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A honest opinion of a Brazilian about the World Cup


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The US$ 28, 30 bn is not the official number - first it would be R$ 30 bn like reported by ESPN Brasil and other media against the World Cup. The final number (that can be even higher) is not calculated yet, still, I think it will be around R$ 15 bn.

As I said before, this does not matter... The problem is not the price, it's the waste.

And, more than that, after spending all this sum of money, leading a movement to "boycott" the World Cup sounds even more stupid! This kind of proteste should be done BEFORE speding the money. The money is already gone. At least, let's make a decent World Cup and try to get the most of it.

As I told here before: Brazilians does not know how to protest, and worse, we never have good arguments.

And, about money... Our problems are not about lack of money because the World Cup. This sounds even ridiculous.

Yesterday, media made us know that Health Ministery have R$ 17 bn to spend and they didn't use the money!!!

So, is the World Cup the real problem for not good public services??????????????????????

Of course, no! The problem is bureaucracy, inefficiency and corruption.

We can easily have both: Good health, education and transportation system and some World Cup. Money is not the problem. The people who should spend and care about it who really is.

The points are valid, the arguments are not, the target is really out of place. But, at least, people seemed to wake up and wish a better Brazil for all of us. This is good.

No, it is not BRL 15 billion... The last estimate by the Ministry of Sports was made in April and accounted BRL 25 billion. Yesterday, they admited a new rise, now expecting spenses at BRL 28 billion.

I also don't think we should boycott the World Cup, but I think it is a valid form of protest. Another smart thing is to bring demonstrations inside the stadiums, making intelligent protests like singing the national anthem with our backs to the field.

And if you think there's no lack of money, you don't know a thing about the government budget and, specially, the administration of our debt. The government spends more than it collects and, because of that, it borrows money from comercial banks. Turns out that by doing this, the government never will have enough money, always needing to borrow more money (debt rollover). By 2012, half of the federal budget of BRL 2 trillion went straight to the comercial banks for interest payments and amortizations of the debt, meaning that half ot the taxes you pay do not actually go to the government, but to banks.

This is not just bureaucracy, inefficiency and corruption in the government. Something is very wrong with the whole system...

, meaning that half of the

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And, more than that, after spending all this sum of money, leading a movement to "boycott" the World Cup sounds even more stupid! This kind of proteste should be done BEFORE speding the money. The money is already gone. At least, let's make a decent World Cup and try to get the most of it.

And, about money... Our problems are not about lack of money because the World Cup. This sounds even ridiculous.

Yesterday, media made us know that Health Ministery have R$ 17 bn to spend and they didn't use the money!!!

So, is the World Cup the real problem for not good public services??????????????????????

Of course, no! The problem is bureaucracy, inefficiency and corruption.

We can easily have both: Good health, education and transportation system and some World Cup. Money is not the problem. The people who should spend and care about it who really is.

The points are valid, the arguments are not, the target is really out of place. But, at least, people seemed to wake up and wish a better Brazil for all of us. This is good.

If you watch the video carefully, you´ll see that the girl is not condemning the WC for what is happening in the country or its situation. She even says that both the Olympics and the WC are great events. And I´m sure everydoby agrees with that.

What she´s stating is that, with the actual social situation in the country, the WC is nothing more than fancy expenses that won´t help change anything nor give the country some useful legacy, as the government want the population to believe. Only a small fraction of all infra-structure projects that were planned for it are actually on the works. The only palpable thing the WC will leave are stadiums. But apart from the temporary jobs during their construction, stadiums won´t leave any real legacy for the population of the host cities

In any given point the WC is blamed by the situation of the country. It´s all about what our country should consider as priorities. And staging big events shouldn´t be one of them right now.

And why people are protesting now ? Because for some time people believed that there would be some legacy, but now with all those expenses and zero impact of their lives, they´re starting to realize that they have been fooled. Again. And as always. Unfortunately, many brazilians are too alienated by soccer to notice that.

