Brasil Observer #07 - English Version

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2014 WORLD CUP Rio de Janeiro opens its arms to host a World Cup final again after more than 60 years >> Pages 12 and 13

LITERARY FESTIVAL Three exciting events on Saturday 5 April in Cambridge have Brazil in the spotlight >> From page 15

www.brasilobserver.co.uk Illustration: Leandro de Brito

WHY THE MILITARY DICTATORSHIP IS NOT A CLOSED CHAPTER IN BRAZIL >> Pages 4, 5, 6 and 7

LONDON EDITION MAR 27 – APR 09

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IN FOCUS Europe, Brazil, Mercosur…

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FRONT PAGE The dictatorship that still survives

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FRONT PAGE Regarding the media and Truth Commission

LONDON EDITION

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BRAZIL IN UK Aldo Rebelo speaks about the World Cup

EDITOR IN CHIEF

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UK IN BRAZIL UK supports Brazil’s “Bolsa Verde” program

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PROFILE Psychologist speaks about planning

Host-cities special: Rio de Janeiro

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CONECTANDO

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2014 WORLD CUP

Psychedelic Carnival

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BRASIL OBSERVER GUIDE Brazil in Cambridge and much more...

Ana Toledo ana@brasilobserver.co.uk

EDITORS Guilherme Reis guilherme@brasilobserver.co.uk Kate Rintoul kate@brasilobserver.co.uk

PUBLIC RELATIONS Roberta Schwambach roberta@brasilobserver.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS Antonio Veiga, Bruja Leal, Clarice Valente, Deise Fields, Gabriela Lobianco, Luciane Sorrino, Michael Landon, Nathália Braga, Renato Brandão, Ricardo Somera, Rômulo Seitenfus, Rosa Bittencourt, Shaun Cumming, Zazá Oliva

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E D I T O R I A L

FIFTY YEARS ON, BUT STILL PRESENT

By Ana Toledo – ana@brasilobserver.co.uk

Once again I write here what I have already said before: 2014 is a peculiar year for Brazil. As if a World Cup on home soil in a presidential election year is not enough, the military coup of 1964 also turns fifty.

The regime lasted twenty-one years. Enough for the silence of fear to prevail even to this day, almost thirty years after the democratization. Fear that externalized in various ways, as we are a democratic country.

This paradox can be explained by the presence of numerous remnants of the military during the process of political opening that Brazil experienced - suffice to say that the memory has not yet been completely erased from the history of Brazil.

So we prepared this edition, an analysis that assumes that the silence that fell upon the minds of that period brings a historical gap in collective consciousness today. But to continue building a future, it is clearly necessary to understand our past.

Today, many of us do not think we pay a huge amount of

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interest - only debt inherited from the dictatorship. In 2014, the payment and repayment of debt consumes 42% of R$ 2.38 trillion from the federal budget; health and education consumes only 9%. How many of us stop to think that we have a police force that, besides carrying the name ‘military’, has demonstrated recently an unacceptable spate of practices, such as Amarildo or the recent violent death of Claudia Silva Ferreira on the outskirts of Rio. Impunity from the past: the military that murdered thousands during the Brazilian dictatorship continue to follow their peaceful lives, enjoying salaries paid by the state.

I’m not here to say that we have not changed. This editorial is not meant to deny the advances we enjoy day to day. The aim is to underscore, at this opportune moment, that our hope - so characteristic of Brazil - is a hunger for change. A change that transforms, and doesn’t just discard that which proved unsuccessful in the past.

BRASIL OBSERVER is a fortnightly publication of the ANAGU UK MARKETING E JORNAIS UN LIMITED (Company number: 08621487) and is not responsible for the concepts expressed in signed articles. People who do not appear in this expedient are not authorized to speak on behalf of Brasil Observer. The contents published in this newspaper may be reproduced if properly credited to the author and to Brasil Observer.

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IN FOCUS Photo: Tomaz Silva/Agência Brasil

ARMY TO OCCUPY RIO SLUM

In July last year, social movements protested in Complexo da Maré against the police’s action that resulted in the deaths of ten people

At a meeting on 24 March, the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Sérgio Cabral asked for the intervention of the armed forces in Complexo da Maré, a complex of slums in the north of the city.

A request was made to Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo, who was accompanied at the meeting by Chief of Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, General Jose Carlos De Nardi. After the discussion, Cardozo said, “This is situation definitely requires the state’s presence in the community.

The federal forces will be there for as long as they are needed”.

The technical details of the intervention, including the number of soldiers and duration, will be defined in another state security summit with representatives from the Ministries of Justice and Defence (this information had not been divulged at the time of writing).

In an attempt to justify the request, the governor said that it is directly related to recent attacks on the city’s Pacifying Police Units. Cabral said that the request will reinforce the government’s readiness to meet the schedule of installing a Pacifying Police Unit in the complex later this year.

“It is a decisive step for safety in a strategic area of Rio, to better facilitate the transport connections at Avenida Brazil and Transcarioca, which are frequently used by the working population living there,” said the Governor. Cabral added that today the complex serves as a refuge for various types of crime.

The State Secretary of Security of Rio de Janeiro, José Mariano Beltrame, said Rio’s police force will enter the Complexo da Maré first and will then pass command to the Army. Beltrame said the key intention is to take control of territories occupied by drug dealers, especially those who have ordered attacks on Pacifying Units.

355,000 PEOPLE EXPELLED FROM EUROPE IN 2013

EU AND MERCOSUR SHOW THEIR OFFERS

CREATOR OF THE INTERNET SUPPORTS BRAZIL’S CIVIL MARK

The recent tightening of immigration policy in Europe has seen an increase in the expulsion of foreigners. According to official figures, in the 12 months to September 2013, the European Union rejected the entry and determined to return more than 355 thousand foreigners to their countries of origin.

Every day, on average, six Brazilians, are prevented from entering Europe and forced by police to take the first flight back. Within one year 2,400 Brazilians were rejected at different airports.

Overall, Europe has prevented the entry of 128,000 foreigners between September 2012 and September 2013, at airports, ports and land borders. In the same period, 227,000 immigrants who were living in the continent without official consent received warnings from authorities that they would be sent back to their countries. The figures represent a 7% increase in expulsions compared to the previous year.

At the height of the economic crisis, many European countries created harsher new requirements for foreigners to work in the EU, the ramifications of which are being felt now. Britain, Denmark and Spain also withdrew social benefits such as free medical care to those living irregularly and some governments want to go further.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is still trying to convince his EU partners to review the concept of the free movement of workers. In February 2014, Switzerland approved a project that terminates the free movement of European workers and sets limits on the entry of foreigners. The decision shows that many Europeans are no longer ashamed to openly say that they are taking a very hard line against immigration.

This shift in policy and attitudes is representative of the political situation across much of Europe which many warn is becoming increasing right wing and conservative in its rhetoric and decisions with most countries also seeing more voters supporting various extreme right parties.

Negotiations for a free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, which had stalled for a long time, are now advancing because of the greater political will to build the partnership, according to experts following progress.

Experts add that Brazil has been showing stronger support to free trade agreements in recent years as it has been losing dominance in other foreign markets.

On 21 March, European and South American representatives met in Brussels to mutually submit their offers. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, they expect the exchange of final proposals to take place by June.

Ambassador José Botafogo Gonçalves, vice president of the Brazilian Centre for International Relations, said that talks are being delayed by differences within the Mercosur, though there would be options of dividing the collective of South American countries. “If Argentina is unable to make an offer that Europe considers valid, there is always the possibility of negotiating on behalf of Mercosur and implementing [the agreement] at different speeds. Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay could implement results faster and Argentina more slowly.”

The lawyer Eduardo Felipe Matias, who has a Ph.D. in international law and has been following developments, stated that Brazil’s private sector is putting pressure on the Government to come to an agreement with the EU quickly. “The steps to secure new trade partnerships have been accelerated because businesses have realised that they are losing their positions in worldwide markets. The government, which previously did not have trade agreements as a priority, has started to make progress on this topic and has even pressed Argentina,” he said.

The lawyer also noted that negotiations between the European Union and the United States, could help to create even more of an international market for Brazilian products. For him, the impact on Brazilian industry with the eventual introduction of European products must be balanced with the concern to protect the weakest and strategic sectors in Brazil. The country will also need to overcome difficulties in selling their agricultural products to the European market, which is strictly protected. “It is an exercise in trying to balance this concern [to protect some sectors of Brazilian industry] with the realisation that we are losing other [international] markets”.

In the last week of March, the Brazilian Congress was expected to vote on the Internet Civil Mark, which some have labelled a “Constitution for the Internet”, the first of its kind.

In a very public display of support and respect, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, founding director of the Web Foundation and inventor of the World Wide Web, offered this statement backing the legislation: “In this, the Web’s 25th anniversary year, people everywhere are demanding that their human rights are protected online. If Marco Civil is passed, without further delay or amendment, this would be the best possible birthday gift for Brazilian and global Web users. I hope that by passing this Bill, Brazil will cement its proud reputation as a world leader on democracy and social progress and will help to usher in a new era – one where citizens’ rights in every country around the world are protected by digital bills of rights.

“Like the Web, Marco Civil has been built by its users – the groundbreaking, inclusive and participatory process has resulted in a policy that balances the rights and responsibilities of the individuals, governments and corporations who use the Internet. Of course, there is still discussion around some areas, but ultimately the draft Bill reflects the Internet as it should be: an open, neutral and decentralised network, in which users are the engine for collaboration and innovation.

Commendably, the Bill has among its foundations the guarantee of human rights such as privacy, of citizenship and the preservation of the diversity and the social purpose of the web.”

The vote on the bill has been halted in Congress since last year and the original text is in danger of being altered to meet the needs of large telecommunications companies (at the time of writing, the result of the vote had not been concluded).

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brasilobserver.co.uk

FRONT PAGE

Photo: Divulgation/Militar Police of São Paulo

One of the most enduring elements of the dictatorship is the military police, which killed an average of five people per day in 2013

By Roberto Elias Salomão* I am writing this article a few hours before the projected manifestations that wish to relive the infamous ‘March of Families with God for Freedom’, of March 1964 - one of the fuses that led to the coup, in April 1 that year, that buried democracy in Brazil. I don’t believe that these new manifestations will change the actual political circumstances today, but I fear the outbreak of acts of barbarism. From rowdy people we can expect anything (read about the impact of the march).

The military coup that overthrew the democratic government of João Goulart and started a sanguinary dictatorship in Brazil is close to being 50 years old. 29 years ago the military forces left from power. It is necessary to understand the motivations of the coup and the instruments used for domination in the past to come to the conclusion that several of these instruments are still valid today.

The economic development, specially industrial, that begun on the so called Era Vargas (1930 – 1945) and which created conditions for the increase of social and class conflicts in Brazil, is undeniable.

The working class grew, fought and gained consciousness; the union structure created by the Estado Novo dictatorship

suffered concussions; the organization of workers in the factories developed. In the countryside, the process of concentration of ownership prompted the struggles of peasants. Students strengthened their social bodies, while intellectuals reflected on the nation conditions.

These movements gained force and unity with the claim of structural reforms (base reforms), launched by João Goulart already in the 1960s. There was a growing conviction that the problems that prevented the development and social justice in the country had structural causes - and that this should be addressed.

