Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 28 September 2018

Brazil museum fire sparks soul searching about spending

when some clearly avoid-
able tragedy occurs.”
The museum had a yearly
budget of $1.75 million,
most of which came from
Federal University of Rio
de Janeiro. It got about
$125,000 in the past from
other agencies, such as the
Culture Ministry, but those
funds had fallen to $90,000
this year, according to mu-
seum officials.
Some funds came from the
cost of admission to the
museum, about $1.25 per
visitor.
In the wake of the fire,
some government minis-
ters blamed the university
for not spending enough
to maintain the museum.
The university, which has
about 70,000 students, says
its overall budget has been
squeezed as well, falling
from $112 million to $102
million in 2017. So far this
year, it has only received
$94 million for all its activi-
ties.
Officials said that has trans-
lated into cuts to many
In this Sept. 2, 2018 file photo, flames engulf Brazil’s National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Associated Press things, including museum
maintenance.
By MAURICIO SAVARESE times. torched, including Egyp- Maracana Stadium would Frustration over the loss has
Associated Press While the cause is still un- tian antiquities, Brazilian have paid for 2,400 years seeped into the country’s
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — der investigation, the loss indigenous art and docu- of maintenance for the Na- presidential campaign.
Long before Brazil’s Na- is causing belated soul- ments going back hun- tional Museum.” Before the fire, only two of
tional Museum went up in searching about why Latin dreds of years. Discussions about spending the main presidential can-
flames, the people who ran America’s largest econo- The budget-squeezed mu- priorities come at a time didates had mentioned in-
it were pleading for help to my had devoted so few re- seum had spent only $4,000 when Brazilians have been vestment in culture in their
renovate the dilapidated sources to protecting and on safety equipment such battered by near-daily rev- platforms: environmental-
200-year-old building that maintaining the museum, as fire alarms and extin- elations of vast sums raked ist Marina Silva and left-
held much of the nation’s housed in a structure built guishers from 2015 to 2017, off of public contracts by leaning Fernando Haddad.
historical and scientific heri- for Brazil’s now-defunct roy- according to Contas Aber- political corruption, in to- Since the blaze, other can-
tage. al family. tas — “Open Accounts” in tal several billion dollars didates have been promis-
They appealed for $4.2 mil- “Brazil can’t set its priorities. English — a nonprofit that over more than a decade. ing more consistent funding
lion in private donations I still can’t believe this trag- tracks spending. Mean- Launched in 2014, the and more attention to such
three years ago — but re- edy happened,” university while, it said, Brazil’s Con- “Car Wash” investigation institutions, though they
ceived just $240,000, ac- dean Roberto Lehrer told gress signed a $120,000 into inflated construction have been light on details.
cording to the Federal The Associated Press in a contract last year to wash contracts and kickbacks Silva called the fire “a lo-
University of Rio de Ja- recent interview. “It isn’t the cars of 19 lawmakers. to politicians has brought botomy in the Brazilian
neiro, which oversees the only the state that failed The museum languished down dozens of the coun- people” and pledged to
museum. They’d turned the museum, it is also our even as the country lav- try’s biggest names, includ- increase funds for museums
to businesses for aid be- society. There’s money for ished billions of dollars on ing jailed former President if elected. Haddad said “it
cause government funds Disney shows in Rio, but not sports stadiums and pub- Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. is regrettable to see such
were declining as officials for the museum.” lic works to host the 2014 Ney Santos, chairman of neglect” in several Brazil-
slashed budgets to cope Hours after the fire, Brazil- World Cup and 2016 Sum- Observatorio Social do Bra- ian museums and cultural
with a recession. ian President Michel Temer mer Olympics. Roughly $1 sil, another nonprofit that institutions, and promised
The lack of investment may allocated $2.5 million in billion was spent on the tracks public spending, change if elected.
have doomed the muse- emergency funds for the Mane Garrincha Stadium said Brazil clearly has the One exception is poll lead-
um, which was gutted on museum, leading many to in the capital of Brasilia, resources to finance small er Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right
Sept. 2 and lost most of its lament that it took a trag- and it’s barely used today, operations like the National congressman who some-
20 million artifacts, many edy for authorities to make despite costing $170,000 a Museum. times associates culture
of them literally priceless, a priority of a national trea- month in maintenance. “The money exists, but and art with left-leaning
including what it likely the sure. While there is not yet The news website UOL re- those resources are wasted politics.“It caught fire al-
oldest human fossil in the a full accounting of what cently compared spending all year round,” said Santos. ready. What do you want
Americas. It was among was lost, museum adminis- on the museum to Rio de “Brazil’s society is less vocal me to do?” Bolsonaro told
the greatest blows to a mu- trators have estimated 90 Janeiro’s most famed soc- than in other countries, and reporters a few days after
seum anywhere in recent percent of its holdings were cer venue: “Upgrades to only wakes up momentarily the blaze.q