Pilot_76
01-30-16, 01:53 AM
Hi all.
This is a friendly warning from Brazil. I have been asked a lot about this so I've decided to actually put out a warning to all internet forums that I participate. I am deeply concerned for the safety of all who wish to visit Brazil. Especially during the Olympics.
Please don't.
Do not come here. Do not come here at all. Ever.
Crime rates have increased exponentially due to the chaos that PT or "Workers Party" from President Dilma and our former President Lula installed for more than a decade. Gas prices, basic commodities prices are increasing and Public Health is called "Butcher Service" by the population. On top of that there is the "Zyka" virus which is transmitted by mosquito. The problem is not the mosquito itself but is that the people still leave bottles, tires and any other form of container with water so the mosquito can reproduce freely. You must all understand that I believe that more than 80% of the country's population is politically illiterate and illiterate as well, in reading, thinking on their own and so on. Just another typical case of third World Country symptoms. I come through this post to answer how my life is and how I see tourists doing things which I consider unsafe in times like this with the country going "kapootz". Some thoughts I have on...
Rio de Janeiro:
I have never seen so much crime in so short time. Near Hotel da Glória (A very fancy hotel in Rio) I've witnessed 3 robbery attempts on drivers. Some bare handed and some with knives. They usually attack in 3 or more. At the beaches these are common. Teens and gang members they meet up and setup the so called "Arrastão" or Big Drag. Usually more than 20 members. They run up the entire beach and they steal everything they can get their hands on. Cameras, towels, wallets all gone. The police usually arrests 3 to 10 people but still it is a big scare for everyone. Slums or the favelas: There are shootings all the time. I can't say it is every week or so but definitely every month I watch the news and see The police climbing up the hills and the gangs shooting them down. Syria's war footage on CNN looks just the same. But Rio doesn't show up on CNN (Hey, Olympics are here so let's maintain a good press image shall we?) Same happened during World Cup. (I do believe Brazil has paid for being host at those two events. Just my opinion here). Oh by the way, did you know that a fancy 5 star hotel was invaded by gang members? Oh they do not show that on the news. Bad press.
São Paulo:
Sort of the Brazilian NYC. I live here. I do not feel safe here but crime is still rising. I joke that Rio is at least 5 years ahead of my city in crime development (if you are from Rio, I am sorry but it is the truth). When leaving home riding my Harley (Harley is a bit hard to steal because nobody buys stolen parts) I do carry a very cheap smartphone such as a MOTO G (8gb), wallet with $20, one debit/credit card and that's it. Working is another thing. iPhone, Oakley shades, iPad and expensive watches. As an Airline Pilot nobody can steal my stuff at 35.000 feet! My only concern is on the way to the airport but is very rare to be robbed there. My way of dealing this is to carry a fake briefcase with nothing in it and leave it besides me while I am riding the cab and leave my real breifcase in the trunk. Interesting thing still happens though: Sometimes a thief will buy a ticket to ride the bus from Congonhas Airport to the International airport of Guarulhos (GRU). Then he surrenders the bus driver and a car with his buddies stops right behind the bus and in less than 5 minutes all your belongings are gone. They usually take your luggage as well. Other thing that is very common here is that professional cyclists have their bikes stolen if they happen to ride on the highways. Specialized gangs drive on the highways with SUVs and when they find a group of cyclists they surrender them and take off with the bikes in the SUV. That takes 30 seconds. Did you know that if you go out and hang out with your friends in a local bar you may get robbed? Yup. A group shows up, surrenders everyone in the bar and quickly you have to give up your cellphone and your wallet. Women give their purses because there is no time in looking through them. This takes about 1 minute. Thieves usually work in pairs riding motorcycles. Every motorcycle carrying two people is a big chance that they are thieves. They just drive up your window, show you a gun and then they are gone with your stuff. Every day I hear in the news of someone being shot dead in the head because did not comply with the thief. Kidnap: You are driving and someone gets in your car and later they put you in the trunk and they withdraw all your money from an ATM after you have given them your card and the password. You either get shot in the head or they leave you on the road somewhere in the country side. Without car and your phone. Did I mention that it is common practice to blow up ATMs during the night? It usually works. Oh they also do drive-by's on some police stations sometimes when they are pissed.
You will not see this everyday or witness something similar but you will know it happened to someone and that it might happen to you. This is the scary part.
Now boys and girls, after you have read all what is happening here. Please think again about going to Copacabana beach, São Paulo, Amazon etc. THE COUNTRY IS NOT SAFE. BE SMART.
Please do not reply with things like "Yes Brazil sucks", "I've been robbed there once", "A friend of mine died there" etc etc. I get this every day from brazilians...
