone, with its famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. It was the first time the South Zone had received the alleged orders from drug lords for businesses to close shop. "This is unheard of and completely absurd, especially in election week. All our battalions are in the streets to guarantee safety, all administrative work has been stopped," police spokesman Maj. Frederico Caldas told Reuters. A manager at the Copacabana Palace, one of Rio's most famous luxury hotels, said the concierge was telling guests it was not safe to go for a walk and that shops were closed. A worldwide express delivery service and several banks were shut in the center. Residents of the Ipanema neighborhood awoke to the sound of machinegun fire and complained that they could not buy food. Authorities were unsure whether the order was authentic or a rumor run amok, but suspected it may be linked to next Sunday's vote. "We don't want to politicize this act but such interpretations are unavoidable," Caldas said. Drug traffickers have long turned Rio's favela slums into "no-go" areas for police, who only invade them in military-style operations. Gangs, equipped with machine guns and grenade launchers, often outnumber and outgun police, and use humble favela residents as human shields. No big drug lords had died recently, which is normally the reason for shop closures, Caldas said. The gangs operate from shantytowns but have rarely extended the closures beyond a few poor northern neighborhoods. SHANTYTOWNS SEIZED Caldas said police units were seizing control of hillside favelas, or shantytowns, near districts where businesses were shut, especially those run by the ruthless Red Command drug gang. Nine people were arrested for delivering the messages. President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, on the campaign trail for his handpicked presidential candidate Jose Serra, tried to soothe worries, saying the situation was under control. Police also tried to persuade frightened proprietors to open their doors. Officers patrolled some neighborhoods, talking to shop owners who stood behind closed shutters. But those who reopened doubted police could protect them. "We are open but are ready to close at any moment. That policing doesn't help because they stick around and then leave, but what comes next?" said drug store employee Marcos Ribeiro. "I feel under siege in this city," said hairdresser Carlos Cabral, who had closed his shop. He complained gas stations were all closed so he could not fill up his car and go home. Rio de Janeiro state Gov. Benedita da Silva, who has tried to clamp down on crime, is running for the post again in the election, when Brazilians also elect a new president. "One of the reasons could be the organized crime's reaction. There have been 1,700 arrests recently," she said at a news conference. "To me, it is an orchestrated act with a political connotation." She said police would reach out to businesses to create a better line of communication if the orders, or rumors of them, began to spread anew. Caldas later said he expected shops to reopen on Tuesday and that police were ready to act again to contain the worries should another "order" spread across the city. (NAMPA/REUTERS) "B H" wrote in message ... I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
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At Your Great Peril, Defy the Lords of the Slums -- Travelling to Rio
http://threehegemons.tripod.com/thre...blog/id64.html
At Your Great Peril, Defy the Lords of the Slums By LARRY ROHTER IO DE JANEIRO, June 27 Gang leaders had taken control of the weekend funk dances in the neighborhood, selling drugs openly and forcing young girls to have sex with them. The police had been alerted but had done nothing, so the residents of the slum known as the Favela da Grota turned, like so many others here before them, to the crusading crime reporter Tim Lopes. Mr. Lopes was last seen on the night of June 2, on his way to one of the raucous dances. The charred remains of the camera he was carrying have been found, but Mr. Lopes never returned, and two gunmen for the drug lord who controls the neighborhood have horrified the city by boasting to reporters and police officers that he was kidnapped and killed on orders of their boss. Press and rights groups here and abroad have condemned the killing, with the Inter-American Press Association warning that "criminals and organized crime are defining the limits of freedom of expression" here. But for Rio's 5.8 million residents, the death of one of the city's best-known reporters is the most chilling demonstration yet that hillside shantytowns here have become gang fiefs. "We are seeing the emergence of a new form of criminal organization, one that actually controls and governs a geographically defined territory," said Walter Maierovitch, Brazil's former anti-drug czar. "These gangs have become a challenge to the state, parallel governments that threaten Brazil's democracy and the rule of law." Mr. Lopes, 50, specialized in undercover investigations, often using a miniature camera and microphone hidden on his body. He dressed up as Santa Claus for one investigative report, spent two months as a drug rehab patient to obtain another, and last year won Brazil's equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for a vivid account of open-air drug markets in Rio's favelas, as the city's 513 squatter settlements are called in Portuguese. It was that