These were not, however, the timid measures implanted by João Goulart’s government in favor of these reforms (some land expropriations, the modest law of remittance of profits) that motivated the coup of April. One of the main reasons was that the struggle for reforms took to the streets and became part of the social movement agenda. Thus, while Congress was engaged in a war of words against the agrarian reform, the contention was true elsewhere - landowners armed themselves, the conspirators were plotting, big business was mobilized, the U.S. embassy took action.

The coup came, which found no resistance due to unwillingness of “Jango” for the fight, but also because of the inaction of the political leaders of workers, notably the

Brazilian Communist Party (PCB). And the work of the military began.

The first element to be emphasized is that the blow was struck against the workers and their political and union organizations. In the early days, unions were closed, communist leaders were harassed and beaten, the headquarters of the National Union of Students was burned. In the twenty-one years that followed, there were tens of thousands of layoffs and forfeitures, thousands of prisoners and exiles and a not-yet-fully-accounted number of dead and missing - but it’s safe to say that these numbers passed a thousand.

The generals had as its mission to build containment mechanisms of social movements, mechanisms that remain beyond the duration of the military regime. Some of these instruments have been overcome; others remain in force these days.

The official union structure was badly injured at the outbreak of strikes of metallurgical workers at the ABC Paulista, in 197879, with the emergence of a new generation of union leaders and with the founding of the Central Workers Union (CUT) in 1983.

While there are still links between unions and the state, union organization in Brazil is the freest since the 1930s.

The bonds that they tried to impose to the political parties during the dictatorship (Arena and MDB) broke down with the

establishment of the Workers Party (PT) and the Democratic Labor Party (PDT), in 1980. Political parties are still far from satisfactory, but the dictatorial protection is definitely a thing of the past: Brazil is experiencing its longest period of democracy.

The dictatorship, however, still shows its presence. Functions as a reminder of the military and ruling classes: democracy cannot go beyond what we have today. And, ideally, needs to back off.

A striking example is the Amnesty Act 1979, whose validity has been endorsed by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) in 2010. The law prevents state officials responsible for torture, disappearances and killings of being tried and punished for their actions (read about the Truth Commission on page 7).

Because of this Act, Brazil has been condemned by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The argument wielded by the major media to keep the law is that it would have been the result of a ‘broad consensus’ between the government and the opposition. It was in 1979 that the opponents who were not killed, imprisoned or exiled, could not manifest freely under dictatorship and censorship.

There also remains the National Security Law. It is the expression of a doctrine that the enemy is within the country’s borders.

I.e, a clear manifestation of the need of the

brasilobserver.co.uk 5 ruling class to subjugate the workers and most of the people. At any time, you can be thrown - and the primary target is the social movements, which tend to appear in the coming months.

The creation of the Military Police (or rather, the several military police groups, as they are in theory subject to state governments) is another remnant of the dictatorship. In 2013, the Pms (Military Police) killed an average of 5 people per day, almost 2000 in total - far more than all the criminal organizations combined.

Needless to say, the overwhelming majority of these victims are the usual: black, poor, peripheral. In short, the class of the excluded.

The last three presidential elections showed another legacy of the dictatorship: Lula in 2002 and 2006, and Dilma Rousseff, in 2010, obtained in the first round over 40% of the valid votes. However, the representation in the House of Representatives of the PT, party of the cited presidents, never reached 20%.

Despite the fact that coalitions tend to mask the real strength of the parties, the fact remains that the composition of congress results in a denial of proportionality.

The elector of smaller and more socially backward states has a greater weight than the ones from big centers.

Finally, far from exhausting this list, we must speak of the judiciary. It is one of the three powers in the country that doesn’t have any control from the Republic. It endorsed all the acts of the military dictatorship. Its supreme body, the Supreme Court (STF), remain ‘independent’ of society, ready to make exceptions on behalf of an alleged institutional order - as in the case of the trial of the ‘Mensalão do PT’.

The conclusion is that in Brazil there was no process of expulsion with the military dictatorship and its institutions. Are these institutions (parliamentary, judicial, punitive levels) what is preventing the deepening of democracy? And with that, slowing the movement for profound changes in the country, which is basically the same movement for structural reforms that was interrupted by the military coup of 1964? What remains on the agenda of Brazilian development are land reform, the reduction of working hours, national sovereignty in the face of other governments and international organizations, and the nationalization of wealth and national companies.

I hear from friends that those who preach the return of dictatorship (as the promoters of this sinister march of the family today) do not know the military regime. I disagree.

They argue for its return because, between the elements of democracy today and the survival of the dictatorship – which they know very well – they prefer the latter.

There will be no oblivion for those who want to keep the institutions of the dictatorship. Historical amnesia is very convenient for them. With this, there are still huge challenges to overcome. That’s why there are two antagonistic movements underway: one for the return of the dictatorship, the other for political reform. *Roberto Elias Salomão is journalist

Cycle of debt that began in the dictatorship Today, the public debt at the federal level, adding the domestic and foreign debt, exceeds US$ 1.5 trillion, according to data from the Citizen Debt Audit (www.auditoriacidada.org.br).

The general federal budget planned for 2014 was R$ 2.38 trillion. Of this amount, 42% is used to pay interest and repay that debt - much higher than the budget for areas as Health (4.11%), Education (3.49%) and Security (0.35%), which are among the main concerns of the Brazilian population.

But then, where does this debt come from? Maria Lucia Fatorelli, coordinator of Citizen Debt Audit, answered this question in October last year.

Talking to POLI magazine, she said: “The cycle of this current debt began in the 1970s. Earlier this decade, our foreign debt was US$ 5 million and the internal debt was negligible. For the size and importance of the country, that debt was considered small”, said Lucia, before following her explanation.

Photo: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

“We must remember that we were in a dictatorship. In 1971, the U.S. abolished the parity of the dollar to gold.

And that led to the indiscriminate issuance of dollars. This generated an excess of money that was channeled through the banking system, which began offering this excess of money to countries with military dictatorships. In our assessment, these dictatorships were enabling this economic climate and the instrument to consecrate this economic climate was the debt.

“There’s a book called Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins. He was one of the men who came to offer these loans to stimulate great works, such as bridges, dams, roads, which were very striking in the dictatorship, to create a climate of progress. What they offered in addition to low rates, was the lack of time to make the payments, usually five years.

So what happened is that the one who took the loan would push it for the

next to take over it. From 1970 to 1980, our debt increased 1000% from U.S. $5 million to $50 million.

“In this context, states and municipalities entered the scheme. We searched the resolutions of the Senate. And we found that most of the resolutions of the 1970s and 1980s did not even tell you who was the agent who offered the loan and it’s destination. There is a suspicion that the states helped to finance the dictatorship.

But we still cannot conclude this study”.

These assertions of Maria Lucia Fatorelli help us understand the inheritance left by the military dictatorship in Brazil.

Attempts to perform a simple check over this account that the Brazilian society is paying for without knowing exactly why have been unsuccessful was made in Ecuador between 2007 and 2008. This lead to a 70% debt decrease on which there was no evidence – and according to The Economist, in that year the country increased its spending on health and education by exactly 70%.

Photo: Guilherme Reis/Brasil Observer

On one side, they ask for military intervention; on the other, they ask for punishment of torturers and murderers of the dictatorship

Two marches, two ideologies

By Guilherme Reis Approximately 150 people in Rio de Janeiro and 500 in Sao Paulo, according to the Military Police, marched through the central streets of the city on March 22 in an attempt to re-live the ‘March of the Families with God for Freedom’, which in 1964 preceded the military coup that took João Goulart out of the Presidency.

In Rio, fifty activists of social movements came shouting “chained to the fascist military regime!”. Proponents of the military intervention responded to the cries with “Out communists!” and the mood became tense. In at least two other occasions, protesters from opposing sides exchanged punches and kicks.

In São Paulo, as a response, nearly a thousand people marched in the ‘Anti-

-Fascist March’, which ran through the streets of downtown to the Memorial of Resistance, with those invloved shouting “Fascists, never again!”.

Far from representing any change in the political situation of the country, the marches of both sides suggest some reflections.

The first, and most alarming, is the evidence that in Brazil there are those who feel a sense of nostalgia for the dictatorship. Whether for a lack of information on the period or bad faith, they believe it would be best for the country to have a new military intervention. In this group, the common idea is that the Workers Party (PT) is in favour of communism - something totally disconnected with the political and economic reality of the country today.

Moreover, there is clear discontent, by those who have a leftist political

view, about the direction of democracy in Brazil, and this is because of the lack of punishment for agents of the dictatorship, the existence of a repressive military police and the lack of basic rights such as a quality public education - just to quote some of the most cited examples in the last days.

Anyway, the episode was quite pedagogical: 1) the number of people who take to the streets for the return of the military is smaller than those calling for more democracy, 2) the totalitarian world view is held by those who show great ignorance about the history of Brazil, 3) in a democracy, all political views have the right to speak, and it leads to education and political maturity for the movements that could guard against such ideas that can lead to such dark times.

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brasilobserver.co.uk

A media frozen in time

By Wagner de Alcântara Aragão In marking such a symbolic commemoration - 50 years since the 1964 military coup overthrew Brazil’s democratically elected government - we should compare the past with the present, recognising similarities and identifying differences.

Unfortunately in doing this exercise you quickly observe that in some aspects of national life, it seems like no time has passed.

An emblematic example of this is the media in Brazil which seems to be perpetually stuck in the past. While technological advances, the expansion of infrastructure and professional training might have evolved, we cannot say the same about the position of the media in society. Brazil’s mainstream media is still right wing in its ideology and conduct. Today, just as 50 years ago, the media embodies, echoes and endorses the discourse of conservatism: sometimes with care and others, without compunction.

Our media does not preclude changes in behaviour or tolerate social, political and economic reforms that change the order of things. Instead it seeks to project an image of progres-

sion in Brazil while at the same time keeping everything exactly the same.

Fifty years ago, President João Goulart, otherwise known as Jango, attempted to implement reforms that today, half a century later, Brazil has still not managed to adopt. Jango, with his package of changes, threatened the position of the national elite and went against the wishes of the powerful, especially the U.S who we know gave broad support and funding to the coup and who our media still sides with to this day.

Anyone who currently reads the major newspapers, uses the websites of major conglomerates and watches the newscasts of the major broadcasters notes that the reality presented by the media clashes with real life in Brazil.

According to these outlets, Brazil is a country of chaos with skyrocketing prices, widespread political corruption, the Brazilian state funding governments in Cuba and Venezuela while feeding lazy poor people at home all while the economy is on the brink of catastrophe. Through our media, false moralists are transformed into champions of morality, these so-called former communists who have been

“converted” are raised to the status of leaders of a new world order.

With such an onslaught of criticisms to the country, it seems to matter little that the facts testify that precisely the opposite is true. While the developed world is still struggling to overcome the financial crisis, Brazil has seen a historic drop in the levels unemployment and household income is gradually increasing with widespread poverty being irradiated. The rise in social mobility is unmatched, access to education has been universalised and a greater number of young people are attending universities with some earning scholarships abroad.

Of course, we do not live in paradise, but neither do we find ourselves in the hell painted by media alarmism and moral panics that are unchanged from 50 years ago.

In spite of the advances in Brazil, real change at home is superficial.

Increased taxation for the super rich like Jango tried to implement are not a consideration of the current government. Genuine agrarian reform is increasingly distant, instead the accumulative gains made by multinationals making a fortune from agribusiness go unchecked, instead the the coa-

lition government rolls out the red carpet while the landless are left on the roadside.