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No, it is not BRL 15 billion... The last estimate by the Ministry of Sports was made in April and accounted BRL 25 billion. Yesterday, they admited a new rise, now expecting spenses at BRL 28 billion. I also don't think we should boycott the World Cup, but I think it is a valid form of protest. Another smart thing is to bring demonstrations inside the stadiums, making intelligent protests like singing the national anthem with our backs to the field.

And if you think there's no lack of money, you don't know a thing about the government budget and, specially, the administration of our debt. The government spends more than it collects and, because of that, it borrows money from comercial banks. Turns out that by doing this, the government never will have enough money, always needing to borrow more money (debt rollover). By 2012, half of the federal budget of BRL 2 trillion went straight to the comercial banks for interest payments and amortizations of the debt, meaning that half ot the taxes you pay do not actually go to the government, but to banks.

This is not just bureaucracy, inefficiency and corruption in the government. Something is very wrong with the whole system...

That´s true, boycotting the event right won´t change anything. We assumed the commitment, we must deal with it, the best way we can do. A lot of money has been already spent in controversial ways. Boycotting would just do harm. But I do believe that the protests are valid, as long as they remain pacific and the voice of the ones who doesn´t agree with the event must be heard.

30 billion BRL may not seems too much for the size of our economy, but as you stated, our government is in constant debt and inflation rates are rising again. But for investment in public services it would help a lot.

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30 billion BRL may not seems too much for the size of our economy, but as you stated, our government is in constant debt and inflation rates are rising again. But for investment in public services it would help a lot.

This situation is not exclusive to our government, but almost every government in the world... The whole world is trapped by debt. However, there are many factors involved that make some countries suffer more and some, less... In the one hand, for example, the United States has control over the dollar, which is the standard international currency and, therefore, the fluctuation in the US currency has a huge impact in the sovereign debt of most countries in the world. In the other hand, domestic factors like Brazil's historic inequality potentiates the effects of the debt...

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All said, all posted, all points valid, all values corrected, BRL 17 bn is still sleeping in the accounts of Health Ministry...

Again: the problem of our Health System is the World Cup?

No, it is not.

Again: the focus is wrong. As always.

----

"No, I won't go to World Cup" as the video is name, IMO, is asking for boycott. So clear.
Whatever she says in the whole video, many sometimes only see the title and watches only part of the content (like me - I disagree of the video title, why watch everything, specially sensationalistic-edited?).

Anyway, Brazil won't change in 1 year. The stadiums are already built or under works and start any campaign to boycott the World Cup now is stupid. That's my final opinion.

For me, it's enough. I do support the protests and I want a better Brazil for us. Hope the protests does not ruin our economy... Investors are running from Brazil... Thank you riots to speed up our economy problems.

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All said, all posted, all points valid, all values corrected, BRL 17 bn is still sleeping in the accounts of Health Ministry...

Again: the problem of our Health System is the World Cup?

No, it is not.

Again: the focus is wrong. As always.

----

"No, I won't go to World Cup" as the video is name, IMO, is asking for boycott. So clear.

Whatever she says in the whole video, many sometimes only see the title and watches only part of the content (like me - I disagree of the video title, why watch everything, specially sensationalistic-edited?).

Anyway, Brazil won't change in 1 year. The stadiums are already built or under works and start any campaign to boycott the World Cup now is stupid. That's my final opinion.

For me, it's enough. I do support the protests and I want a better Brazil for us. Hope the protests does not ruin our economy... Investors are running from Brazil... Thank you riots to speed up our economy problems.

You´re getting all wrong Danniel.

Nobody is blaming the World Cup about the problems in Brazil. People are just realizing that there are other priorities and the expenses with the WC are too exaggerated.

And the girl is not boycotting the WC. She just stated her reasons why she´s not going. She even says that the WC is a great event. It´s up to anyone to support the event or not, but the ones who don´t support it must have their right of opinion respected

The real problem is that both politicians and now Fifa are trying to imply that the WC will bring structural legacys for the country. You and I and all Brazilians now well that it won´t. The promised structural works are not advancing. The public-money-free Stadiums promise were not fulfilled. The Sao Paulo-Rio high-speed train. The new subway lines.

