By SAMUEL MARTINEZ, age 11
The protests in Brazil were initially sparked by a nine cent increase in bus fares. PHOTO: Semilla Luz
Since June 11, people across Brazil have been staging protests against the government. Brazil will host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016, and both events will cost the government an estimated $31 billion dollars. According to the New York Times, $3 billion dollars have already been spent on the construction of stadiums alone. Protesters argue that this is unnecessary spending that could be used to fund better hospitals, schools and other public programs in the country. They are also protesting high taxes and increased political corruption. Most recently, demonstrators have cried out against the costs associated with Pope Francis’ recent visit to Brazil. AP estimated that the trip cost Brazil between $145 and $159 million.
The wave of protests was originally sparked by a nine cent increase in bus fares in parts of the country which brought the bus fare up to $1.47 in São Paulo. This means that a Brazilian making minimum wage might spend up to 26 percent of their income on bus fare.
Brazilian political analyst Alexandre Barros notes, “The economy isn’t growing and prices are rising. People can no longer consume as much as they want, creating anger and fear in the middle class.”
Recent demonstrations have become increasingly violent. In the first two weeks of demonstrations, six protesters were killed. Additionally, protesters have blocked off the Port of Santos, Latin America’s largest port, and have set up roadblocks and barricades throughout the country.
Although bus fares were brought back down following the demonstrations, protesters continue to speak out against larger problems like corruption and police violence in their country.
this article made me think about Brazil more and how places of the world are trying to change for the good not the bad, and yes i am harry styles new wife 😉
I think that Brazil should spend less money on the world cup and more money on things that matter like schools, hospitals and more housing for people that actually need it.
They should cut down in spending for construction because Brazilians have spent R$600 billion(Brazilian currency) and government needs to know that Brazilians earn $361 or R$722 minimum wage. Also,The bus fare should decrease more in order for Brazilians to have an affordable life (food, transportation, and necessities)
They should build homes for the poor instead of stadiums
I think this article was informational. I agree with the fact that they should be spending money on more important things such as schools, hospitals, etc. People should think about the more important things rather than stadiums.
I think the Brazilians should be mad about the spending on sports stadiums than education or jobs.
i cant believe that this is happening in brazil
I think that the government should keep spending money on sports and olympics
They should use the money for hospitals and schools
I disagree with the fact that the Olympics and World Cup are bad uses of money. I think that they are very fun sports to watch and could even bring in money. If enough people want to watch and come then they will pay money to come and watch the television programs. Everyone else in the world would be very disspointed to hear that others protested so they could not watch or be in lovely sports in the Olympics.
I think Brazil should use that money on public programs. People shouldn’t have to pay higher taxes for something they don’t even agree with. They should just help the economy grow instead of raising prices.
I think this topic is very interesting!
I don’t know much about this topic but now I want to learn much more.
I think it is very important to stand up for yourself. Which they did. Even though the government might not listen to them they are still trying. I really admire that. I personally think that the money should be used to help hospitals and schools to. Or just simply give all the money they will spend to charity.
I think this is a major problem. I think the people are also upset with why they raised the bus taxes. So I think if I was in the same situation as these people I would also be upset. I also think they are now protesting more because they have a reason. They probably wanted to protest the other reasons before, but not too many people would have joined. I think the bus taxes finally got them into working and now they’re trying even more to help Brazil.
They can use the money to help the schools and help kids learn. Also they can use the money to give to the hospitals.
Ithink that Brazil spend the money on sports and the Olympics.
I think that the article is very informative about the problems of the people of Brazil with the government like bus fares,anger about the government holding the world cup and Olympics,high taxes, and government corruption.
I think that this article was very interesting and gave a lot of good information about the protest against Brazil.I agree with the fact that we should not be using our money to pay for sports related things,we should use our money for more important things.Like schools and hospitals.
I think that the Brazilian government should spend their money to suit the people in their economy Instead of spending billions of dollars on the Olympic games. A portion of the Brazilians governments money should go to building a better economy. For example, spending money on schools and hospitals can have a better and beneficial outcome.
i think what the government is doing is not good because the world cup is this year and the olympics is in 2016 and i think its not a good idea because brazil needs money for important things like more hospitals and more important things that they need also they should cut down the bus fairs to make it less money because its being expensive and bills are going up but that dose not help the economy its not fair for the people and the government needs to make up his mind and make better desitions.
The article is very true they should stop spending money on things that the really don’t need then other things they really need for example education they are really poor on education. If they spend the money on education they will see in the future that it will be worth it. The Olympics and the World Cup just the Olympics are a billion dollars then they have the World Cup that has to be almost over a billion dollars but only if they spent this money all to schools and upgrade there education positively more Brazilians will be more successful and there near future.
I think that the government could use there money for better things, like for police stations and schools,and hospital. The government is using the money for stadiums, when there is poor people who like in Brazil, and there might be people on the streets who need a job, or need a house and money, and there is people who can not afford to take a bus or a train to go to there job, or to see relatives. The government’s estimate for how much the money should be is 31 million dollars. And there could be a fist fight in the stadium, some people don’t take well to losing, some people might put some one in the hospital, then being that there is a bloody mistake, when that happens and if it is a different country then whatever country’s person gets hurt then that country can sue Brazil.
I think that this is unfair, because the people have to spend money on the bus far, and they might not have enough money for food and other important things like schools,police station and stores.
What I think the government of Brazil is doing is unfair to the people. If I lived in Brazil i would move from there. That’s not cool the government should be ashamed of themselves.
I changed my mind. I think that the government should not keep spending $31 billion dollars on sports stadium and big sports events, but they should be spending money on schools, houses for people who don’t have much, and on buildings for people to work and money to feed there children who don’t eat because their parents can’t work.
I think its a bad idea that Brazil is using a lot of there money on the 2014 Brazilian cup and the 2016 Olympics. They should use their money on better education because because a good percent of Brazilians can’t afford to go to school and i think it would be very nice to give that money to them. Secondly, they should use their money on better technology for schools and just for anybody. This is why i think its a bad idea that they are using their money on things that don’t matter.
I think they should use money for school and health and technology, not for Olympics.