One positive difference from half a century ago is that we now have access to alternative forms of communication. With new information technologies, like blogs and social networks the big newspapers have lost the monopoly of news. While Brazil’s media are still guilty of criminal distortion of truth, at least now there is another immediate counterpoint, presenting facts and various versions of events.

This battle is far from being equal.

Although the internet has given a platform for other voices, the oligopoly of traditional media has also made advances in this field. This makes the need for further reform which we lack even more pronounced. Just as we need to end the land monopoly, we must also end the country’s media monopoly.

Sadly Brazil still lacks the political will, courage and conscious mobilisation of 50 years ago, which made government and society dare to make radical reforms, these necessary characteristics seem have been lost in time for Brazil.

FILMS AND BOOKS ABOUT THE DICTATORSHIP Four Days in September

We Cannot Remain Silent:

Directed by Bruno Barreto, this 1997 film tells the true story of the kidnapping of the U.S. ambassador in Brazil, Charles Burke Elbrick in September 1969 by members of guerrilla groups MR-8 and the National Liberation Action, who fought the military regime and American support for it in Brazil.

Opposition to the Brazilian Military Dictatorship in the United States

Link: http://goo.gl/eXuxuC

This book by James N. Green, published in 2009, analyses the relationship between Brazil and the United States between the 1960s and 1970s, and pays special attention to the intensification of repression in Brazil and how the U.S. Congress continued to provide military and financial aid to the dictatorship.

Link: http://goo.gl/0iTBmR

brasilobserver.co.uk 7

Why the Truth Commission matters

By Paula Sachetta* In late 2012, Peu Robles and I were discussing the National Truth Commission (CNV, in Portuguese). We asked what role the commission, that was requested so much and delivered so late would be. As we defined our position on the matter when we realised that, if we stopped people on the street and asked them about the Commission, they would not know the answers either, we were even more concerned that nor would they understand its importance and limitations.

So Robles suggested we make a short five minute documentary explaining what the commission was. Immediately, we put down our ideas, wrote a script, decided on a list of interviewees and quickly realised that the plan would not fit into five minutes.

We started shooting anyway, deciding to see how the project progressed, listing it on a collaborative funding site to test out the public interest in the topic.

Then suddenly we realised that we had raised 20,000 reais to produce the film.

A year later, with the 55 minute film completed, a reporter asked me, why we made this film when we did not have

relatives jailed, tortured or killed during the dictatorship and why two people that didn’t live through this time would be interested? I wanted to answer: why didn’t you make this film?

The National Truth Commission was established in May 2012, to “investigate serious human rights violations between September 1946 and October 1988”. It began almost 30 years after the end of the dictatorship, to investigate crimes of state agents against citizens who fought state repression.

We realised the need to record this process and we wanted to make a film to show the importance of CNV, along with the expectations and criticisms against it because, like everything else in Brazil, it was built through a long process of negotiation and concessions.

Why wouldn’t we make a film about it? Why not talk about it when the country I live in today (I’m 26 years old so was not born during the dictatorship) is still affected by the crimes of this period? A country that continues to let murderers, rapists and torturers go unpunished?

Here, I would like to give a very clear example: in January 1971, the impeached deputy Rubens Paiva presented

himself at the headquarters of the DOI-CODI (Brazilian intelligence and repression agency during the military dictatorship) in Rio de Janeiro to “testify”.

He was never seen again. In July 2013, a resident of one of Brazil’s biggest favelas, Amarildo Souza was arrested by the so-called Pacifying Units for the same procedure and also disappeared. The question that people asked the dictatorship “where is Rubens Paiva?” still echoes today in our rickety democracy, just updated for the digital age: “#where’samarildo?”

Despite its delays, the National Commission for Truth, is of utmost importance. It is an essential step for Brazil to start building its history and memory.

The Commission should inform hundreds of Brazilians on the circumstances of death and whereabouts of the bodies of their fathers, mothers, sons and brothers, who suffered a similar fate to Paiva.

However, with the limitations imposed by the Amnesty Act of 1979 that were ratified by the Supreme Court in 2010, the commission has limited power. Despite the forty year battle, the cries from the people who were imprisoned, tortured or had relatives murdered have not been answered for while

Jango Report

K.

Documentary by Paulo Henrique Fontenelle, released in 2012, looks at the period in which the former president João Goulart lived in exile until his mysterious death, commenting on the need to investigate the truth about the time when Latin America was ruled by various military dictatorships.

Written by Bernardo Kucinsky, this book tells the story of a father who searches for his daughter, who “disappeared” during the military dictatorship in Brazil, and gives the reader an inside into the pain and memory of the period.

Link: http://goo.gl/ZzBGKz

Link: http://goo.gl/x7RiUJ

the commission is free to investigate, it can does not have the power to bring anyone to justice for their violations of human rights.

For many, this is an intrinsic problem with the Commission as a nation cannot live knowing that killers are on the loose. It also highlights that the country is unable to break with its past, which still have serious consequences for Brazil today. The military police continue killing, concealing their murders and committing crimes without punishment, because the impunity of the past gives carte blanche to police violence today.

Within our documentary, we wanted to approach young people and adults who wrongly assume that, in 2014, 50 years after the military coup, state brutality is a thing of the past. It is not.

While we might be left without justice, the CNV remains important as we should know and understand our history so that such terrible events do not happen again.

If not, the likes of Amarildo and Paiva will be the ghosts who continue to haunt and cannot be forgotten. *Paula Sachetta is journalist and director of the documentary “Veradde 12.528” www.joaoemariadoc.com/doc-verdade-12-528.

The day that lasted 21 years Directed by Camilo Tavares, this documentary shows the influence of the U.S. government in the coup d’etat in Brazil in 1964. Military action that initiated the dictatorship benefitted from the active participation of agencies like the CIA and the White House itself. With secret documents and original recordings from the era, the film shows how presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson organised to remove President Joao Goulart from power and support the government of Marshal Humberto Castelo Branco.

Link: http://goo.gl/4t86QO

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brasilobserver.co.uk

BRAZIL IN UK

Photo: Paulino Menezes/Ministério do Esporte

Aldo Rebelo at the National Stadium of Brasilia

Brazil’s Sport Minister highlights benefits of the World Cup In London for several official appearances, the Sport Minister Aldo Rebelo gave his predictive summary of the positive outcomes created by the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Rebelo also participated in the World Cup Trophy Tour, which stopped in London’s Embassy of Brazil. The Minister also met with his UK counterpart, Helen Grant, Minister of Sport, Tourism and Equality and delivered a lecture at the King’s College Brazil Institute.

In his meeting with Helen Grant, Rebelo addressed the need for greater collaboration between Brazil and the UK to develop projects in the area of sport,

especially as the public responded so well to the countries’ cross over events during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

Rebelo praised the decision of Team GB to use the facilities of the Army’s School of Physical Education, adding that similar considerations of using existing spaces were being discussed for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro and that players and coaching staff are preparing well.

The Sports Minister also gave a lecture at Kings College on Brazilian football and preparing the country for the World Cup this summer, with both British and Brazilian students asking the minister

questions. After explaining that Brazil has all the conditions to meet the world’s expectations set for the tournament and talking about the history Brazilian football and its influence and transformation as the most popular sport in Brazil, Rebelo reiterated confidence that Brazilians are hoping to win the Cup. “Brazilians identify with football from birth. Often, the father’s first gift to a newborn is his team’s shirt. In Brazil, soccer is a social phenomenon. It was the first platform of social inclusion for black people and the poor, our teams are truly national. Great teams have fans across the country - a team from Sao Paulo has fans

in the North, Northeast and South, so, the World Cup will be one big party,” he told the London audience.

When asked in an interview with the BBC about the demonstrations against Brazil’s hosting of the World Cup, Rebelo said, “It is not a time for us to protest because we have all the time to claim and to improve things in our country [after the World Cup]”. Despite the protests in Brazil, Rebelo believes people will celebrate, “The arrival of the World Cup will greatly diminish the number of protests. People will be more concerned with partying to celebrate, rather than protesting.”

Brazilian Chamber of Commerce awards ‘Personality of the Year’

The 16th annual gala dinner and ‘Personality of the Year’ awards will take place at the London Hilton on Park Lane on13 May 2014. This exclusive black tie event honours two outstanding business leaders who have been particularly instrumental in forging closer commercial ties between Brazil and the UK. The two recipients of this year’s awards will be Andre Santos Esteves and Lord Bamford.

Mr Esteves is chairman of the board, statutory director-president and chief executive officer of BTG Pactual, one of the ten most valuable brands in Brazil.

BTG Pactual is the leading investment bank in Latin America, with 30 years of experience in Brazilian and international

markets and 2,500 employees at twelve offices around the world.

Lord Bamford is the chairman of JCB, one of Britain’s most successful family-owned businesses. JCB is one of the world’s top three manufacturers of construction equipment, employing 11,000 people across four continents and selling its products in 150 countries through 2,000 dealer depots.

The event is seen as a key place for companies and entrepreneurs to network with members from high profile organisations Anglo American, Banco do Brasil, BNDES, Bradesco Securities, Itaú BBA, Deloitte and Petrobras present.

For more information visit http://goo. gl/a1mG68.

UK IN BRAZIL

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Brazil leads taking steps in the reconciliation of man with nature The British Ambassador in Brazil, Alex Ellis was in Brasilia of to participate in the international seminar focused on Brazil’s programme for environmental conservation called “Bolsa Verde”. “This program is fascinating, because it focuses on the reconciliation of man with nature,” said the ambassador.

Through the Prosperity Fund, the UK gave support to the Brazilian government project, enabling technicians to work in regions in which low-income families live in areas of high environmental interest.

“What happens in Brazil, in environmental terms, has consequences worldwide. But it is not only a matter of climate change, the UK supports social change in Brazil, which has so much natural wealth alongside rural poverty. There needs to be a focus on changing this and increasing the prosperity of the people without destroying the natural resources. This is quite easy to say and hard to do,” Ellis said.

“Bolsa Verde” was launched in 2011 as part of the “Brazil without Poverty” program, coordinated by the Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger. Every four months, the scheme grants a benefit of 300 reais (less than £100) to the families of riverside gatherers, indigenous and other traditional communities.

As 47 % of Brazil’s 16.2 million people who live in extreme poverty are in rural areas, the programme seeks to combine the increase in income for families while ensuring ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of resources.

“The aim of this international debate is not only to take stock, but to strengthen the social and environ-

mental causes. We need to talk about these issues at a new level as environmental policy has the ability to talk with other policies and influence a new model of public governance in these locations,” said the Brazilian Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira, for whom the dialogue with the financial agents is necessary in order to provide regional development.

According to data, in the period to December 2013, the “Bolsa Verde” supported 51,200 families, which represents an investment of 70 million reais (around £18 million).

In 2014, a further 100 million reais will be invested in the program, which reaches 65 conservation units of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), 767 settlement projects of the National Institute of Colonisation and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) and 57 municipalities with areas managed by the Department of Heritage (SPU), and the Ministry of Planning, Budget and Management. The state of Pará has the largest number of beneficiaries and 75% of families in the program are in the North region.

Photo: Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil

In the centre: Minister Izabella Teixeira, on her left, Alex Ellis, the UK Ambassador

Beckham spends two weeks in the Amazon for TV show David Beckham attended a two-week expedition through the Amazon rainforest for a BBC documentary about the World Cup in Brazil.

The former England captain, who participated in three World Cups (1998, 2002 and 2006), was accompanied by three friends on this trip, which took place in early March.