It´s ok if you don´t agree with me or with her, but in your last line you´re blaming the riots for speeding up our problems, so you´re just did exactely the same thing you´re arguing she did: blaming a present event for something that has been happening for some time

Peace,

This situation is not exclusive to our government, but almost every government in the world... The whole world is trapped by debt. However, there are many factors involved that make some countries suffer more and some, less... In the one hand, for example, the United States has control over the dollar, which is the standard international currency and, therefore, the fluctuation in the US currency has a huge impact in the sovereign debt of most countries in the world. In the other hand, domestic factors like Brazil's historic inequality potentiates the effects of the debt...

Agreed.

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I decided to watch the video entirely, and it is worse than I thought.

In fact, I can make a similar video with lots of "bad" footage convincing people to avoid attend some big sport event in USA or France...

The values are wrong (at least doubled it's not 30bn dollars, but reals), no shot was never casted during pacification program. All people removed in Rio earned a new home (yes, sometimes far from the previous place - but most were invaded terrains)....

At least, a very inaccurate and misinformed girl. What is her goal? Specially being someone who gave up on fighting for a better nation, living abroad?

This kind of video will not help to make Brazil better, even worse, it can really destroy the image of the country, that have a real touristic potential.

More than that, she's clearly asking people to boycott the event. Now, with all stadia ready or under advanced works???

Yeah, let's waste more money by throwing away some event we payed high (I agree on it) to organize... Seems really smart -not.

I told already... We can have a decent health care system (in part it really is, guess who have the best free transplantation system in the planet?) and events too.

That the main complaint from protests. If we can deliver first class stadiums, why not first class hospitals or schools. I couldn't agree more.

But any kind of support a boycott for events to be held in Brazil is stupid. And my mind will not change about this.

And sorry, you agree with the video or most of it , which is not a surprise... Bad mood about Brazil is a signature from you...

What you win detreating your country abroad?

Never read a positive post from you about Brazil..........

*I meant, no bullet was shot when police invaded any of the pacified favelas of Rio... And worse, the pacification program started even before Brazil was awarded with the World Cup....

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Mayor reduced the bus fares after crowded protests. Nice, when people wants, they get listened. But.......... Chaos is dominating our streets since last week.
Last night, riots tried to set fire in the building of External Relation Ministery - what a stupid idea!!!

I am totally in favor of the people fight for a better Brazil.
Like them, I'm against the law that takes justice powers to investigate politicians. I am in favor of turning the crime of corruption in a heinous crime and etc ...

I just think that the demonstrations are losing direction and will soon lose the reason ...
My biggest fear is what they are doing to the country's image. Illusion to believe that the world is applauding and approving all this ... The dollar rose rapidly, and the shares of Brazilian companies falling 40% in a day are a clear sign that the chaos of the protests in the streets instead of improving Brazil, is going to put us in a fucking economic depression ...

But it's cute to go out with the flag of Brazil and to check in on Foursquare with some slogan, or post a message on facebook showing up as a model citizen ...

We managed to get the government to listen to us, now it's time for society to organize and discuss with the authorities at the highest level. No more mess on the streets.

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Dannyel, I agree with the video... because I´m realistic. I´m not a brazilian who lives on fantasy.

Don´t get me wrong, I do love my country and I do love my city but....

......as long as brazilians keep ignoring our country´s priorities and problems, and we do have deep problems, Brazil will never be a modern country. We will never surpass the line of "developing" countries and we will continue to have pathetic growth.

People die everyday waiting for health treatment on hospital corridors, students finish high-school tottally unprepared for work, public transportation on big cities are chaotic, corruption is endemic, favelas are always spreding more and more, poverty overcomes several regions.... and we DO have what is necessary to transform all of this.

I wouldn´t change quality of life for fancy parties and football fanatism. And as a Brazilian who loves his country, I will always support what is better for it and for its people. And my people deserves more than that.

