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RE: New traveller from Brazil
Ty! The main problem I see is the violence, but it's not as bad as we see in the news abroad. As a native I know the places to avoid in order to be safe. Talking generally about the Country, a big issue is the corruption. For years and years politicians and powerfull people stoled a lot our money, but it's changing a lot thought the last 3 years because of an operation by our police called 'Lava Jato'. Now I really think and hope that everything is going to be better.
This is a good point and I am pleased that you are OK. As much as I like Rio, I am also pleased that I don't live there :)
Regarding your second point, I worry when the blame of corruption is put just on politicians, who were voted in by the public. Yes, of course they are guilty, but corruption in Brazil is endemic and has been part of its history since the Portuguese arrived. The kick backs seen in "lava Jato" are not that dissimilar from what was happening in the 1890s under Dom Pedro II.
Having lived in Brazil for many years, there are very few people I know who don't try to "aproveitar" situations and cash in. To give you an example, I know people who don't pay their taxes, steal other peoples' property / public property and use "jeitinhos" to try to get ahead of others on a daily basis. Isn't this also corruption?
Don't get me wrong, I also know many people who are extremely honest and would never do any of these things. I am not meaning to generalise and I am sure you'll agree that it's important for us all to take responsibility for our own actions. :)
The good news about Lava Jato, is that it's the first time that the rich and powerful have been taken to task and found guilty for their crimes. This is great news for Brazil and will hopefully set a precedence for the future.
Um abraço