The documentary aims to inform UK audiences about the natural beauty of Brazil and will be aired in June to celebrate the tournament. The show promises to show the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player fishing, cooking and camping.

Helen Jackson, managing director for content at BBC Worldwide said:

“This is an unforgettable documentary set in the heart of the dense Amazon rainforest following David Beckham.

“Through his eyes, audiences will experience life in the jungle, something so distant from David’s life on and off the pitch and in the glare of the world’s media.”

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Photo: By R么mulo Seitenfus

PROFILE

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The importance of planning How healthy is it to think big? How should we deal with the frustrations of everyday life? These are the kinds of questions psychologist Kelli Guidini helps people with. Here she talks about the importance of dreaming and urges us to celebrate our achievements

By Rômulo Seitenfus

Is it important to make plans and set goals?

Yes, it’s very important, but it has to be done with reference to our human limitations. We must respect our limits, rather than imposing big targets for our emotional and physical strength.

At the start of a transformative period, it is important to make a list of everything you currently have and what you would like - anything goes! The list can include Feelings, people, emotions, material things, thoughts and so on.

From this list you will make a pre-selection, prioritising what is most essential. You should not try and reinvent every aspect of your life at once and there is no benefit to trying to accomplish everything so fast. Generally, this shorter list will include desires that you will only achieve after some time, not only because they can take years to come to fruition, but also because you will become more mature about reaching your potential.

How healthy is it to dream about the future?

Can you close your eyes and project yourself into the future? Can you imagine doing or being what you want? How do you think about your physical, mental and spiritual health over the year ahead? If you can practice this exercise of imagination, you also have great potential to realise these desires. Dreaming is the beginning of everything, a dream is the name we give to our desire, our will and even to our needs. Everyone has to dream! I see many people struggling to leave the firm ground and dare wonder. The fact is that it is essential to allow ourselves to dream, scientific research has proven the power of belief, faith and dream. Dreaming is healthy, but of course we do not live in our dreams so you need to make sure they are aligned to your skills and situation.

Is planning for the future part of success?

Yes. Having a personal strategic plan, i.e. drafting objectives is very important in organising our desires and also prioritising them. It is also important to be very careful and always focus on the medium term, because taking objectives too seriously can become neurosis and any mistake turns into a drama, with a lot of frustration and loss of energy.

Good planning should be a guide and not a definer of life, because we are at the mercy of forces much larger, setbacks and unforeseen changes. True success lies in not giving up on your dreams. We do not live in a fairy tale, if you have wishes, it’s not as simple as rubbing a lamp or wishing on a star, we must work hard.

How should we deal with frustrations?

Frustrations will always be a necessary means of analysing whether our goals and dreams are actually attainable. With this in mind, we must ask ourselves the following question: if we dedicate all our strength and apply all our knowledge and skills, will we achieve the goal? Through honestly answering this question, we face our human limitations.

Frustrations can indicate that we have not been able to devote as much as was needed to make our dream a reality. Sometimes the goals we set our greater than our abilities and other times we simply need more time to achieve them.

When you feel frustrated, that is the time to ask whether you have given all you possibly could to making reaching the target. Perhaps you need to split your ambitions into several smaller goals that will be more manageable to accomplish. The answers to these reflections always create a rich learning opportunity because through asking yourself tough questions, you have contacted your heart.

Is it important to celebrate achievements?

Absolutely! Achievements should always be celebrated, regardless of their size. Make sure you acknowledge these in any form - if you graduated, bought a car, found your great love, had your first child, managed to leave the house after a long panic attack... these are all achievements and should be celebrated and valued. You should never wait for others to acknowledge them, because the value of your achievements is only as great as the value you give them.

It’s amazing how many people find it difficult to identify their achievements or even reduce them to nothing. This form of negativity prevents them from developing, being happy and realizing the triumphs in their life. Do not let the shadow of negativity prevent you from feeling and dreaming.

It is also important to be very careful and always focus on the medium term, because taking objectives too seriously can become neurosis

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WORLD CUP 2014

2014 WORLD CUP Beloved destination of many tourists and synonymous with samba style football around the world, the ‘Marvelous City’ will host the World Cup final again after more than 60 years. With a few months to go we look at how the city has prepared and what makes it such a popular destination

RIO’S OPEN ARMS

By Nathália Braga

More than 60 years after the painful afternoon of 16 July 1950 and the historic final between Brazil and Uruguay, once again Rio’s Maracanã (the biggest stadium in the country and one of the most famous on the planet) will host a World Cup final.

Rio de Janeiro will stage seven games in total and this will be the first of two major sports competitions to take place in the city, as the effervescent Olympic atmosphere that swept over London will be replicated and no doubt amplified in Rio in 2016.

For decades, Rio has had a high profile for many travellers, from back packers roughing it in hostels to executives checking in at the Copacabana Hotel and each year the city is visited by thousands of tourists - in fact, in 2012, the number surpassed one million.

The city is famed as a bustling metropolis with a wonderful arts, particularly musical culture, along with sports such as football, all of which are framed by breathtaking natural beauty. There really is no other city in the world like Rio. For those heading for the city during the World Cup, the renowned hospitality of the “cariocas” (the adopted name of Rio’s inhabitants) could be marred by civil unrest. Rio (along with São Paulo), has experienced the highest number of street manifestations since public protests started in Brazil in June 2013. The sense of public grievances and hostilities has not simply evaporated, just weeks ago, Rio’s street cleaners chose an opportune moment to have their voices heard.

During Carnival, when the city was inundated with millions of tourists and hundreds of street parties they took strike action, refusing to work. Clearly the group had set out to cause some inconvenience to the city and also illustrate the essential work they do, after this some with mass protests, their demands met and they returned to work.

Taking this into account, along with the widely felt ambivalence of most Brazilians to the event, it is not difficult to suppose that during the months of June and July, there will be people heckling “FIFA Go Home” on the city’s streets. For curious travellers however, this should not be seen as a deterrent to enjoying the beauties of Rio and the sporting events held there, in fact, it is one more vital ingredient to help you better understand the reality of the country.

EVERY VIEW IS A POSTCARD Of course, one of the most popular attractions is Christ Redeemer, perhaps the most striking symbol of Rio de Janeiro.

Voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the 38 meter-high statue was inaugurated in 1931 and watches over the city with serene compassion.

Standing on top of Corcovado Mountain, which is 709 meters above sea level, the attraction offers a breathtaking view of Guanabara Bay and the famous beaches of the South Zone. Visitors make the ascent by the the Corcovado Train, which is an attraction in itself , crossing the Tijuca National Park, home to many trails and waterfalls (find out more at www.corcovado.com.br).

The boardwalk and beach of Copacabana, in the south of the city are favourites of tourists due to the large number of hotels in the area. Very nearby, the famous beaches of Ipanema and Leblon are also places to see and be seen during your visit.

It’s worth remembering that Rio has much more to offer: the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf Mountain), the Municipal Theatre, plus many other sights and sounds that delight tourists, including the out of town beaches (read more on pages 22 and 23).

PASSION FOR FOOTBALL

RIO’S HISTORY

Besides the beaches and friendly attitude, another essential part of the Rio’s identity is the passion for football which pervades here. Just walk through the streets and beaches to find people playing ball the famous “pelada”, which literally means “naked” - football games that do not need a lot: just a makeshift pitch, a ball and friends, or even strangers passing by and willing to play (this devotion is the subject of debate at the Cambridge Literary Festival, read more on page 15).

The city has been the birthplace of many superstars including Zico, Romario, Jairzinho and Ronaldo and football is taken very seriously. There are four big clubs, which compete with a great rivalry and ferocity of fans. The biggest is Flamengo, with nearly 30 million fans, in fact they have the largest fan base in the whole of Brazil. Botafogo, Fluminense and Vasco complete the quartet whose finals or “classicos” take place at the Maracanã.

In addition to hosting the World Cup final on Sunday 13 July, Maracanã will also see three world champions playing games in the first phase: Argentina v Bosnia (15 June), Spain v Chile (18 June), Belgium v Russia (22 June) and France v Ecuador (25 June). The stadium will also receive three more games, including a quarter final in the second phase.

Opened just in time to host the final of Brazil’s 1950 World Cup, Maracanã has been completely renovated and now has a capacity of approximately 73,000 spectators, with world-class facilities and safety standards (in comparison, at the final of 1950, over 200 thousand people were packed in the stadium). According to official information, the cost of the recent works amounted to R$ 808.4 million (around £210 million).

The city was founded on 1 March 1565. The date of its foundation, however, is not the same as its discovery, by a Portuguese explorer who, while sailing along the Brazilian coast, came across what he thought was a large river. Pedro Álvares Cabral arrived on 1 January 1502 and named thus named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January). Of course later, it was clarified that the water was actually a bay (Guanabara Bay), yet the city has always retained its original name.

Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil for a long period, between 1764 and 1960, before Brasilia was inaugurated as the political centre of the country. This historic significance explains why the city is home to so many grand examples of colonial architecture, particularly in the centre. In fact, the city, was the only one in the Americas to serve as the permanent home for a European royal family. In 1808, then Prince Regent of Portugal, D. João VI arrived in the country fleeing the troops of Napoleon, remaining in Rio until 1821, when he returned to Portugal, opening the door to Brazilian independence.

After São Paulo, Rio is the second most populated city in the country, with about 6 million inhabitants. The two cities, in fact, share a friendly rivalry, mainly caused by their relative geographical proximity but noticeable differences in accent and lifestyles. All this will put aside however, during the World Cup, when Brazil becomes a single nation. A nation that hopes to reach another final at the “Maraca”, and even more that the outcome will be better than the last 2-1 defeat to Uruguay all those years ago.

WORLD CUP 2014 Photos: Divulgation/Ministry of Tourism Maracanã Stadium was completely renovated at a cost of R$ 800 million (around £210 million)

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POSITIVE: GAINS FOR TOURISM During the World Cup, Rio de Janeiro should attract the most number of tourists out of all the host cities. More than 400 thousand foreigners and 840 thousand Brazilians are expected to attend. A survey by the Institute of Economic Research Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism predicts that for every three travellers to Brazil this summer, two will be heading to by Rio. Rio de Janeiro has hosted more than two million people for New Year celebrations and annually sees one of the highest concentrations of public events during the Carnival.

In 2013, the World Youth Journey brought 3.7 million tourists to Rio in accompanying the pilgrimage of Pope Francisco.

The expectation is that Rio’s tourism GDP willincrease from the current 3.5% to 8% by 2018. Events such as the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics justify this growth.

Rio will be the point of concentration for other football loving nations: Holland and England whose training grounds are in or around the city, whereas The Brazilian team’s base is in the mountain region of Teresopolis and Italy will stay in the town of Costa Verde.

Cristo Redentor, Ipanema Beach and Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon are among Rio’s most visited spots

NEGATIVE: INCREASED PRICES

RIO DE JANEIRO - RJ Região: Southeast População: 6 million Área: 1.260 km2 Clima: Tropical Atlantic, with averages of 23° C Vegetação: Atlantic Forest

MARACANÃ STADIUM Valor investido: R$ 808.4 million Capacidade: 73,531 spectators Dimensões do campo: 105 m X 68 m USEFUL LINKS www.visitbrasil.com www.portal2014.org.br/cidadessedes/RIO+DE+JANEIRO

As the city expects to receive thousands of tourists, the prices of accommodation are going through the roof. The price of the rental of properties, for example, could increase by up to five times more than is usually charged at even at peak times like Carnival and holidays. Short-term rental properties have already been recorded as rented for R$ 130,000 (around £35,000 pounds) for the World Cup period.