I can´t tell you what will be the result of those mass protests (and that´s not the point of this topic, anyway), but I do know that Brazil can´t stay forever pretending to be something it is not.

That´s all.

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Just my two cents....

No matter who is hosting, people can always make the argument that money that goes toward the Games/Festivals can be better utilized for other needs in the host city/country.

I guarantee that if Chicago would have won 2016, there would be lots of protests and controversy going on right now about the city's focus on pressing needs especially when there are seemingly endless headlines like the following...

Chicago’s Closing 50 Schools, Opts To Spend $100 Million On Basketball Arena

Chicago’s crime rate continues to rise: 41 shootings reported over the weekend

Illinois' finances worst ever in FY 2012-auditor

Illinois credit rating lowered after pension reform failure

The South Side's trauma care crisis

So while one can argue that Rio's issues are on a different scale than Chicago, every city has it's own problems to deal with.

Will an Olympics fix all (or even some) of the complex issues that span over many decades? Absolutely not.

Does hosting actually help a city and country grow economically? No, not really. Many studies have been done to show this.

Do the Olympics make people in a host city and country feel pride, and bring them more international attention? Yes.

Can a city's infrastructure and "depressed" areas in a host city be fixed up and improved by hosting? Yes. London and Barcelona are good examples that come to mind.

Can hosting improve sporting performance and athletic development among youth? Yes, certainly. The U.S. performing so well these past 30 years can certainly be correlated to hosting in '80, '84, '96 and '02. But youth obesity and unhealthy lifestyles are the worst that they have ever been.



In saying all of this, does it mean that I feel Brazil or any other country shouldn't host? No, not at all. But we certainly should hold those in government accountable for statements saying that hosting is going to solve their pressing issues, because that is really just a lie. Grassroots efforts, education and large investment over many years is what changes society. Not a two week party.

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Did Brazil just find out they are hosting the WC and Olympics. Where were all these protesters during the bids???



…celebrating on Copacabana.



Brazils’ bigger trouble may be that its boom has slowed, but its appetite has grown.


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FIFA's most amazing achievement, getting Brazilians to turn against football!

hehehe..not that much. The sales of Confederations Cup tickets was a huge success !

I expect 2014 WC tickets to be sold rapidly too, as many, many brazilians are just crazy about football.

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In saying all of this, does it mean that I feel Brazil or any other country shouldn't host? No, not at all. But we certainly should hold those in government accountable for statements saying that hosting is going to solve their pressing issues, because that is really just a lie. Grassroots efforts, education and large investment over many years is what changes society. Not a two week party.

^ This is the point.

And many brazilians believed this.

I´m worried about the WC, specially regarding logistics, air and urban transportation.

As for the Olympics, I think everything will go well.

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I was hoping that this would be a moment of significant and solid changes in our country, but things ran out of control... We are not going to fulfill our claims, we are marching towards the destabilization of a country that, only two weeks ago, seemed very well consolidated.

This is madness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8EG2lswZqY

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Dannyel, I agree with the video... because I´m realistic. I´m not a brazilian who lives on fantasy.

Don´t get me wrong, I do love my country and I do love my city but....

......as long as brazilians keep ignoring our country´s priorities and problems, and we do have deep problems, Brazil will never be a modern country. We will never surpass the line of "developing" countries and we will continue to have pathetic growth.

People die everyday waiting for health treatment on hospital corridors, students finish high-school tottally unprepared for work, public transportation on big cities are chaotic, corruption is endemic, favelas are always spreding more and more, poverty overcomes several regions.... and we DO have what is necessary to transform all of this.

I wouldn´t change quality of life for fancy parties and football fanatism. And as a Brazilian who loves his country, I will always support what is better for it and for its people. And my people deserves more than that.

I can´t tell you what will be the result of those mass protests (and that´s not the point of this topic, anyway), but I do know that Brazil can´t stay forever pretending to be something it is not.

That´s all.

Brazil spent 28 million REALS (not dollars) and now you expect me to ask foreigners to not come and cheer for a fiasco World Cup???

This is stupid! For a guy who claims to be worried on how our money is spent, this is truly stupid.

