Brazil - Land of Terror

I agree with you -- this movie really opened my eyes to the truly horrendous social problems in Brazil. Watching this film, I was struck by the contrast between the beauty of the country itself, and the ugliness of the culture.

It was infuriating to sit there and watch as the police did nothing. That stupid *beep* governor calling from the comfort of his palace to say, "Don't harm the kidnapper"! Even the hostages were saying, "What the hell is wrong with you police -- DO SOMETHING!!" Pathetic. What stupidity and incompetence.

In many ways, I was more on the side of Sandro than I was on the side of the Brazilian officials. The inhuman conditions in those jails. The beatings. The indifference and neglect toward those street kids.

I'm not saying that major developed countries like the US don't have social problems and violence. We do, believe me. But I can tell you this -- if this happened in the US, that guy Sandro would have taken a sniper bullet between the eyes the first time he stuck his ugly face out that bus window...

[deleted]

yeah, i think the brazilian police should 'take care' of all criminals and scoundrals for 'good'.

Hello,

First of all, there's a reply here saying that our culture is ugly. It made me stop for a while and think about the concept of culture. Isn't it ugly as well to sell a dream throughout the world, the so-called american dream, and have tons of illegal immigrants in your country instead of helping those underdeveloped countries creat a policy of improvement? As our friend said here, the richer want to become richer and richer they'll be - as long as humanity keeps on learning that only our own matters are important and valid. So, taking from the point of view of the colonizer, we're ignorant and horrible - but, what can we say about England, which has exploited India for years and never developed a policy of self-sustainability there? And the US, which is bombing irak and other nations? The same happened here in Brasil - the Portuguese came, exploited everything they could and there was no implementation plan for our development, having it's effects still reflected in our society. And this will go on until the interests of the powerful are the uppermost matter. Consequently, while these countries spread throughout the world we are the scorn of the planet and smile with their Live 8 shows, depicting their willingness to "help", chances are we'll internalize this idea and won't be able to notice that as long as we have poor countries to be exploited and rich ones lacking ethics to exploit them, the party will go on.So, instead of reproducing these biased views toward my country, Brasil, I'd rather have a more insightful analysis of what's going on here. I'ts a beautiful country, like any other is, but its main problem is that the elite, like anywhere else, doesnt care about the marginals. Or do you think it's different in LA or Oregon? Have you heard about random shooting in Rio? I'm sure you did. And in Brazilian TV's, have you heard about stray bullets in these cities? Unemployment rates? No, right - abroad is only affluence... What's the interest behind it - do you know?

I disagree 'cause i´m live in Santa Catarina and we haven´t such problem like others Brazil´s states. Ok, we are not First world, but we are not savages like you describe brazilians. Take care with arrogance

It is impossible and completely untrue to label Brazil as "Land of Terror" whether you are Brazilian or not. Of course the poor and violence are real problems in the country but EVERY country has these problems at varying degrees. Did you not see New Orleans after the floods exposed it and how looters were shooting at the people trying to rescue them? Remember Columbine? Like Columbine, this is not an everyday occurance in Brazil but one tragic event.

As to the actions of the police in the film, it was explained if you were listening that they were not well trained for this situation. They do not have the history or the stability to have sophistated law enforcement training such as 'First World' countries.

If you actually spend time in Brazil ( I am a Canadian who has spent much time there and am now moving to a beautiful city on the coast) you would see that it is still a beautiful, happy and joyful country in many ways.

The violence is a huge problem mainly in Sao Paolo and Rio as these cities have swallowed too many people without having enough jobs. Poverty leads to crime and violence.I can tell you that in the cities I visited I felt safer than when i was in Oakland California.

Having lived in the US and Canada, there are the same problems (especially in the US), but having a different history and development, the countries are more stable and prosporous at this point in their development. If you read the history of Brazil (and SA in general) and how its original export economy basically doomed it in being able to progress at the speed and stability of North America, you would understand how it is has become what it is and that it really had no other path.

That being said, these are important movies to remind Brazilians and others that it does have major problems to work on as it continues to grow economically and politically on the world stage. Make no mistake, Brazil is on its way to becoming a world economic power as China has; with this money and power I hope and believe Brazil will make great strides in its social and criminal problems.

If you get to know Brazil and its people you will know that this is what the overwhelming majority of the people desire. In twenty years from now I believe Brazil will be a superior society culturally and socially to the US as their outlook on life is more in tune with that of Europe and Canada which have less problems with violence and poverty.

yeah, my girlfriend lives in sao paulo, and she told me about what it is like there. she is middle class, not rich elite, and not poor. her parents had decent jobs, so they could afford security(not actual security guards i mean security in a general sense) and she and her friends told me about what is going on. i watched city of god several months before i met her, so i had a small understanding. but after meeting her, i have learned more. she realizes there is a problem there, but she knows it is probably not going to get better. i am a geography major, and brazil is a growing power, so one day, they may have the ability to change things, but if they become more leftist, then bush and his ilk will jump on them and force their hand. don't even get me started on america, i love this country, but there are many, many things that need to change. i won't get into it at this moment, but it probably won't happen. we're getting fatter, and more secure, maybe not though, because iraq is going to blow up in our face one of these days, but my point is we are growing immune to the rest of the world. and honestly, if i marry this girl, i don't know if we are going to live here, or in brazil. probably we will end up in new zealand or somewhere. but i hate to run from the problems here. something has to happen. some world-wide revolutionary change has got to occur. the christian majority in america has got to do something also. because as long as there is a christian majority in america, then things won't begin to change here. and in my opinion, america is the most influential and powerful nation the world has ever seen, so if there is to be world-wide change, for the better, it has to come through us. we have got to do something, the world cannot stand for much more of this. i'm not right-wing or left, because i don't believe hole-heartedly either way, but it seems the right wing won't do it right, and the left won't either. something has to give. powell out.

No one else sees the systemic RACISM in Brazil's government?
No one else sees how CRUEL and unfair it was that the kid was KILLED by the cops afterwords?

Man... with all undue respect, f u c k all of you if you don't understand the REAL underlying problems Brazil is facing and how crap life is for BLACK PEOPLE in Brazil. The haves and have nots are divided along a very real RACIAL line. When you terrorize and give a group of people no other option than poverty, drugs, and crime--wtf do you expect?

Brazil, like the original author said ignores its problems--which include racism and the marginalization of its poor (and it's worse than the US because the US doesn't have *beep* death squads killing 200 ppl in the slums outside its major cities http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/14741009.htm)