Exploring the Brazilian underworld: exploitation or education?
Yes, we’re all reeling at the news that Private Tours, a Rio de Janeiro-based company that offers tourists the full slum experience including a nice chat and photo opportunity with Brazil’s finest gun-toting, crack-pushing crims, is being shut down by the authorities. However, bloggers have been slow to come forward with their tales of drugland derring-do, as it seems that most of them are conscientious types who’ve found a way to explore the underbelly of Brazil without adding to the funds of chemically addled warlords.
In Fred and Ernie’s Latin American Adventure, Fred has just posted his ‘Rant About Favelas’, describing his tour around the Vila Canohas and Rocinha favelas with a ‘huminatarian’ company that finance a school in the area. Although he appreciates the insight into Brazil’s underclass, Fred still has reservations about ‘making the poor a tourist attraction’; read his detailed and thought-provoking post here.
Mike has also been touring Rocinha, discovering that ‘rather than attend school, many of the kids prefer to work for the drug lords.’ Interestingly, he points out that ‘crime is not tolerated in the favelas. The drug lords who control the favelas are fierce about controlling any activity that might attract police presence’. See his photos and thoughts at yobosayo, where he also describes his travels in nearby Paraguay and Argentina.
Comments
Shame on that guy who make the drug tours..he should not be allow to come in Rocinha after doing that.
I live in Rocinha and this is not a good thing for the comunity..
As doctor who works for a humanitarian organisation in Palestine, I was very interested to understand the favelas of Brazil on my trip to a conference in Brazil. I was told that by my Brazilian guide, that most of the people who attended the tours were either healthcare workers, engineers or architects who wanted to learn about the situation.
Previous to my trip, I had a prejudiced view that favelas were lawless. However, I was left with a great respect for the residents and a greater understanding of Brasilian society and the people.
Such organised trips should continue. They lessen stigma and allow visitors to realise that the residents far from wanting to depend on outside help, want to be given the capacity and opportunities to help themselves. I was impressed with the dignity of the people. My tour acted extremely responsibly. The prejudiced views of the middle class and rich of Brazil towards the poor should not be allowed to go unchallenged; visitors to teh country should be allowed to visit such places and make their own opinion.
The media would do best to turn their attention to the problems that allow a government exist that is incompetent at fighting the causes of corruption in its leaders and police. The media would do well to point out that it is the middle and upper classes that buy the drugs that give favela drug lords the power and influence they have. Maybe this would go more towards solving poverty in Brasil than lame sensationalist claims that responsibly acting tours are perverse.
Nick from England