Cheers,
This is a friendly warning from Brazil. I have been asked a lot about this so I've decided to actually put out a warning to all internet forums that I participate. I am deeply concerned for the safety of all who wish to visit Brazil. Especially during the Olympics.
Please don't.
Do not come here. Do not come here at all. Ever.
Crime rates have increased exponentially due to the chaos that PT or "Workers Party" from President Dilma and our former President Lula installed for more than a decade. Gas prices, basic commodities prices are increasing and Public Health is called "Butcher Service" by the population. On top of that there is the "Zyka" virus which is transmitted by mosquito. The problem is not the mosquito itself but is that the people still leave bottles, tires and any other form of container with water so the mosquito can reproduce freely. You must all understand that I believe that more than 80% of the country's population is politically illiterate and illiterate as well, in reading, thinking on their own and so on. Just another typical case of third World Country symptoms. I come through this post to answer how my life is and how I see tourists doing things which I consider unsafe in times like this with the country going "kapootz". Some thoughts I have on...
Rio de Janeiro:
I have never seen so much crime in so short time. Near Hotel da Glória (A very fancy hotel in Rio) I've witnessed 3 robbery attempts on drivers. Some bare handed and some with knives. They usually attack in 3 or more. At the beaches these are common. Teens and gang members they meet up and setup the so called "Arrastão" or Big Drag. Usually more than 20 members. They run up the entire beach and they steal everything they can get their hands on. Cameras, towels, wallets all gone. The police usually arrests 3 to 10 people but still it is a big scare for everyone. Slums or the favelas: There are shootings all the time. I can't say it is every week or so but definitely every month I watch the news and see The police climbing up the hills and the gangs shooting them down. Syria's war footage on CNN looks just the same. But Rio doesn't show up on CNN (Hey, Olympics are here so let's maintain a good press image shall we?) Same happened during World Cup. (I do believe Brazil has paid for being host at those two events. Just my opinion here). Oh by the way, did you know that a fancy 5 star hotel was invaded by gang members? Oh they do not show that on the news. Bad press.
São Paulo:
Sort of the Brazilian NYC. I live here. I do not feel safe here but crime is still rising. I joke that Rio is at least 5 years ahead of my city in crime development (if you are from Rio, I am sorry but it is the truth). When leaving home riding my Harley (Harley is a bit hard to steal because nobody buys stolen parts) I do carry a very cheap smartphone such as a MOTO G (8gb), wallet with $20, one debit/credit card and that's it. Working is another thing. iPhone, Oakley shades, iPad and expensive watches. As an Airline Pilot nobody can steal my stuff at 35.000 feet! My only concern is on the way to the airport but is very rare to be robbed there. My way of dealing this is to carry a fake briefcase with nothing in it and leave it besides me while I am riding the cab and leave my real breifcase in the trunk. Interesting thing still happens though: Sometimes a thief will buy a ticket to ride the bus from Congonhas Airport to the International airport of Guarulhos (GRU). Then he surrenders the bus driver and a car with his buddies stops right behind the bus and in less than 5 minutes all your belongings are gone. They usually take your luggage as well. Other thing that is very common here is that professional cyclists have their bikes stolen if they happen to ride on the highways. Specialized gangs drive on the highways with SUVs and when they find a group of cyclists they surrender them and take off with the bikes in the SUV. That takes 30 seconds. Did you know that if you go out and hang out with your friends in a local bar you may get robbed? Yup. A group shows up, surrenders everyone in the bar and quickly you have to give up your cellphone and your wallet. Women give their purses because there is no time in looking through them. This takes about 1 minute. Thieves usually work in pairs riding motorcycles. Every motorcycle carrying two people is a big chance that they are thieves. They just drive up your window, show you a gun and then they are gone with your stuff. Every day I hear in the news of someone being shot dead in the head because did not comply with the thief. Kidnap: You are driving and someone gets in your car and later they put you in the trunk and they withdraw all your money from an ATM after you have given them your card and the password. You either get shot in the head or they leave you on the road somewhere in the country side. Without car and your phone. Did I mention that it is common practice to blow up ATMs during the night? It usually works. Oh they also do drive-by's on some police stations sometimes when they are pissed.
You will not see this everyday or witness something similar but you will know it happened to someone and that it might happen to you. This is the scary part.
Now boys and girls, after you have read all what is happening here. Please think again about going to Copacabana beach, São Paulo, Amazon etc. THE COUNTRY IS NOT SAFE. BE SMART.
Please do not reply with things like "Yes Brazil sucks", "I've been robbed there once", "A friend of mine died there" etc etc. I get this every day from brazilians...
Cheers,