This money is gone. Now, we must do a perfect World Cup to attract tourists and what else World Cup can bring.

And just to clarify... Federal Govt gets more than 3 TRILLION reals in taxes/year! It's not R$ 28 bn spent in long term financing that will ruin Health and Education systems...

WELCOME TOURISTS TO BRAZIL. COME ENJOY THE EVENT WE PAIED HIGH AND HARD.

Next tme, protest BEFORE the event been awarded to us.

Start with Sao Paulo bid for EXPO 2020.... Oh, yes, you're from Sao Paulo... I dare you will boycott or protest against it.

FIFA's most amazing achievement, getting Brazilians to turn against football!

Real legacy!

Did Brazil just find out they are hosting the WC and Olympics. Where were all these protesters during the bids???

…celebrating on Copacabana.

Brazils’ bigger trouble may be that its boom has slowed, but its appetite has grown.

perfect post!

Brazilians got some money and improvements in theirs lives and now wants more, since we all know the potential of Brazil as country - and I couldn't agree more with this!

PS: I do support Sao Paulo bid for Expo 2020... But I hope some consistency in Rogerio's way of thinking and hope he protests against it.

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FIFA's most amazing achievement, getting Brazilians to turn against football!

Unlike some foreigners think, many of Brazilians don't like football.

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Unlike some foreigners think, many of Brazilians don't like football.

Typicall sterotypes... Like Americans dont footbal (soccer), etc..

I've just saw that there very few foreigners traveled to Brazil, is that true?

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Typicall sterotypes... Like Americans dont footbal (soccer), etc..

I've just saw that there very few foreigners traveled to Brazil, is that true?

Only 3% of the tickets for Confederations Cup were sold to foreigners, which is normal. People from abroad save money for the bigger event. The same happened in South Africa.

Unlike some foreigners think, many of Brazilians don't like football.

Many Americans don't like hamburgers too.....

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  • 10 months later...

Brazil spent 28 million REALS (not dollars) and now you expect me to ask foreigners to not come and cheer for a fiasco World Cup???

This is stupid! For a guy who claims to be worried on how our money is spent, this is truly stupid.

This money is gone. Now, we must do a perfect World Cup to attract tourists and what else World Cup can bring.

And just to clarify... Federal Govt gets more than 3 TRILLION reals in taxes/year! It's not R$ 28 bn spent in long term financing that will ruin Health and Education systems...

WELCOME TOURISTS TO BRAZIL. COME ENJOY THE EVENT WE PAIED HIGH AND HARD.

Next tme, protest BEFORE the event been awarded to us.

Start with Sao Paulo bid for EXPO 2020.... Oh, yes, you're from Sao Paulo... I dare you will boycott or protest against it.

Real legacy!

perfect post!

Brazilians got some money and improvements in theirs lives and now wants more, since we all know the potential of Brazil as country - and I couldn't agree more with this!

PS: I do support Sao Paulo bid for Expo 2020... But I hope some consistency in Rogerio's way of thinking and hope he protests against it.

Stupid ?

At that time (2007), people had the following promises:

- that all games would be hosted in private stadiums. All stadiums would be built with private partnerships and no public money

- public expenses would be aimed on infra-structure projetcs, including urban mobility, airport modernization and the construction of a high speed train between Rio and São Paulo

- there would be efforts in improving security and health conditions of the host cities

Now what do we have ?

- All stadiums were built or refurbished with public money, including the private ones. Some will even host the WC games unfinished.

- National budgets for education and healthy care were decreased

- Street violence is increasing all over the country

- NONE of the infra-structure and urban mobility projects were accomplished. The few that are on the works are all late and won´t be ready until the world cup.

- inflation is on the rise, and brazilians ARE NOT getting any money or improvements at all.

What all those R$ 3 million taxes went to ?

That´s why people are protesting agains the world cup, because none of the promises made were accomplished.

What is stupid, in my opinion, is forgetting all of those things. Thankfully there are people in this country who are not stupid enough to have such short memory.

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