Brasil Observer #25 - English Version by Brasil Observer

B R A S I L O B S E R V E R LONDON EDITION

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ISSN 2055-4826

MARCH/2015

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GUILHERME ARANEGA / ESTÚDIO RUFUS (WWW.RUFUS.ART.BR)

T R A E H T F O E STAT

TOP BRAZILIAN BUSINESSES VISIT ADVANCED RESEARCH CENTRE IN THE UK WHERE PARTNERSHIP POSSIBILITIES EXIST

BRAZIL’S PUZZLE On the streets, people react to austerity and corruption ELZA FIÚZA/AGÊNCIA BRASIL

BEAUTIFUL GAME A humorous vision for the Brazil vs. Chile friendly in London RAFAEL RIBEIRO/CBF

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

SUMMARY 4 6 8 10 14 16 18 21 24 26 30

IN FOCUS London focuses on Latin America

LONDON EDITION

GUEST COLUMNIST Vassiliki Constantinidou on Brazil and Greece

Is a monthly publication of ANAGU UK UN LIMITED founded by:

PROFILE Sebastian Ramos and the London Fashion Week’s catwalk

ANA TOLEDO Operational Director ana@brasilobserver.co.uk

GLOBAL BRAZIL A new “Industrial Revolution” is on its way in the UK

GUILHERME REIS Editorial Director guilherme@brasilobserver.co.uk

BR-UK CONNECTION Restored movies of Hitchcock are exhibited in Sao Paulo BRASILIANCE Dissatisfaction and agitation: the pieces of the puzzle Brazil

ROBERTA SCHWAMBACH Financial Director roberta@brasilobserver.co.uk

CONECTANDO From Foz do Iaguçu, a university that inspires Latin America

ENGLISH EDITOR Kate Rintoul Kate@brasilobserver.co.uk Shaun Cumming shaun@investwrite.co.uk

GUIDE Seleção plays against Chile in London... so what? CULTURAL TIPS

LAYOUT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Jean Peixe peixe@brasilobserver.co.uk

COLUMNISTS

CONTRIBUTORS Cati Calixto, Francisco Denis, Franko Figueiredo, Gabriela Lobianco, Juliana Resende, Leticia Faddul, Michael Landon, Ricardo Somera, Rômulo Seitenfus, Vassiliki Constantinidou, Wagner de Alcântara Aragão

TRAVEL

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brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

E D I T O R I A L

A TORMENTED COUNTRY

This edition of Brasil Observer will circulate in London from Friday 13 March. A day of bad luck, some people would say. The focus, however, is on what could happen on Sunday 15, the day on which several Brazilian cities will likely experience protests, with people asking for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff (Workers Party). It’s difficult to predict what could happen. In a country like Brazil, where the narrative of events remains in the hands of a few, the political and economic interests of a minority usually overlap facts – regardless of ideological position. Thus, it is safe to say that while some will use the demonstrations to destabilise the government, others will try to delegitimise the protests. Here, the two sides fail. The Brasil Observer considers the right of protest and expression as a fundamental pillar of democracy – because of that we support a democratic reform of the media, so that radio and television public concessions meet the criteria set out in the 1988 Constitution. We believe, therefore, that the protests against the current government – and any other government – are legitimate. We do not shy away. But it should be said, there is currently no legal basis for impeachment. The removal of the President is laid down in Article 85 of the Constitution and can happen in cases of crimes of responsibility, among which are crimes against the existence of the Union, the exercise of political, social and individual rights and against administrative probity. Until proven otherwise, no evidence links Dilma Rousseff to any criminal action (when there is intention). Moreover, Brazil does not live an institutional crisis – the Operation Car Wash, which is investigating irregularities in Petrobras, proves that democratic institutions are functioning. The political turmoil is mainly caused by the economic stagnation – as well as the corruption scandals and the lack of ability of Rousseff to deal with Congress. After Rousseff’s re-election, Brasil Observer pointed out that in defining the strategy for the resumption of growth was the main trap for the government. As predicted, adopting measures were fought during the election campaign – fiscal adjustment – to gain credibility with the market and the opposition. Rousseff lost political capital. Worse: she lost the support of those who voted for her.

It was naive to believe that by doing what her opponents wanted, she could appease the spirits of those who did not give her the vote. Result: widespread dissatisfaction (read Wagner Aragão’s report on page 16). This climate of political instability is bad for the central and immediate problem facing the country: economic stagnation. If the government cannot articulate in Congress the fiscal adjustment measures that almost all agree are necessary, what is there to say about other key initiatives to unlock the economic growth, such as labour and tax reforms. An impeachment would aggravate this, with more damaging consequences to the achievements of the last decade. On corruption, an ancient and chronic problem in the country, Brasil Observer does not detract: in power, the Workers Party proves itself as unable to follow different path from the one adopted traditionally by all other parties. The trial and possible conviction of politicians and executives of large companies indicted by the Operation Car Wash fills the country with hope. By itself, however, this is not enough. Companies investigated for irregularities in contracts with Petrobras are among the largest donors to political campaigns. Almost all parties receive donations from companies that obviously aim to ensure future benefits. This is one of the greatest evils of our young democratic system, as it distorts the basic concept of one person, one vote, and still generates endless possibilities of corruption. To seriously address the problem, is necessary a political reform that at least prohibits donations to political campaigns by private companies. Finally, it is worth to say that the Workers Party is wrong to say the movements for Rousseff’s impeachment is a manifestation of white elite driven by class hatred. Undeniably, it does exist, but this does not fully explain the friction of the party in power since 2002. It’s not just the elite who are dissatisfied with the current government. The social and economic advances of the last decade have not been accompanied by greater political and democratic awareness among citizens – and not among the parties as well. The reflection of this is what we see today: a tormented country that, months after the elections, still does not know what the outcome of the polls meant.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

