SPIEGEL: A drug war is raging in your major cities. Armed gangs control most of the slums in Rio de Janeiro. Has the government lost control over the favelas?
Lula: Police power alone isn't enough to solve the problem. The government itself must make its presence felt and provide opportunities, and then the violence will subside. This is why we are cleaning up the biggest slums throughout the country. We are providing them with drinking water, energy and sewage systems, schools, hospitals and libraries. With economic growth running at between 4 and 6 percent over a number of years, all this becomes possible. We have allocated $270 billion (€175 billion) to spend on improving slums as well as modernizing our infrastructure such as ports, highways, railroads and airports -- all without any new borrowing.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Lula in Der Spiegel
Lula comments on the motives for the slum upgrading in Sunday's Der Spiegel:
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3 comments:
Is this sincere? Is this a cover? What is your take on this?
I think it's sincere. Sorry for posting without explaining.
In spite of all the talk about "citizenship" and "rights to the city" going on in Brazil, I still think most slum upgrading is done as a protective measure. These communities threaten wealthier residents, and that threat has to be neutralized. Eviction used to be the tactic of choice, but now it is "upgrading" and heavy policing. Sometimes slums get much needed services, but they aren't really getting them because it is their right as citizens - it's because the government is trying to gain control. A combination of heavy-handed policies to fight crime, and hand-outs to buy complacency.
I just posted the quote to show there was no mention of "citizenship" or "rights" - though in Lula's defense, the question was not set up that way.
I re-read Lula's comment and your explanation and it strikes me that those with resources don't share access until their own portion is threatened in some way: aesthetics, value of property, health and security, alternate economies. In this instance, the role of government is to provide the level of resources that put a damper on the threat. Is that close?
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