report that led residents of the Favela da Grota to place their confidence in Mr. Lopes, himself born in a slum here, instead of the police, who are widely viewed as corrupt and incompetent. The slum dwellers hoped that their plight would be publicized on "Fantástico," a popular Sunday night television program that is a cross between "60 Minutes" and "Inside Edition." The police now say that Mr. Lopes was executed by Elias Pereira da Silva, a powerful drug lord known in local tabloids as "Elias the Madman. The two garrulous gang members, who are in police custody, said that they saw the reporter being shot in the feet to prevent him from fleeing. Then, they said, he was tortured and cut to pieces with a samurai sword, after which his body was burned. Mr. da Silva, a main leader of a powerful crime group known as the Red Command, was accused of killing four police officers in 1993 and in 1996 was jailed on drug charges. But he was released two years ago after police officers failed to show up to testify against him in court hearings, enabling his lawyers to file a successful habeas corpus petition. Since then, Mr. da Silva, 35, and other gang leaders have become even more powerful, enforcing their will through intimidation and violence. "They are the law, the only law, and you have to obey them whether you like it or not," said Clarissa Fonseca de Bastos, a street vendor who lives in a favela known as the Morro da Formiga, or Anthill. In some neighborhoods, residents say, drug lords now determine when stores and schools open and close, who can enter or leave and where and how houses can be built. Their authority is most pronounced in the favelas, which are home to more than a million of Rio's residents, but it is also beginning to extend to middle-class neighborhoods. A European journalist living here, for example, was recently approached by subordinates of the drug dealer who controls a nearby favela. They said "the boss" had ordered her to trim a 100-year-old tree that was blocking his view of an approach road used by the police. The reporter refused, not wanting to put her home in the line of fire. But after a burst of gunfire just outside her house that day, she told the gang members that they could trim the tree themselves if they desired. Better armed than the police and increasingly bold, gangs have even begun to attack government offices. The windows of City Hall were shot out this week. Last month grenades were thrown and machine guns fired at the state Secretariat of Human Rights while senior officials met inside; in another gang assault, the secretary of economic development and five other people were taken hostage at their office. "From here on in," read a note signed by the Red Command and left behind at the human rights office, "any arbitrary action against our jailed brethren will be answered in kind with bullets." In another recent incident, a midafternoon shootout between the Red Command and its main rival, the Third Command, forced the closing of one of the city's main tunnels, which comes out near the state governor's residence. At night, gangs routinely block tunnels or set up checkpoints on isolated streets, unhampered by the police, and rob or kidnap unwary motorists. Even more ominously, drug lords are increasingly acting as judge, jury and executioner, a development actually welcomed by some slum residents in the absence of the police. While searching for Mr. Lopes's body, a police team discovered a clandestine cemetery with the remains of an estimated 50 people sentenced to death, residents said, by gang "tribunals." The new governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Benedita da Silva, has promised to put more officers on the streets. But shantytown residents say the main problem is not the number of officers but their unwillingness to confront criminal gangs. "At the first burst of gunfire, the police always turn and run away," said Geraldo Lopes Bulhoes, a street sweeper who lives in a slum called Vidigal, adding, "We have no one to protect us, no one at all." "B H" wrote in message ... I think PETER PAN refers to my posting about crime/pickpocket aviodance guide in a thread further down here (rec.travel.latin-america). I was the one who experienced the problem with the self-appointed parking attendant. I think there are at least two kinds of parking attendants. Official ones (I think I have heard that they have som kind of cloth or id to be sure they are official) and self-appointed ones. The one I met certainly looked highly unofficial to say the least. But from there to say that he is into some organised crime and mafia is taking it a bit far (but of course I do not know that). Can anyone shed some light on the facts here? Are there official and self-appointed parking attendants, or just official ones in Rio? I think I know the answer, but would like a more qualified statement than my own here. Borge "Kurko" wrote in message news 3. In 3rd world countries there are JOBS like parking attendants. These guys have actually licence to operate as such (atleast in Rio they do). There is no MAFIA involved here, just some people trying to get their livelihood with honest way (read not robbing the tourists). |
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Hot in the city: crowded jails and drug economics push Latin American cities to their limit on crime -- Travelling to Rio
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m.../article.jhtml
