Obama came, saw a little and tried his hardest to conquer the Brazilians’ patronage and gain their favour in Teatro Municipal, where he performed a tribute speech to Brazil in front of the Brazilian elite, bureaucracy and the media. He mentioned the importance of social inclusion and the presence and great potential in the favelas – but without the presence of the people from the favelas and the public, the original audience
by Anne Sofie Hoffmann Schrøder, journalist ANF
Sunday, 20th March.
LIVE: Obama’s speech in Teatro Municipal
A chaotic U.S.-security circus featuring machine guns, fighting dogs and the kind of alert, frightening military police – that mostly only people the favelas in Rio encounter – had conquered the square of Cinelândia, Rio de Janeiro. The area was restricted only to the most prominent VIP’s and those in power, and the protests against the visit of Obama was kept under control. President Obama’s first visit to Brazil – ever – was clearly not a public event. ANF reports from Teatro Municipal
People with solutions
”I am here to tell you that the American people don’t just recognize Brazil’s success, we root for Brazil’s success!”
Obama entered the scene in Teatro Munipal as an old stager and was met by a grand applause. He threw some Portuguese phrases, a joke a about soccer, acknowledged the beauty of their women and nature – and hence courted his audience. But he didn’t forget the favelas. He spoke about his first impressions of Brazil, which stem from the movie “Black Orphans”, a movie set in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, a movie which his mother had loved, because of all the singing and dancing.
Obama himself had the chance to see some of that singing and dancing himself, when he made a quick tourist tour to the favela “Cidade de Deus” earlier that day.
With this as his point of departure, he continued praising the Brazil’s economical rise, as half of nation now is considered middleclass and millions have been lifted from poverty. He praised the social progress that the mayor and governor they are doing, but stressed that: “People have to look at favelas, not with pity, but as source of presence, values, artists, and people with solutions”
With that said he opened up for U.S.’s intentions with their visit – the economical cooperation with Brazil. To support all the reasons for one, he tried to pair the American dream with a similar Brazilian dream: “We both believe in the power and promise of democracy”, he said and continued: “We believe that no other form of government is more effective at promoting growth and prosperity that reaches every human being — not just some but all.”
Then he played his trump card in his generously wooing:“Those who argue that democracy stands in the way of economic growth, they should look to the example of Brazil”, he said and concluded:“You are proving the goal of social justice and social inclusion”.
The future has landed in Brazil
“For so long Brazil was a nation brimming with potential, for so long you were called the “country of the future”, he told and continued: ”Brazil was always told to wait for better days.”
But then he solemnly declared that Brazil no longer Brazil is a country of the future: “The time has come”, he said : “The future has arrived”.
To justify all the flattering, Obama continued:
“Over the last decade the progress made by the Brazilian people, has inspired the world, Brazil is a country with more solutions”, he told: “In the global community, has went from now relying on other nations, to now helping fight poverty and disease in other places, wherever it exists”
Finally he pledged for world-class-infrastructure – build in cooperation by United Stated and Brazil – as equal partners.
With that said, Obama left the scene in Teatro Municipal, left Brazil and left an impression of the world-class infrastructure U.S. is rooting for. Without the public as audience, he illustrated that the kind of “world-class infrastructure” U.S. is heading for, might not be as equal and social inclusive, as U.S. pretends.
But Brazilians should enforce, that the infrastructure which still lacks in many favelas, is included in this world-class infrastructure. Yet many a Brazilian politician needs to realize the brimming potential in the favelas. Because it is about time to listen and pay attention to the people with solutions. If Brazilians want to promote Brazil as a worldwide fighter of poverty, they should combat the major poverty within their own country – in the many favelas – and take care about their health as well as education.
For a country whose GDP grew 7,5 percent last year, year 2010, it should be possible to build a better future for the people in the favelas.
