Being a tourist in the middle of political protests

I suspect Brazil will be like this for a long time yet, and has been for many, many years now - a bubbling foment of discontent.  Discontent with corrupt government members, the huge gap between the poor and the wealthy, and the unfulfilled political promises.  

It probably has not made the news in Australia that, once again, a Brazilian president (and vice-president) has been caught embezzling huge amounts of money from the government.  And this discovery came at the time that the government has been threatening to stop all old-age pension payments.  I think you can imagine the anger of the people!  While the leaders line their pockets with billions the pensions are threatened with having nothing to live on.  What's going on here?  In a country where there is a church on every corner, how can there be such dishonesty and selfishness at the highest levels?  
 

As I stood inside Dom Bosco Igreja (right) I was overwhelmed by it's beauty and found myself praying for this nation, for it's leaders, for the church, for the people - for it's peace and prosperity, for righteousness in it's leaders.

It's Thursday May 25 here and I'm at the airport waiting for the check in to open for my flight home.  The last 5 days I have merely been a tourist.  I've enjoyed it very much but the political unrest has been palpable, not the least because strikes have meant several tourist attractions were closed!!!! :-/

As I walked through central São Paulo I witnessed the crowds, the desperation of sellers in the markets harassing you to buy their food, pushing tasting portions into your hands in the hope you will then stop and buy, small stalls set up on the streets, on the corners...anywhere, everywhere.  People begging at the entrances of supermarkets, calling "Tia, Tia!  Por favor", a rakish young woman, dressed poorly, covered in little scraps as if she'd just crawled out of a rubbish bin and eating out of what looked like a near empty yoghurt container and a hamburger wrapper that looked like they too had come from the bin.  She had a rather hopeless look on her face.  At a street market in Liberdade an elderly lady tapped my shoulder.  Obviously a homeless woman, I reached into my bag and pulled out the banana I had and gave it to her.  She seemed grateful and walked away.  It would be easy to feel overwhelmed.  It's a pretty harsh reality set against a president robbing his own people of huge amounts of money.  
   

Brasilia was much cleaner.  Like Canberra, it's a young city, purpose built as the capital.  Very well laid out (and very spread out!) with a population of only 2 million against São Paulo's 12.4 million.  I didn't see anyone begging in Brasilia, nor homeless people.  But the protests rallied there.  With the backdrop of amazing architecture and a brilliant blue sky studded with pillowy clouds, the frustration of the people was expressed as the people rallied together calling for the president to be sacked.  "Fora Temer! Fora Temer!"  Basically "Get rid of Temer!"
 
  

In spite of this, my last few days in Brazil have been very enjoyable.  But I'm very glad to be heading back home to Sydney.
 

 

  

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