Hot in the city: crowded jails and drug economics push Latin American cities to their limit on crime. Latin Trade, Jan-Feb, 2003, by Mery Galanternick On a recent Friday night, Fernando Gamma bumped his Ford Corsa into another car in Copacabana. He called the police on his cellular phone to report the crash so his insurance company would pay for the damage. After 45 minutes, the police did not show. He called again. The voice on the other side said: "Listen, mister, we're living in a chaotic city with shootings everywhere. Yours is not a serious case. Please be patient:' A wave of violence has taken over this city Criminal gangs have forced businesses, schools and banks to close and fired machine guns at the governor's palace in Rio de Janeiro. A gang member threw a band grenade at a large shopping center, and their members have assaulted police stations and patrol cars. It's hard all over the region, as weakening economies fuel drug and crime waves. In Sao Paulo, the murder rate hit 1,000 per month in 2002. Crime in Buenos Aires has tripled since 1991, the decade of its supposed economic advance. Mexico City, meanwhile, hired iron-fisted ex-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to combat off-the-hook lawlessness in the capital, where kidnapping has turned into an industry. But violence in Rio is breaking scary new ground. On Sept. 30, known as "Black Monday:' stores, banks, offices, schools and markets in this city of 5.8 million were forced to close on orders of jailed drug lords unhappy with their living conditions. It was the first time that Copacabana and Ipanema neighborhoods in the posh south zone had received lock down orders from gang leaders behind bars. At Ipanema's fashionable Top Center building, retail store managers blame violence for the sales slowdown. "Customers aren't coming to Rio anymore; they are scared," says Marli Alves, manager of Gang, a store that specializes in jeans. Concerned with increasing chaos, Rio's 334,000-member Federacao do Comercio issued a first-ever survey on security expenses for the business community. In Rio's metropolitan area, companies now spend US$56 million a month on security. Businesses spending the most are jewelry stores, shopping centers and hotels. "Violence permeates every major city, but when drug lords start giving orders, this is not normal," says Alfredo Lopes, president of the Brazilian Hotel Industry Association. Hotel occupation has fallen 15% compared to a year ago, while Embratur, Brazil's Tourism Agency, reports only 29% of foreigners traveling to Brazil visited Rio in 2001, compared to 41% a decade ago. A decline in traveling Argentines and terrorism jitters have affected Rio, of course. Fighting back. Despite the near state of siege in Rio, business leaders are eager to point out that economic growth in metropolitan Rio has not halted. Many multinationals have opened offices in Rio. None of them have moved or closed doors because of crime--so far. "We recently renovated the Sepetiba port. We're building a petrochemical center' says Orlando Diniz, head of the Federacao do Comercio. "We have good highways to distribute our products, and our employees have a higher literacy (JB) wrote in message . com... Peterpan, you've seen a lot of crosstalk showing you the fact from basically two different points of view, both were im my first post. Don't let some harsh posts from some scb participants upset you. For some of them the points I summarize below are so obvious that they are upset to find somenone that ignores them. First, don't walk after dark in any big city, unless you're looking for trouble. It may be a valid advice even in your home town. Big cities are, and have always been, a hideout for criminals because it's the best place to be anonymous. Nighttime, again, is favourable to such people. It seems you're kind of romantic and like to walk alone at night, when everything looks different. But be realistic: it's not wise to do it in big cities, dark and empty streets. That's what Kurko meant whith "Actually these "thugs" should've removed you from the genepool". The thugs were a lot wiser than you. They were exploring "their" area as the spider inspects its net, and they are never alone. You're very lucky. When I saw the list of cities where you walked by at night I was astonished. For your information, I avoid Barata Ribeiro (and many other places) at night, even by car. Second, don't generalize, mainly when you're extending to a whole country the impressions you've got from a big city at night. It's not wise, again. Brazil (and other countries as well) have thousands of fine places to go and have big fun. Why do people insist in big cities, that look almost the same all over the world. But if you really want to go, don't forget the first paragraph. (P E T E R P A N) wrote in message m... I walked many cities at night, including LA, San Francisco, New York, Miami, London, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Denpasar, Jakarta, Buenos Aires, Montevideo ... without any problems! It is the stupid, nasty *sshole like you and dumb thugs, thieves, robbers and the savages, who would p*ss on sidewalks and someone else' cars on the busy streets of Rio in broad day light, who should be removed from the gene pool! Stupid, ignorant nasty trash like you are a shame and a grave threat for all mankind! As everyone can see, this nasty guy Kurko confirms that Brazil is a very unsafe, lawless place, populated by a lot of dumb savages like himself. Visitors