The Ministry of Tourism says that among the host cities for the World Cup, Rio is offering more options in types property for rent.

It reports that there are 2,700 units, with capacity for 15,000 people. These range from daily charges of R$ 1,400 (around £350) to more than R$ 2,500 (around £660) in Ipanema.

Hotels and hostels will also be increasing their rates ahead of the arrival of the sporting event. A survey by TripAdvisor shows that Rio is one of the most expensive cities to stay, the city occupies fourth place in the list, with a difference of 107% on Maracanã match days.

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CONECTANDO

MAKE MINE A PSYCHEDELIC CARNIVAL Carnival 2014. I was faced with three options. Option 1: indulge in foods highly saturated in fat while watching horror movies in an attempt to avoid the scorching heat. Option 2: go to some street parties with drunk and sweaty people in the scorching heat. Option 3: listen to psychedelic music with people smoking marijuana in the cold hills. Merely because of climate issues, I chose the last option and so 2014 became the year of my first Psicodália.

I confess I have always turned my nose up at festivals in the woods, with happy songs and colourful people wearing tie-dye t-shirts with an alleged hippie aura more than 40 years after Flower Power faded.

All this prejudice meant it took me 17 editions of the annual event to step onto Farm Evaristo, where today Psicodália is held.

With 300,000 square meters, the event features two stages, five campsites, 310 bathrooms, trails, a lake, a waterfall and a zip line for good measure.

Almost five thousand people were there and to enjoy 40 shows, eight films, ten plays and 40 workshops, ranging from how to make a kaleidoscope to how to master acrobatic pirouettes and surrealist poetry - the last one best suited my skills and I ended up yielding good verses.

Of course the music drives the festival. On the main stage, my honourable mention goes to Tom Zé, who explained to (and also

confused) the audience with a guide on how to make a rock concert (yes) from cover to cover (literally).

The veterans of Gong, now an international attraction, all had a heavy psychedelic sound. MetáMetá with an African rock beat surprised by playing Mercenárias, Brazilian punk band of the 80s.

Moraes Moreira, one of the most anticipated names, played the classic album Acabou Chorare by Novos Baianos, making everybody dance and remember that yes, we were celebrating Carnival and what was better we were in Brazil.

On the last day of the festival, Di Melo closed the event with classic Brazilian soul and Almir Sater with his stories and sharp guitar.

At the “Palco do Sol” (Stage of the Sun), which began programming at noon, after waking us up with rockets and a shouts of “Bom Dia Psicodália!”, the funny Trombone de Frutas deserve a mention, an experimental group from Curitiba, and Satanique Samba Trio, they are a band of freaks who play samba while wearing Death Metal shirts.

There was also some good acts on the “Palco dos Guerreiros” (Stage of the Warriors), which began at after mid-night and only stopped when the sun rose.

With so much going on at once and not having the power of ubiquity, missing out on some incredible attractions was unavoidable.

At one point I could hear in the distance the last song of Módulo g

There is no way you could attend this festival and not be affected by the smiles and energy of people

By Nanashara Gonçalves – From Camboriú, Santa Catarina

1000, a Brazilian 70s psychedelic group and Central Sistema de Som, but luckily they put on such a good show that the public chose them to play again on the main stage at the closing party.

There was also the Radio estate with 24 hour programming led by Hector Humberto and by Luana Angreves. Highlights included the 4:20 program and also the magic moment when they played Transa album, recorded by Caetano Veloso in London, in full, making all the girls who were in the bathroom dance naked and sing “you do not knooow me” including me as I waited in line to use the shower.

The food served was also an attraction. Everything at the festival had a special taste and an affordable price. It’s important to mention the catering manager, Arthur “Lettuce” “Jesus” Hadler who miraculously made sure that no one when without ice or cigarettes over the whole festival.

But what really makes the festival is the wonderful coexistence, for six days of most varied types of people, all in their best condition: happiness. There is no way you can attend Psicodália and not be affected by the smiles and energy of the people. You will meet amazing neighbours who become friends at your camp and it’s great shouting good morning and starting new conversations with to strangers. Yes, I was well and truly contaminated by all this joy. Psicodália 2015: I will be there!

To find out more about this party in the woods visit: http://goo.gl/oo06cE

HOW TO PARTICIPATE? Conectando is a project developed by the Brasil Observer that aims to put into practice the concept of ‘glocal’ communication, helping a local story find a global audience of readers. You can be involved too, just send your story to us! Find out how to get involved by contacting conectando@brasilobserver.co.uk.

Photo: Nanashara Gonçalves

All kinds of people in the best human state: happiness

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Brasil Observer

GUIDE In partnership with FlipSide - the Suffolk-based festival of Brazilian literature - the Cambridge Literary Festival co-presents three exciting events on Saturday the 5th of April with Brazil on spot - one of them about the influence of football on Brazilian culture. >> Read more on Pages 16 and 17

Photo: Divulgation

Em parceria com a FlipSide - festival de literatura brasileira que acontece em Suffolk -, o Festival Literário de Cambridge apresenta três eventos com foco no Brasil, no sábado dia 5 de abril - um deles sobre a influência do futebol na cultura brasileira. >> Read more on Pages 16 and 17

16 brasilobserver.co.uk

By Gabriela Lobianco

BRAZIL IS THE THEME AT THE CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL

After FlipSide, the English version of the Paraty International Literary Festival (FLIP, in Portuguese) that took place in Suffolk last year, Brazil will again be on spot in a literature festival in the UK. This time, the country will be represented through the activities of ‘Viva Brazil’, part of the Cambridge Literary Festival. The event, formerly known as Cambridge Word Fest, will take place between 1 and 6 April in the campus of the English city. There will be 112 speakers and six workshops, including discussions about the First World War and the centenary of Dylan Thomas.

Viva Brazil was designed by Liz Calder - responsible for FLIP and FlipSide - an enthusiast of Brazilian culture who’s intention is to make “the riches of this literature more known and appreciated outside of Brazil, as well as encourage the exchange of ideas among Brazilian writers and from other countries.”

In this sense, she organized a special program that includes three roundtables: a translation duel, a discus-

Photos: Divulgation

Angel Gurría-Quintana versus Amanda Hopkinson: a linguistic duel in translations from Portuguese to English

Por Gabriela Lobianco

BRASIL É O TEMA NO FESTIVAL LITERÁRIO DE CAMBRIDGE

Depois da FlipSide, versão inglesa da Festa Literária Internacional de Paraty (FLIP) que aconteceu em Suffolk no ano passado, o Brasil será novamente destaque de um festival de literatura no Reino Unido.

Desta vez, o país será representado através das atividades do “Viva Brazil”, parte do Festival Literário de Cambridge. O evento, anteriormente conhecido como Cambridge Word Fest, acontecerá entre os dias 1º e 6 de abril, no campus universitário da cidade britânica.

Serão 112 palestrantes e seis workshops, incluindo debates sobre a Primeira Guerra Mundial e o centenário de Dylan Thomas.

O “Viva Brazil” foi idealizado pela inglesa Liz Calder – responsável pela FLIP e FlipSide –, uma entusiasta da cultura brasileira que tem como intuito fazer com que “as riquezas dessa literatura sejam mais conhecidas e apreciadas fora do Brasil, assim como encorajar o intercâmbio de ideias entre escritores brasileiros e de outros países”.

Nesse sentido, ela organizou uma programação especial que conta com três mesas-redondas: um duelo de

brasilobserver.co.uk 17 sion on football culture in Brazil by Alex Bellos, and a debate of the work of Elizabeth Bishop.

IDIOMATIC VISIONS Two English translators present their versions of the same text translated from Portuguese to English. The aim is to discuss the various disparities generated by personal interpretation of a text.

Angel Gurría-Quintana and Amanda Hopkinson catch this linguistic duel with intermediation by the British Centre for Literary Translation director, Danny Hahn.

THE COUNTRY OF FOOTBALL In anticipation of the 2014 World Cup, the importance of football culture in Brazil will be on the agenda with a discussion on the book Futebol: the Brazilian way of life, written by Alex Bellos.

The author, who was also part of FlipSide, will be in two debates at the event. One on football in Brazil and

another on the book Alex Through the Looking-Glass, also his own work.

Bellos was a correspondent for the Guardian newspaper in Rio de Janeiro from 1998 to 2003 and confesses that he returns to the tropical country every year.

He told the Brasil Observer he wanted to write about a subject that connected many issues in Brazil, recognizing that football is everywhere. “My aim is to be an informed guide to a strange and distant land. In ‘futebol’, that land is Brazil,” he said.

modernist poetry into English.

Recently, Bishop was a character in a film by Bruno Barreto, Rare Flowers, which portrays the period of the writer’s life at home and her romance with Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares.

In this part of Viva Brazil, Ali Smith and Blake Morrison discuss the work of the writer. A short film about the two houses of Bishop, in Ouro Preto and Petropolis, will also be displayed .

WORLD LITERATURE

RARE ART OF BISHOP The Brazilian presence in Cambridge Literature Festival ends with a celebration of American poet Elizabeth Bishop, who lived for 15 years in Brazil.

While living there, Elizabeth Bishop won the Pulitzer Prize in 1956, and has become an exponent of poetry in the English language, producing a large part of her work in Brazilian lands. Finally, she is considered a pioneer in the dissemination and translation of Brazilian

Although Brazilian culture will be well represented in the Cambridge Literary Festival, the director of the event, Cathy Moore, believes that it is a cultural celebration of world literature.

More than that, the recasting of the festival brought innovations: “this will be the first year of partnership with the New Statesman, our first collaboration with the FlipSide and the debut of guest programmer Alex Clark, whose experience has ensured a more vibrant mix of writers throughout the world”.

BRAZILIAN HIGHLIGHTS Translation Duel 5 April, 10am-11am, Divinity Lightfoot, £8/£7 Alex Bellos Futebol 5 April, 2.30pm-3.30pm, Winstanley Lecture Theatre, £10/£8 Elizabeth Bishop A celebration with Ali Smith & Blake Morrison: 5 April, 5.30pm-6.30pm, Divinity School Lecture Hall, £10/£8 Alex Bellos, author of Futebol: Brazilian Way of Life, discusses the influence of football on Brazilian culture

www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

Elizabeth Bishop and her Brazilian roots

tradução, uma discussão sobre cultura futebolística no Brasil por Alex Bellos e um debate sobre a obra da escritora norte-americana Elizabeth Bishop.

ESGRIMA IDIOMÁTICA Dois tradutores ingleses apresentarão suas versões de traduções do mesmo texto do português para o inglês.

O intuito é discutir as disparidades geradas pela interpretação pessoal do tradutor.

Angel Gurría-Quintana e Amanda Hopkinson travam esse duelo linguístico com intermediação do diretor do Centro Britânico de Tradução Literária, Danny Hahn.

O PAÍS DO FUTEBOL Em antecipação à Copa do Mundo de 2014, a importância da cultura futebolística no Brasil estará em pauta com um debate sobre o livro “Futebol: the Brazilian way of life”, de Alex Bellos.

O escritor, que também foi participou da FlipSide, estará em dois debates no evento. Um sobre o futebol no Brasil e outro sobre o livro “Alex Through The

Looking-Glass”, também de sua autoria.

Bellos foi correspondente do jornal The Guardian no Rio de Janeiro de 1998 a 2003 e confessa que retorna ao país tropical todos os anos.

