Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 13 december 2017

Homeless in Rio skyrockets, creating tensions, violence

ing economic crisis has led man rights. “We have nev-
to an influx of thousands of er had such a large num-
homeless people, creating ber in the streets.”
a climate of tension that Tensions have been steadi-
city officials are scrambling ly increasing, particularly in
to address. affluent and touristy neigh-
Warm temperatures and borhoods where residents
miles of beaches have long and businesses are frustrat-
made Brazil’s most famous ed with the throngs of peo-
city a place with a large ple sleeping on the streets.
street population. But city In August, a residential
officials say it’s more than building in the iconic Co-
tripled in the last few years, pacabana neighborhood
to an estimated 15,000 installed sprinklers below its
people. awnings to rouse unwant-
While many U.S. cities have ed campers below. The
experienced sharp increas- city later forced the sprin-
es in people living outdoors klers to be removed.
thanks to rising housing People in several afflu-
prices amid a recovering ent neighborhoods post
economy, in Rio the driving messages on community
factors have been fallout Facebook groups urging
from Brazil’s worst reces- police to act and implor-
Homeless get their hair cut in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Hundreds of homeless showed up to the park sion in decades and long- ing neighbors not to feed
where the city offered services that ranged from free haircuts to recovering documents and help standing inequalities. the homeless.
with job searches. Today’s homeless in Rio In some cases, violence
(AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) include thousands who has erupted. Forty-year-
By PETER PRENGAMAN the person, but believes it was raising him died five came from other states for old Fernanda Rodrigues
Associated Press was a resident in the neigh- years ago. “To many peo- work before the 2014 World dos Santos was fatally shot
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — borhood — had slashed his ple, we are rats, garbage Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics in the chest while sleeping
One night about a year nose with broken glass from or whatever thing.” and subsequently lost their in the street in Copaca-
ago, Leandro Mota Gen- a Vodka bottle. He awoke “That is the reality, and jobs. “Rio de Janeiro is fac- bana in October. Police
eroso was sleeping on a in a pool of blood. now there are many more ing the worst possible sce- say 24-year-old Rodrigo
street in downtown Rio de “I can’t sleep at night any- homeless in the streets,” nario when it comes to the Gomes Rodrigues, a medi-
Janeiro when he felt some- more,” said Generoso, 23, he added. A year after homeless,” said Pedro Fer- cal student who lives in the
thing jagged strike his face. who has been homeless Rio de Janeiro hosted the nandes, the city’s secretary neighborhood, has con-
Somebody — he didn’t see since the grandfather who Olympic Games, a grind- of social assistance and hu- fessed to the killing. Police
say he and a friend argued
Massive pilgrimage honors Mexico’s Virgin of Guadalupe earlier in the night with an-
other homeless person,
went to get a gun and re-
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hun- appeared before indig- more were injured. display. Once there, they turned looking for revenge.
dreds of thousands of Ro- enous peasant Juan Di- The state’s interior depart- often sleep on the pave- “How many Fernandas are
man Catholic pilgrims con- ego in 1531. But Tuesday’s ment said the pilgrims ment, awaiting a turn to still in the streets?” said Wil-
verged Tuesday on Mexico pilgrimage was overshad- were headed back to their see the image. They begin ham Rodrigues dos Santos,
City’s Basilica of Guadal- owed after 11 people died hometown of Huejotzingo, arriving days before; Mex- Fernanda’s brother. “We
upe to mark the day of the in a highway accident as in Puebla state, on Tues- ico City police estimated can’t accept that this ag-
Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexi- they returned from the ba- day when the accident that, as of Monday, over 3 gression becomes normal.”
co’s patroness. silica. Authorities in the cen- occurred. The mainly poor million pilgrims had already “There is a repressive move-
The faithful ride bicycles, tral state of Puebla said the and working-class pilgrims come. Because the physi- ment to keep people from
walk or take rickety trucks pilgrims were killed ehen often don’t get enough cal space can’t hold them helping the homeless,”
and buses every Dec. 12 the truck they were riding in protection for their proces- all, many pay their respects said Maia, referring to the
to reach the image of the crashed into another truck sions to the basilica, where and leave before Dec. calls on social media not to
dark-skinned Virgin, who on a highway. Thirteen the Virgin’s image is on 12.q give food or money. q