to Brazil, Rio and Sao Paolo, have a very high probability of getting robbed or beaten. Don't expect local people to help when you need it! Kurko wrote in message ... Hello! Excuse me, but by all means who is such a stupid **** to walk during the night in any major city in the world. Actually these "thugs" should've removed you from the genepool. Kurko On 7 Mar 2004 18:10:33 -0800, P E T E R P A N wrote: Dear JohnM, For one thing, the entire incident happened very quickly, in a matter of 1 or 2 minutes. I was in fear for my life and I did not have a lot of time or in position to think of all alternative courses of actions. I just acted instinctively. This was the first time I faced potential violence in some 30 years. I was never in more fear, even in downtown Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York City at night! The local Brazilians all think I was very lucky to escape death or serious injuries that night! You could have suggested precautions or solutions, rather than trying to pick holes in my story, which just shows that you are not sympathetic to a lone tourist in distress, but are probably siding with the thugs, victimizing unsuspecting preys! I do not believe you have good, unselfish motivations in this case! When the initial thug confronted me, I had walked past the café a few houses. The customers were sitting inside the cafe due to the rain. I was roughly past the Hotel Mirasol with its large glass front across the street. When I glanced other thugs running toward me from other corners, a vision of my lifeless body lying in a pool of blood was very clear in my head! Instinctlively I felt back tracking towards the café would put me closer to the incoming thugs. I pulled the first thug out to the middle of the street, roughly in front of the hotel Mirasol, and screamed "HELP, HELP, HELP…" but there were no response from anyone, anywhere. In a matter of seconds, I decided that " POLICIA …" may work better and immediately started bellowing. I had to make quick decisions and ran fast basically to save my own life. I saw running cars with head lights on Rebata Reveiro and I quickly ran towards them. When I rethink the whole incident, the closest hotel would have been the Mirasol, which would have staff in the lobby. But I am not sure if they would bother to open their door to assist a tourist in distress. The Copacabana Hotel Residencia was definitely not interested in helping or taking any actions. The police also acted very casually, as if they ran into these violent incidents many times everyday. Despite the warm personality of the policemen and their willingness to help, I had reservations that they could be effective after dealing with them. I had my distrust then, and I declined to get into their patrol cars for the search or to return to the hotel! A number of people, presumably with more experience in Brazil, have since written me private emails suggesting I skip Brazil. I found, through my own experience, some serious flaws of characters in the Brazilian people in Rio, such as the couple guys I found the first day who would pee openly on the streets in broad day light, sometimes on someone else cars' doors, right on very busy streets like Rebata Reveiro or Copacabana. Every street in Copacabana stinks of urine and fresh sewage! These are bad things that happened in the best parts of Rio, not in the favela, where the impoverished residents may deserve excuses for their uncivil actions. I also found some disturbingly bad attitudes among various young, old, educated and wealthy Brazilians in Rio, Sao Paolo etc… which I will write down when I have time. My opinions of Brazil and her people, after much reviews of the events, facts and rationalizations, to be honest, very low. I do not stand to gain or lose anything by posting my information and opinions on Brazil. I do it only to inform fellow travelers. I advised a new friend in Rio, a pretty girl from Spain, against walking in the rain at night in Rio which she felt was romantic! A number of people emailed me suggesting not walking in Rio at all! Your attitude helps convince me firmly that Brazil is not on top of the list of countries I want to visit! JohnM wrote in message ... In article , P E T E R P A N writes -- snip snip -- I had gotten out of the internet store late at night and stopped to buy cigarettes at a small coffee shop next door, which still had a dozen people, customers and waiters. As I walked out of the shop, I stopped on the sidewalk to lit a cigarette. That was when this dark, scruffy guy, wearing a white shirt, came out of nowhere, talking to me in Portugeese. I thought he wanted a cigarette so I offered him the pack. He ignored my offer, kept talking firmly and threateiningly in Portugeeze, repeating the phrase "No problem...". I moved out to the street. He blocked my way, grabbing and holding my shirt firmly with both hands. I pulled away, he refused to let go. At the same time, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a few other guys running toward us from the dark street corners. The street was dark, wet and deserted. Suddenly there was noone on the street but the thugs. -- snip snip -- Erm, continuity problem there, as my editor might say. Was the street wet, dark and deserted, despite the coffee-shop you had just walked out of with its dozen people inside? Why didn't you just walk back in if the guy attacked you 'as you walked out'? |
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