It’s no coincidence that Michael Jackson chose the slums of Rio de Janeiro to shoot his video. They don’t care about us. More than 11 million Brazilian favelas live below the poverty line, waging a cold war with the government and authorities. law and order.
State in State
The slums of Rio de Janeiro are much more consistent with the definition of "stone jungle" than the noisy metropolitan areas with their skyscrapers and modern architecture. The spontaneous development of the poorest areas of the city is so multifaceted and confused that it will be difficult for a person who gets here for the first time to find a way back. Locals often do not buy a house, but a whole floor. At the same time, the owner of the top floor can easily sell to anyone who wants a roof so that he builds his own housing on it. Often, a new tier can turn out to be much wider than the previous one, which gives the entire structure directly the shape of an inverted pyramid.
Utilities are extremely rare in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, so garbage accumulates directly on the sidewalks. Most areas lack electricity and sewage. Due to the fact that the favelas are located on the slopes of the mountains, there is a constant threat of landslides that can wash away entire neighborhoods.
Life in the slum
Each favela has its own leadership, the head of which is the president. But in reality, all power belongs to the numerous drug lords who resolve conflicts and disputes, punish the guilty with their own methods and dictate the rules of life. There are cases when mafiosi transferred the offender into the hands of local law enforcement agencies. This happened to rapists, who (according to local authorities) in prison would be much worse than in the gutter. True, for this it was necessary to pay the police to agree to call in the slums of Rio de Janeiro.
Almost until recently, tourists did not have a place in the Brazilian favelas - they could easily rob or kill him. However, before the World Cup and the Olympics, local authorities began to conduct police raids, as a result of which they managed to reduce the crime rate by 40%.
Since 2016, a round-the-clock police patrol program has been included in the privatization program in areas liberated from gangs. In parallel, communications are being conducted. In calmer and safer areas there is free WI-FI.
but on the other hand
Want to see real Brazil? It’s not enough to go to the carnival or take a walk in white pants along the coast. In addition to the front side covered with carnival tinsel, exotic cuisine and bright beauties in a bikini, there is also a seamy side above which the statue of Christ the Savior in Rio de Janeiro symbolically rises.
Oddly enough, but many tour operators offer to walk along the winding streets of Brazilian favelas. It is worth saying right away that you can’t do this on your own in any case. There are more humane ways to commit suicide. Slum dwellers are armed to the teeth, so tourists should not lag behind the group.
Travelers will be able to walk through local markets, shops and cafes, look at the life of Brazil from a different angle, catch a few suspicious looks on themselves, and also take a few photos (required with permission from the property).
Better to stay in a more prosperous part of this damn dangerous terrain. However, for fans of extreme sports there are people who are ready to rent out housing in the heart of the slums of Rio. Want to get a taste of Brazilian favelas? Then feel free to rent a room or apartment and spend some time here. However, you should be extremely careful. The locals have a short conversation. Although recently, even the most reputable drug lords and their minions are trying to avoid unnecessary noise.
How did favelas originate in Rio de Janeiro?
Slum quarters occurred primarily in large metropolitan areas (such as Rio, Sao Paulo, Salvador and Belo Horizonte). They represent a territory in parallel power, that is, they are controlled not by law enforcement agencies, but by criminal groups. A stronghold of crime and a fortress of crime are the direct purpose of slums in Brazil, over which a statue of Christ the Savior proudly and very ambiguously rises in Rio de Janeiro.
Favelas appeared as a result of the false urbanization that is characteristic of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The very first favela appeared in Brazil in the early 1890s as a result of urban reforms. Its inhabitants were former slaves, military and poor immigrants.
At the beginning of the 20th century (the process of industrialization in Brazil), a stream of peasants rushed to large cities to find work and a better life. They settled in the very center of the metropolis. The only option for housing was the construction of their own barracks on the slopes and mountains of the city. So the famous slums of Rio began to grow exponentially.
Favela Rosigna
This is the largest favela not only in the city, but throughout Brazil. Its population is more than 200 thousand people. Here you can find quite a lot of two and three-story brick houses, where there is a sewage system, water supply system and electricity. Currently, the favela of Rosinha has even the Internet and television.
The roads inside the slum are represented by narrow and winding mountain streamers. On the first floors are hundreds of small shops and cafes. As a taxi - mopeds. The standard rate is 50 centavos. There is a school that exists due to tourist deductions.
God's city
Everything that is shown in the news feeds about the world of crime and robbery is a bare truth. Brazilian favelas are non grata territory for the police. It has its own laws and its own rules. Slum dwellers live in their own world. The state does not guarantee safety for those who accidentally wandered into the slums of Rio. Clashes between militant groups consisting mainly of children are absolutely normal for favel.
By the way, it is children who are distinguished by cruelty and uncompromisingness. The arms and drugs trade is the main business for this isolated world. The most striking example that demonstrates the seamy side of life in Rio de Janeiro is the film "City of God", whose actors are directly the inhabitants of Brazilian slums.
The stuffy transitions between the winding streets, the delicious smells of Brazilian cuisine, the fetid sewer stench, the suspicious look of a passerby, the drooping underwear of various colors and sizes, the kitchen swearing and children's laughter ... This is a real favela!