Ele contou com exclusividade ao Brasil Observer que queria escrever sobre um assunto que ligava muitas questões do Brasil, reconhecendo que o futebol encontra-se em toda a parte. “Meu objetivo é ser um guia informativo para uma terra estranha e distante. No futebol, essa terra é o Brasil”, disse ele.

Recentemente, Bishop foi personagem de um filme de Bruno Barreto, “Flores Raras”, baseado no livro “Flores Raras e Banalíssimas”, que retrata o período da vida da escritora no país e seu romance com a arquiteta brasileira Lota de Macedo Soares.

Nessa parte do “Viva Brazil”, Ali Smith e Blake Morrison discursam sobre a obra da escritora. Ainda será exibido um curta-metragem sobre as duas casas de Bishop, em Ouro Preto e Petrópolis.

LITERATURA MUNDIAL

A ARTE RARA DE BISHOP A presença brasileira no Festival Literário de Cambridge termina com uma celebração à poetisa estadunidense Elizabeth Bishop, que morou por 15 anos no Brasil.

Enquanto vivia por lá, Elizabeth Bishop venceu o Prêmio Pulitzer, em 1956, além de ter se tornado uma expoente da poesia em língua inglesa, produzindo vasta parte de sua obra em terras tupiniquins. Finalmente, ela é considerada uma pioneira na divulgação e tradução da poesia modernista brasileira para o inglês.

Apesar de o universo brasileiro estar bem representado no Festival Literário de Cambridge, a diretora do evento, Cathy Moore, acredita que se trata de uma celebração cultural da literatura mundial.

Mais do que isso, a reformulação do festival trouxe inovações: “este será o primeiro ano de parceria com a New Statesman; nossa primeira colaboração com a FlipSide; e a estreia do programador convidado Alex Clark, cuja experiência assegurou uma mistura ainda mais vibrante de escritores de todo o mundo”.

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GRINGO’S VIEW

REASONS WHY I LOVE BRAZIL AND BRAZILIANS

MOTIVOS POR QUE EU AMO O BRASIL E OS BRASILEIROS

Photo: Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil Traduzido por Marielle Machado*

By Shaun Cumming*

Some foreigners have opted to share their frustrations about living in Brazil online. There are many examples, and while some make valid points, I thought I’d write about the things I like most.

Alguns estrangeiros têm publicado na internet listas com coisas que os decepcionaram ao viver no Brasil. Aqui está a minha lista de coisas que eu amo no Brasil e em vocês, brasileiros. Obrigado!

Brazilian adventurism. Brazil is a place to explore boundless wild and beautiful landscapes unlike anywhere in the world. Furthermore, Brazilians have a thirst for exploring and doing new things. Here’s my example: I am terrified of heights, but one time in Rio I caught the bug to do something new, and was convinced to go hang gliding.

It was one of the most thrilling things I’ve ever done. And here’s going to be my next Brazilian passion: SUP surfing.

O Brasil aventureiro. O Brasil é um lugar para explorar paisagens selvagens e belas como nenhum outro lugar do mundo. Além disso, os brasileiros têm sede de explorar e fazer coisas novas. Este é o meu exemplo: tenho pavor de alturas, mas fui contagiado pela vontade de explorar e fazer algo diferente quando visitei o Rio, então decidi saltar de asa delta. Foi uma das coisas mais emocionantes que eu já fiz na vida. E essa será a minha próxima paixão brasileira: SUP surf (ou REP - remo em pé).

Brazilian’s welcoming nature. When I first arrived in Brazil, I knew two people. A few weeks later, I had dozens of Brazilian friends – many of them who will be friends for life. I was invited into people’s homes, people’s parties and celebrations, and into people’s hearts. I have travelled the world but have never felt as welcome anywhere else as I am in Brazil.

A natureza acolhedora do brasileiro.

Quando cheguei pela primeira vez no Brasil, eu conhecia só duas pessoas. Algumas semanas mais tarde, eu já tinha dezenas de amigos brasileiros - e muitos deles serão amigos para a vida toda. Fui convidado para festas e celebrações, e para entrar nos corações das pessoas. Eu já viajei o mundo, mas nunca me senti tão bem-vindo em qualquer outro lugar como fui no Brasil.

The weather. Brazilians won’t understand this. You know that we British complain all the time about weather, right? That’s because our weather always sucks, but it gives us occasional glimmers of hope. Maybe just for a few hours of a day in summer, we’ll have a nice weather. Then it’s freezing again.

But for me, I love Brazil’s weather. I can’t explain just how much I love it.

And it’s never too hot for me.

Fifa’s general secretary Jerome Valcke

please, your live music, be it pagode or whatever, is amazing. It is soulful, happy music and I love it.

The football culture. I grew up with football in Scotland, but I never knew about footballing passion until I sat at a boteco watching a Brazilian league game. The intensity, the rivalry, the passion of the fans is unlike any other place in the world.

Brasileiros. To be honest, this list could go to 100. Maybe I’ll do that one day, but this is really about you, Brazilians. I have never met people who are happier, friendlier, and good to be with. This is what makes Brazil.

From one gringo to you all, this is what I love most about Brazil: you.

I know there are a lot of tensions, and the foreign media will continue its The drinks. Although I do love caipi- biased and uninformed reporting about rinhas and even Brazilian drinks, I need Brazil. There are also a lot of interto thank Brazil for Guarana – which I nal things Brazilians want to fix. But first thought was some kind of amazing this year, during Brazil’s World Cup, I apple juice when I first tried it. Oh, and know for sure you will show the world why Brazil is such an addictive place. fresh coconut water. My heaven.

The food. In the UK, as a child I was always considered a ‘fussy’ eater. I never ate much apart from junk food, and I hated staple food like rice and pasta. Then I came to Brazil and everything changed. I learned that rice is good when flavoured with garlic. Black beans, oh how I love them.

Some of my favourites include feijoada, pasteis de camarao and moqueca capixaba.

Live music on the streets. You might be tired of the samba stereotypes, but

*Shaun is a blogger at www.thebrazilblog.com

Música ao vivo nas ruas. Vocês podem até estar cansados desse estereótipo do samba, mas, por favor, a música de vocês ao vivo, seja ela pagode ou qualquer outra coisa, é incrível. É com alma, é feliz e eu adoro isso.

A cultura do futebol. Eu cresci com o futebol na Escócia, mas eu nunca soube realmente o que é paixão pelo futebol até sentar em um boteco e assistir a um jogo do Campeonato Brasileiro. A intensidade, a rivalidade, a paixão dos fãs são diferentes de qualquer outro lugar no mundo.

Os brasileiros. Esta lista poderia ir até o número 100. Talvez eu faça isso um dia, mas isso é realmente sobre vocês, os brasileiros.

Eu nunca conheci pessoas tão felizes, amigáveis e ótimas companhias. Isso é o que faz o Brasil. De um gringo a todos vocês, isso é o que eu mais gosto no Brasil: você. Eu sei que há um monte de tensões e a mídia estrangeira vai continuar o seu relato tendencioso e desinformado sobre o Brasil. Há também um monte de coisas internas que os brasileiros querem e devem corrigir. Mas este ano, durante a Copa do Mundo do Brasil, eu tenho certeza que vocês vão mostrar ao mundo por que o Brasil é um lugar tão apaixonante.

O clima. Vocês, brasileiros não vão entender isso. Mas sabem que nós britânicos estamos sempre reclamando do clima, certo?

Isso porque o tempo aqui é sempre uma porcaria, mas às vezes nos dá um pouco de esperança de que melhore. Talvez apenas por algumas horas de um dia no verão, a gente consiga ter um clima agradável. Mas logo em seguida está congelando novamente.

Eu adoro o clima do Brasil. Não dá para explicar o quanto eu amo o calor. Nunca é quente demais para mim.

A comida. No Reino Unido, desde criança eu sempre fui considerado “exigente” em relação à comida. Eu sempre comi muita junk food, e odiava alimentos básicos como arroz e massas. Até que eu fui para o Brasil e tudo mudou. Eu aprendi que arroz é bom quando temperado com alho. E como eu amo feijão preto! Alguns dos meus pratos favoritos incluem feijoada, pastel de camarão e a moqueca capixaba.

As bebidas. Apesar de eu amar caipirinhas e outras bebidas típicas, eu preciso agradecer o Brasil pelo guaraná - que de primeira eu pensei ser algum tipo de suco de maçã, só que mais gostoso. Ah, sim, e tam*Marielle é publicitária e blogueira em bém pela água de coco fresca. Bom demais. www.musicaparavestir.com.br

brasilobserver.co.uk 19

NINETEEN EIGHT-FOUR CARNIVAL: BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END

By Ricardo Somera

Like all good things, every Carnival must come to an end. But, before ending the festivities in Rio de Janeiro, more than 520 official, numerous unofficial “blocos” and parties took over the streets of the city, attracting millions of people from around the world.

PRE-CARNIVAL The Carnival in Rio is not for amateurs -you need to be prepared. With this in mind, I flew from Sao Paulo to the Marvellous City on the Wednesday that preceded the party (what a great excuse!).

The first two days I was in Hostel Alto Vidigal preparing for the fun and relaxing.

I saw the recording of a novella at the hostel next door, On ThursdayI attended a barbecue and made new friends with a group of Scots - it really must be friendship when you can get along with people even though you only understand a fraction of what they say!

All this was peppered with walks through small streets, lunch in neighbourhood restaurants and drinks in Lapa at night, all in all a good Pre-Carnival!

AND THE PARTY BEGINS...

Friday: the day that the “boil” begins throughout Brazil. I grabbed my backpack and went to Babylon Rio Hostel in Babilonia Hill (a place thatwas the subject of a documentary by Eduardo Coutinho). The favella is located in Leme, just few blocks from the beach. Here Bloco Virtual opened opened the festivities, welcoming more than 5000 people to the Carnival.

On Saturday, with a slight hangover (an almost mandatory condition during a good carnival). I took the subway then the bus and arrived in Bloco da Favortira, which filled São Conrado with the sounds of very traditional funk,an event that definitely consecrated “Beijinho no Ombro” as the big hit of Carnival. It was pretty hard to get to and from so I wouldn’t the bloco for the next carnival, but the organisers host the “A Favorita” party every month and is

a great choice for those who enjoy seeing the girls twerking.

To enjoy the evening, I joined the people from the hostel and went to the Estrelas da Babilônia, a bar on the hill overlooking Copacabana. There an impromptu party started and another long night started. Not that I was complaining, it was great to party with people from all over the world with an incredible view.

Sunday was the day I found part of the Brasil Observer team on Ipanema beach who had come to enjoy and celebrate the 30 years of the Bloco Simpatia é Quase Amor. Much love, much sympathy and a touch of drunkenness made Sunday the best day of the entire Carnival. Beach, sun, beautiful people, the funniest costumes, music and a phrase that sticks in my head: “Everyone needs to experience the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro”.

My best piece of Carnival advice avoid the big “blocos”- there will be thousands of people, it is difficult to see the band, the organization is terrible (Welcome to Rio, baby!) and consequently the party gets boring.

Following the recommendation of a friend of a friend, on Monday I went to the centre of Rio to Bloco Bonito de Corpo, which was created in Recife and looks back to the 80s, with revellers dressed in nylon and really enjoying the workout-sound of Estrelar (Marcos Valle), What a Feeling (Giorgio Moroder) and other retro tracks. Following the trend to break away from traditional samba, Bloco do Cru was for less orthodox revellers - playing White Stripes to AC/DC, and stirring over 10 thousand people at Praça XV, very rock with a pinch of samba, a veryfine thing.

