footballer neymar

VIRAL BRAZIL WORLD CUP 2014 MURAL BY PAULO ITO

Obrigado Paulo Ito, for giving the world this simply yet thought provoking street mural.

Billions and billions of dollars are being invested into Brazil’s World Cup 2014, which commences in less then four weeks.

There have been hundreds of thousands of people protesting across the entire nation of Brasil.

I have my own thoughts on the World Cup.

I find it odd how a nation can come up with billions of dollars to host a world class  futbol game, but allows it’s own citizens to live in third world poverty, in a country rich in commodities, natural resources, including some of the biggest oil reserves of the coast of Rio known as the Tupi fields aka Lulu fields.

Now wonder why people of all economic backgrounds have taken to the streets!

Invading favelas and tagging them with SMH and a number and kicking them out with no compensation?

Now all of a SUDDEN the favelas are dangerous and diasaster prone zones??

When I was in Rio in 2001, if there was a fire in the favelas, even the bomberios wouldn’t go in there.

Now in 2013, 2014 there are safety issues with the favelas?  GTFOOH!

15k to 100k people will end up being relocated (displaced) by the time of the World Cup’s closing ceremonies and the Olympic torch is extinguished.

I know there are good people associated with one of the biggest events in the world and that is so popular it draws hundreds if not thousands of corporate sponsors and the guy selling ice cream and or Skol on Copacabana with make more reais that week. But what happens after the week ends?

I tell you what happens. The rich will be richer. And the poor will be poor again

The favelas in the hills will be razed and the next time I visit Rio, I will be able to stay in a nice 4 or 5 star hotel suite, located close to Corcovado.  Well maybe not a 4 or 5 star hotel.  lolol.
However , I imagine there will be more upscale homes, shops, restaurants etc. And some of those folks removed for these mega events will have to commute into the very same favelas for work.

And the children, like the one pictured in Paulo Ito’s mural, will continue to cry out, “Fome”!

I hope Brasil win the World Cup because footballers like Brazil star Neymar grew up playing futbol in a dirt lot and some learned the sport playing in favelas similar to the ones the government is removing people from. How ironic is that?  🙂

IN CLOSING,

IF THE WORD GREED NEVER EXISTED, A CREATIVE AND INGENIOUS STREET MURAL LIKE THE ONE BELOW BY ARTIST PAULO ITO WOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE PAINTED.

Deus abençoe,

artikle14

Are we really one, Brazil, for the World Cup 2014. Viral World Cup mural