6.21.2013

Brazil is Just a Riot These Days

Reporting from Niteroi, Rio de Janerio, Brazil: I had a lovely evening 2 nights ago when hundreds of thousands of Brazilians rose up to protest a .10/.20 increase in bus fares, or so I was originally told. I found out later that the Brazilian masses are actually protesting the absurd corruption that is being exhibited in Brasilia and the latest scandal which caught a bunch of congress folk breaking many laws only for the congress to introduce legislation that made those illegal acts legal. It's funny how when the people's candidate is elected, Dilma, the administration becomes more corrupt than the previous. Kind of like the good ol'US of A. Except here when the new administration exhibits behavior that is criminal the people rise up, close bridges and ferry terminals and express their general dissatisfaction with the situation.

I was actually really angry with the situation initially because these protests ruined my dinner plans in Rio, for the love of God! But upon further review I realized that the Brazilian population is far more active and caring (avoiding using the word Progressive at all cost here) than the cows and sheep that are the population in the US. The Democrats would be screaming revolution if the the Republican administration did what the Obama administration is doing today. Thanks goodness that even when the socialist revolutionary candidate is elected here, they don't turn off their brains.

I've recently developed a strong melancholy because of the state of the democratic world. I often visit Brazil, but it's been 2 years since the last time, and to see that democracy may still have a chance with people who pay attention to corruption is very refreshing. In the USA democracy is dead, zealotry rules and that doesn't usually end well.

I'll try to comment more on the world of Brazil while I'm here but it gives me hope when hope was dearly lacking.

Good day,
Negocios Loucos

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