If all this talk has made you want to come next year, here is my tips: public transport operates precariously and taxis are not enough, avoid the “blocos” with more than 10 thousand people that are far from where you are staying. No matter how much fun you’re having, try to pay attention to your wallet and mobile phone, it is very easy to lose these items from the crowd and do not overdo the drink, it’s a five-day party! And, of course, you should look forward to one of the most amazing experiences of your life!

CARNAVAL: COMEÇO, MEIO E FIM Por Ricardo Somera

Todo Carnaval tem seu fim. Mas, antes de acabar a folia no Rio de Janeiro, mais de 520 blocos oficiais e inúmeros não oficiais, além das festas paralelas, desfilaram pelas ruas de toda a cidade, atraindo milhões de foliões de todo o mundo.

PRÉ-CARNAVAL O Carnaval no Rio não é para amadores. É preciso estar preparado. Por isso peguei um avião de São Paulo à Cidade Maravilhosa na quarta-feira que antecedia a festa (ótima desculpa!).

Nos dois primeiros dias fiquei no Hostel Alto Vidigal me preparando para a folia e relaxando. Vi uma gravação de novela no hostel ao lado, participei de um churrasco na quinta-feira e fiz novas amizades com um grupo de escoceses (você sente que é amizade quando se dá bem com as pessoas sem entender nada do que elas falam).

Rolê pelas vielas, almoço na comunidade e noite na Lapa... um bom Pré-Carnaval!

E A FESTA COMEÇA...

Sexta-feira: o dia que começa o “fervo” em todo o Brasil. Peguei minha mochila e fui para o Babilônia Rio Hostel, no Morro da Babilônia, que já foi tema de um documentário de Eduardo Coutinho. A favela fica no Leme, há poucas quadras da praia e com muito agito. O Bloco Virtual fez o abre-alas agitando a Pedra do Leme, levando mais de 5 mil pessoas a darem boas vindas ao Carnaval.

No sábado, aquela ressaca leve. Peguei o metrô, o busão lotado e cheguei no Bloco da Favorita, que lotou a orla de São Conrado ao som do tradicionalíssimo funk carioca – que, definitivamente, consagrou “Beijinho no Ombro” como o grande hit do Carnaval.

Como foi difícil pra chegar e sair de lá, não recomendo o bloco para os próximos carnavais, mas a festa A Favorita acontece todo mês na quadra do Acadêmicos da Rocinha e é uma ótima pedida para quem curte ver as tcutchucas descerem até o chão.

Para aproveitar a noite, me juntei ao bonde do hostel e fomos para o Estrelas da Babilônia, um bar no alto do morro

Photo: Reproduction

More than 520 official ‘blocos’ marched through the city of Rio de Janeiro during Carnival

com vista para Copacabana. Lá sim o baile se formou e a noite foi longa. Festa para conhecer gente de todo o mundo com uma vista incrível.

Domingo foi dia de encontrar parte da equipe do Brasil Observer na praia de Ipanema para curtir e comemorar os 30 anos do bloco Simpatia É Quase Amor.

Muito amor, muita simpatia e um toque de embriaguez fizeram o domingo o melhor dia de todo o Carnaval. Praia, sol, gente bonita, pessoas com as fantasias mais engraçadas, música e uma frase que não sai da minha cabeça: “Todos precisam conhecer o Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro”.

A dica mais preciosa do Carnaval: fuja dos blocos grandes. Vai ter muita gente, será difícil ver a banda, a organização é péssima (Welcome to Rio, beibe!) e consequentemente a festa fica chata.

Por indicação de uma amiga de um amigo, na segunda-feira fui para o centro do

Rio no bloquinho Bonitos de Corpo, que foi criado em Recife e tem uma pegada oitentista, com os foliões vestidos com muito nylon e curtindo a malhação ao som de Estrelar (de Marcos Valle), What a Feeling (de Giorgio Moroder) e outros hits que embalaram os anos 80. Na sequência, fugindo do tradicional samba, o Bloco Cru levantou os foliões menos ortodoxos tocando de White Stripes a AC/DC, agitando mais de 10 mil pessoas num palco na Praça XV, com muito rock e uma pitadinha de samba. Coisa fina.

Ano que vem se prepara: o transporte público funciona de maneira precária e os taxis não são suficientes; evite os blocos com mais de 10 mil pessoas muito longe de onde você ficar hospedado; tente ficar atento à carteira e celular, pois é muito fácil de perder esses itens na multidão e não exagere na bebida, pois são cinco dias de festa! E, claro, tenha uma das experiências mais incríveis da sua vida!

20 brasilobserver.co.uk

NEW CANVAS OVER OLD

Photo: Reproduction

FIRST TASTES OF BRAZIL

By Kate Rintoul

I arrived in Brazil just under two weeks ago and already I’ve seen and done so much. In this column I’ll be charting my experiences here and all the tastes, sights, sounds and feelings I encounter along the way. Food is probably my greatest passion so it seems fitting that I focus on this for my first column as surely there’s no better way to start understanding a country than by tasting how its people eat.

Flying straight from wintery London to the tropical carnival atmosphere of Rio was a brilliant shock to the system even if it did take us three hours to get from the airport to our friend’s Rosa and Ari’s apartment. We got in so late there was only time for a quick Misto Quente (ham and cheese toastie) before trying to sleep.

Waking up with sunshine pouring through the windows was a lovely sensation so was our first Cafe da Manhã - Brazilian breakfast that Rosa had prepared. We were greeted with a table covered with amazing fresh food - bread, coffee and delicious homemade Pineapple juice, along with papaya and sweet bananas. At home I have to admit I am not much of a fruit fan, but

safely say Brazil has converted me.

While some of us visit the farmers markets when we can, the majority of the fruit and vegetables we actually consume are industrially farmed bland mono-species that have been grown only to look good on supermarket shelves. From what I’ve tasted so far in Brazil, fruit and vegetables come in all shapes and sizes, with some prettier than others, yet each one tastes exceptional.

Before you start thinking I spent carnival munching on salad leaves don’t worry - a fair few “cervejas” were consumed and a new discovery made courtesy of Ari who introduced us to his tipple of choice - Underberg and coke.

After carnival we were on the move again, this time we headed down to Curitiba by coach for a tour of the city and surrounding Paraná state (reports of that will follow in the next edition). In Curitiba we are staying with the Brasil Observer’s head of Public Relations, Roberta’s family who have been showing us even more of what Brazil has to offer. After a rather bumpy journey and a much needed nap we headed out for some beers on Saturday night at Bar do Alemão where we tried their

special Submarino: a mug of beer with a little mug with cachaca inside - another great German-Brazilian fusion!

On Sunday we were properly inaugurated into Brazilian food culture with a visit to the local Churrascaria - four hours, countless cuts of meat and after a pretty strong passion fruit Caipirinha we felt full and lucky to be experiencing all of this in Brazil.

Just when we were pledging to start eating healthily and avoid all the fun things like fried foods Roberta’s mother, Roseli had to go and test our will power by making some delicious Bolinho Espera Marido. Roughly translated as cookies to make while you wait for your husband to get home these are tiny doughnut like treats that you have to try husband or no husband!

Of course all this eating and drinking has been done for research purposes, in fact I have actually been providing a public service in promoting the delights of Brazilian foods to a British audience! As the American writer Erma Bombeck said: “I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food” but perhaps for the benefit of my waistline I should start exploring Brazil’s mountains for the next edition…

PRIMEIROS SABORES DO BRASIL Por Kate Rintoul

I am not much of a fruit fan, but safely say Brazil has converted me

Cheguei ao Brasil há pouco menos de duas semanas e já pude ver e fazer muita coisa. A partir desta edição, vou usar este espaço para falar um pouco das minhas experiências e todos os gostos, sons, visões e sentimentos que eu encontrar ao longo do caminho por aqui.

Comida é, provavelmente, minha maior paixão. Então, parece apropriado que o foco da minha primeira coluna siga este tema, pois tenho certeza de que a melhor maneira para começar a entender um país e seu povo é provando o que eles comem.

Voando desde o inverno de Londres direto para a tropical atmosfera de carnaval do Rio foi um choque brilhante, mesmo com três horas para chegar do aeroporto até a casa de nossos amigos Rosa e Ari. Chegamos tão tarde que só tivemos tempo para uma rápida refeição, um misto quente, antes de tentar dormir um pouco.

Acordar com o sol batendo forte na janela foi uma agradável sensação. Em seguida tivemos nosso primeiro Café da Manhã brasileiro, preparado pela Rosa. Fomos recebidos com uma mesa coberta com incríveis alimentos frescos - pão, café e o delicioso suco de abacaxi feito na hora. Além de fru-

tas: mamão e bananas. Eu devo admitir que na minha casa não era muito fã de frutas, mas posso dizer com segurança que o Brasil tem feito eu mudar de opinião.

Mesmo que alguns de nós frequentemos as feiras de agricultores quando podemos, a maioria das frutas e vegetais que realmente consumimos são industrializados, cultivados apenas para ficarem bem nas prateleiras dos supermercados, em vez de agradar o paladar.

Pelo que eu já provei até agora no Brasil, frutas e legumes vêm em todas as formas e tamanhos, e com um gosto excepcional.

Antes de você começar a pensar que passei o carnaval mastigando folhas de salada, não se preocupe – algumas cervejas foram consumidas e uma nova descoberta feita com a cortesia do Ari, que nos apresentou sua bebida preferida: Underberg com Coca-cola.

Após o Carnaval, fomos até Curitiba de ônibus para um passeio pela cidade e pelo Estado do Paraná (conto os detalhes na próxima edição). Em Curitiba, fomos recebidos pela família da Relações Públicas do Brasil Observer, Roberta Schwambach, que nos mostrou ainda mais do que o Brasil tem a oferecer.

Depois de uma viagem turbulenta de ônibus e uma soneca muito necessária, voltamos para algumas cervejas na noite de sába-

do no Bar do Alemão. Lá experimentamos outra fusão entre Brasil-Alemanha através da tradicional bebida da casa, o Submarino: uma caneca de chopp com outra menor que contém cachaça dentro.

No domingo, fomos devidamente apresentados à culinária brasileira com a visita a uma churrascaria. Após quatro horas e inúmeros cortes de carne depois, além da minha forte paixão, a caipirinha, estávamos completos e satisfeitos de estar passando por tudo isso no Brasil.

Justamente quando estávamos comprometendo-nos a comer de forma mais saudável e evitar frituras, nossos anfitriões testaram nossos poderes fazendo os deliciosos Bolinhos Espera Marido: pequenas rosquinhas que são como guloseimas que você tem que experimentar com marido ou sem marido!

Claro que tudo isso de comer e beber foram feitos para fins de pesquisa. Na verdade, eu realmente vim prestar um serviço público na promoção das delícias de alimentos brasileiros para o público britânico!

Como a escritora americana Erma Bombeck disse: “Eu não sou uma gulosa - sou uma exploradora de comida”. Mas, provavelmente para o benefício da minha cintura, eu deveria começar a explorar as montanhas do Brasil para a próxima edição...

brasilobserver.co.uk 21

GOING OUT Photos: Divulgation

CIRCUSFEST 2014 BRINGS BRAZILIAN ARTISTS 15-19 April Where Roundhouse | Tickets £15 >> www.roundhouse.org.uk

From March 26 the CIRCUSFEST 2014 brings to London five weeks of contemporary circus from around the globe. One of the shows is Belonging, a bittersweet aerial production, featuring hoops, trapeze and silks, bringing together a group of international artists exploring the idea of belonging and delving into what connects and divides us as people.

Co-directed by Jenny Sealey and Vinicius Daumas, this artistic collaboration between the UK’s Graeae and Brazil’s Circo Crescer e Viver features performers from the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony and a collection of Brazilian actors, musicians and dancers.

LA LINEA PRESENTS KAROL CONKA & ED MOTTA

SENNA: PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEITH SUTTON 6 March – 4 May Where Proud Chelsea | Tickets Free >> www.proudonline.co.uk

To mark the 30th anniversary of his debut and the 20th anniversary of his legacy, Proud Galleries presents the official Ayrton Senna exhibition.

Working in partnership with Sutton Images and the Ayrton Senna Institute, this collection of photographs, taken by Keith Sutton, chart Senna’s titanic career. From his beginnings in Formula Ford to his domination of Formula 1 for 10 years until his accident in 1994.

Conka: April 3 / Motta: April 7 Where Conka: Concrete / Motta: Union Chapel Tickets Conka: from £11 / Motta: from £22 >> www.comono.co.uk/la-linea

La Linea, the London Latin America music festival is back in April for one more edition full of eclectic demonstrations of swing and rhythms. This year, two Brazilian singers will be on stage: Karol Conka and Ed Motta.

Brazil’s hip hop revelation Karol Conka has bounced bang into the spotlight thanks to neon energy, hard graft and a sound all her own. Mashing up hip hop with baile funk, trap and Afro-Brazilian beats, Karol Conka’s sound is a uniquely Brazilian mix. Batuque just got freaked.

The Brazilian singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Ed Motta is a popular artist with the soul of a jazz musician. His work covers many genres utilizing influences from jazz to popular Brazilian music, rock to Hollywood film soundtracks, funk, classical, bossa nova and reggae.

BRAZILIAN DESIGN AT THE EMBASSY 27 March – 9 May Where Embassy of Brazil in London | Tickets Free >> www.culturalbrazil.org

The Embassy of Brazil and Vanishing Points Design proudly present Brazilian Design: Modern & Contemporary Furniture. Over 45 pieces will be on display offering visitors a comprehensive overview of Brazilian modernist and contemporary design, warranting the status of Brazil as one of the leading producers of furniture and object design in the world.

“Desde 1992 servindo a Comunidade Brasileira”

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22 brasilobserver.co.uk

TRAVEL

RIO DE JANEIRO: THOUSAND CHARMS Rio de Janeiro, a city where nature meets the urban landscape, is surely one of the best places to showcase this synchronicity that exists throughout much of Brazil.

Whether you know it through charming Bossa Nova songs, or the spectacular of Carnival tradition, the Wonderful City more than lives up to its reputation.

On any walk through the city, you only have to glance around to spot iconic sights like Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer), Pão de Açucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) or the stretches of beautiful beaches: Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. These are the main sites visited by tourists who have a few days to explore the city, but, if you have time you should stroll through the bohemian streets of Santa Teresa and visit the Lapa Arches, you should also go through the path of Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood to the west side of Rio. With so many things to see and to do, it is easy to see why Rio is a world famous city that hosts thousands of visitors and to understand why the residents are so proud to live there.

It might be famous for the Carnival which has just passed, but Rio is a magical city all year round, made up of distinct neighbourhoods that are fantastic to explore and of course there is plenty of incredible natural beauty to enjoy.

But it is not just the capital that beholds great beauty - the whole state is worth a tour with the wonderful regions of Paraty and Buzios. So, put on your best bikini or trunks and come to Rio! PARATY Walking through the preserved Portuguese Colonial center of Paraty is like stepping into the past test the city is much more than

an immersive museum. Paraty is a charming city known for history, culture, forests, fun, rum, art, food and a perfect mix of hustle and tranquility.

A good way to get to know the town is to take a boat ride and visit the beaches and islands, many of which are undeveloped.

The clear and calm waters are filled with colorful fish and are popular among divers. There are many options to enjoy the sea in Paraty from large to small trawlers, sailboats and speedboats, tours cost from £30. For more information visit: www.paraty.com.br.

BÚZIOS Búzios is 190 kilometers from the city of Rio de Janeiro, in the Lake Region and boasts 26 pristine beaches, all fit for bathing year-round and accommodating to different styles of visitor.

Two islands are best known in Buzios - The White Island which takes its name from the colour of migratory birds who chose it as a major landing point and the Ugly Island, unfairly named because it lacks vegetation on one side, though it is home to a quiet and beautiful beach, perfect for those looking for a good place to dive.

For those who enjoy a relaxing walk, take a tour of Orla Bardot, named after Brigitte Bardot who famously spent a season there. The statue of Bardot, sitting on a suitcase is one of the great attractions of the city.

With a bustling nightlife and a mix of fashionable bars and restaurants, Buzios pleases the most demanding of tourists, without ever losing the simple charm that enchanted the likes of Bardot and many more. For more information visit www.buzios.com.br.

Photos: Divulgation

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RIO DE JANEIRO: ENCANTOS MIL O Rio de Janeiro, onde natureza e paisagem urbana se misturam, é com certeza a vitrine mais exposta Brasil afora. Seja pelas músicas da Bossa Nova, ou pela tradição do Carnaval, a Cidade Maravilhosa merece tal exposição.

Em uma caminhada, basta olhar ao redor e avistar os pontos turísticos mais tradicionais, como o Corcovado, o Pão de Açúcar e as praias de Copacabana, Ipanema e Leblon. Este é o circuito feito pela maioria dos visitantes, ideal para quem tem poucos dias para conhecer a cidade.

Mas, se você tiver tempo e quiser andar mais um pouquinho, pode passear pelas charmosas ruas de Santa Tereza e conhecer os Arcos da Lapa, reduto da boemia carioca. Também pode percorrer o trajeto da Barra da Tijuca, bairro nobre da zona oeste do Rio. Para conhecer mais as belezas do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, porém, é indispensável se aventurar por outras regiões, como Paraty e Búzios.

Com tantas coisas para ver e fazer, não é difícil adivinhar por que o Rio é uma cidade mundialmente famosa. Então, coloque na mala o seu melhor biquini/sunga e prepare-se para Rio! PARATY

Rio de Janeiro overview (1), Lapa Arches (2), Paraty (3) and Buzios (4)

Passear pelo Centro Histórico de Paraty é uma viagem no tempo. Mas, além disso, Paraty pode ser conhecida de diversas formas: pela história, pela cultura, pela mata atlântica, pela diversão, pela cachaça, pelos eventos, pela arte, pela gastronomia, pelo agito, pela tranquilidade.

Uma boa pedida é curtir um passeio de barco e visitar as diversas praias e ilhas da região,

muitas ainda em estado selvagem. As águas claras e calmas, cheias de peixinhos coloridos, são um convite irrecusável a um bom mergulho.

Este é sem dúvida um passeio que agrada a todos, de todas as idades e estilos. De grandes escunas a pequenas traineiras, passando pelos veleiros e lanchas, há muitas opções para curtir o mar de Paraty.

Os passeios podem custar a partir de R$30,00. Mais informações: www.paraty.com.br.

BÚZIOS Búzios fica a 190 quilômetros da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, na região dos Lagos, e tem 26 praias de águas cristalinas, todas próprias para o banho o ano todo, cada uma para um estilo diferente de visitante.

Duas ilhas são as mais conhecidas de Búzios. A Ilha Branca, que recebe esse nome por ser ponto de pouso de aves migratórias, e a Ilha Feia, injustamente assim chamada por ter pouca vegetação em um dos lados. Desabitada e com uma linda praia, é perfeita para quem busca um bom ponto de mergulho.

E, para quem gosta de uma caminhada tranquila, o ideal é um passeio pela Orla Bardot, que vai até a Praia do Canto – chamada assim por conta da época em que Brigitte Bardot passou uma temporada por lá. A estátua de Bardot, sentada numa mala, é uma das grandes atrações.

Com uma badalada vida noturna e com sua estrutura cada vez mais sofisticada, Búzios tem agradado os turistas mais exigentes.

Mas sem perder jamais o charme da simplicidade que tanto encantou Brigitte Bardot. Para mais informações acesse www.buzios.com.br.

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COOL HUNTER

Naomi, 21

Sophie, 25

Pierre, 20

Amelia, 16

Lauren,23

Chloe, 21

FOOD

TIRAMISU Tiramisu means ‘pick me up’ in Italian and it is the perfect way to finish a long meal or for an afternoon treat. Whether it’s the coffee or alcohol that perks you up, pretty much everyone (apart from teetotalers) love this dessert and as a result it has perhaps become a little too popular with some terrible versions around. The smells and sensations in making this are almost as delightful as eating it so make sure you try it!

By Luciane Sorrino

I N G R E D I E N T S

I N G R E D I E N T E S

6 eggs, yolks and whites separated 180g sugar 400g mascarpone cheese 300ml whipping cream 1 1/2 cup of very strong espresso coffee (do not add sugar) 3 tablespoons of Baileys (for a more traditional version dark rum also can be used) 2 packets of lady finger biscuits Grated dark chocolate, to taste 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder for dusting

6 ovos, gemas e claras separadas 1 xícara de açúcar 400g de queijo mascarpone 300ml de creme de leite fresco 1 1/2 xícara de café bem forte (sem açúcar) 3 colheres (sopa) de Baileys 2 pacotes de biscoito tipo champagne Raspas de chocolate meio-amargo a gosto 3 colheres (sopa) de cacau em pó para polvilhar

P R E P A R A T I O N

P R E P A R A Ç Ã O

Prepare the coffee and allow to cool. Mix the coffee with the Baileys and set aside. In a mixer, beat the egg yolks with half the sugar (1/2 cup) until light and fluffy, gradually add the mascarpone and beat well. Add the cream until well blended and set aside. In a separate (very clean and grease free bowl) beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar (1/2 cup) until it forms glossy stiff peaks, gently then gently fold in the mascarpone cream. Assembly:Dip one side of each biscuit into the coffee and liqueur mixture for about 3 seconds (absolutely no longer or you will end up with a soggy dessert) and arrange a layer in adish (you can also make individual ones in a glasses). Sprinkle grated dark chocolate to taste. Apply a layer of mascarpone cream then top with a layer of soaked biscuits and repeat until you reach the top of the dish. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Remove from the refrigerator and sprinkle the Tiramisu with cocoa powder before serving. Serve chilled.

Prepare o café e deixe esfriar. Misture o café com o Baileys e reserve. Em uma batedeira, bata as gemas com metade do açúcar (1/2 xícara) até obter um creme claro e fofo; adicione aos poucos o mascarpone e bata bem.

Ainda na batedeira, adicione o creme de leite até misturar bem e reserve. Bata as claras em neve com o restante do açúcar (1/2 xícara) até obter picos brilhantes e firmes; incorpore delicadamente ao creme mascarpone.

Montagem. Molhe os biscoitos apenas de um lado por aproximadamente 3 segundos na mistura de café e licor e monte uma camada em um refratário. Salpique raspas de chocolate meio-amargo a gosto. Aplique uma camada de creme mascarpone e repita a operação até chegar ao topo do refratário.

Leve à geladeira por pelo menos 2 horas antes de servir. Retire da geladeira e polvilhe o Tiramisu com cacau em pó antes de servir. Sirva gelado.

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