IN FOCUS

In a country like Brazil, where the majority of the population, including the hegemonic media, prefers the comfort of dependency, active foreign policy is seen as a problem Brazil’s Former Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Celso Amorim, during a presentation at the London School of Economics

LONDON FOCUSES ON LATIN AMERICA

Upcoming Latin American Events

17 March Energy Geopolitics and the New World Order - the Implications for Brazil - Given the fall in oil prices and the agreement between the US and China on climate change, the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain hosts event that will analyse the new geopolitics around energy resources and the implications for Brazil. Taylor Wessing, 5 New Street Square. £10 members / £30 for nonmembers.

18 March The Americanization of Brazil Foreign Relations, 1889-1914 King’s College’s Brazil Institute and Canning House receive Leslie Bethell for a lecture on Brazil’s relations with the United States and Spanish America republics between in the period from 1889 - the year of the Brazilian Republic Proclamation - to the First World War. The talk will include the ideas of Barão de Rio Branco, Joaquim Nabuco and Manoel de Oliveira Lima. King’s College Strand Building (S -1.06). The lecture is open to the public, with no need for prior registration.

24 March The Future of Energy in Latin America - bright prospects? - A conference held by Canning House analyses the renewable energy sector in Latin America, highlighting the opportunities for UK investments and the possibilities to diversify the energy production in the region. Canning House, 14/15 Belgrave Square. Price: £20 for members / £40 for non-members.

25 March Drugs Policy in Latin America - Canning House anticipates the debates of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs, on 19-21 April in New York with a focus on Latin American policy. Canning House, 14/15 Belgrave Square. Price: £10 for members / £15 for non-members.

By Guilherme Reis

Some can argue that Latin America no longer attracts as much international attention as before. After a decade of economic growth (boosted mainly by the boom in the raw materials market), some economies in the region are facing the risk of stagnation. Therefore, international investors are wondering: is it worth being there? First point, is to understand exactly which Latin America we are talking about. There seems to be a consensus that, in each of the region’s countries, there exists at least two different countries. Not only because of their cultural diversity, but mainly the social inequality that causes deep societal divisions that can be bad for local people - and also for international investors. Were Latin America a more homogeneous, integrated and aligned in relation to political and economic strategies, surely the task of understanding and participating in regional development would be easier. But in the same way that, when you create an atmosphere of excitement, many problems are hidden, opportunities also become more difficult to be captured and utilised when the reality is so divided. In an environment where very often perception is worth more than reality, what is real is not seen. In this sense, two events held in February in London, with completely different approaches, set out to foster a more comprehensive understanding of what is happening in Latin America. The first, held by the Institute of Latin American Studies of the University of London, tried to analyse the ten years of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA), established in 2004 by the then presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Fidel Castro of Cuba. Currently with 11 members (Brazil is not one of them) the intergovernmental organisation was born under the ideal of building the 21st Century Socialism, opposing the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Its actions are aimed at increasing economic, political and social integration of the region through the concepts of solidarity, cooperation and complementarity between the nations.

Of the experiences presented at the conference, two stood out. One regarding the Sucre, the common virtual currency of ALBA, and the other on the attempts to build a Communal Economic System. For Stephanie Pearce, a doctoral candidate at Queen Mary College, University of London, although the complementary currency has been created to reduce the influence of the dollar in the region and eliminate the financial costs of economic transactions between the ALBA countries, “Sucre has not reached its full potential,” being used almost exclusively between Venezuela and Ecuador. After pointing out the positive aspects that she witnessed in Venezuela with the operation of the Social Production Enterprises and Family Production Units, Helen Yaffe, of the University of Leicester, a questioned the transition to socialism in a context of economic dependence. For her, “the Bolivarian government avoided conflict with the capitalist elite” and failed in the conduct of public spending not diversifying national production. This point was also emphasised by Jose Manuel Pontes, from the University of Oxford, for whom the ALBA will only continue to develop if not more dependent on Venezuela, which has always been the great financier of the group, but now faces a serious economic crisis made worse by the falling rice of oil. The second event also dealt with the economic development in Latin America, but from a more liberal perspective. Organised by the London Business School, the tenth edition of the Latin American Business Forum revolved around two main panels, one on competitiveness and the other, looking at the polarisation between free market and state control and looking for a possible middle ground for countries in the region to achieve equitable growth. In general, everyone seemed to agree that Latin American countries need to become more efficient in public spending, reducing corruption, increasing the percentage of investment to GDP and focus on infrastructure and education, so that there is a relevant impact on productivity. “Productivity in Latin America was 20% in the 1960s and 1970s in comparison with the developed countries. Today it is 40% to 50%,” said the Head Econo-

mist of Patria Investment, Luis Fernando Lopes. “The more the country grows, the more productive it is,” he added. Leonardo Uehara, Managing Partner of management consultants Visagio, pointed out the need to modernise labour laws in Brazil. “Today every state has its own regulations. How can a company expand?”. Uehara said that “if Brazil wants to be competitive, its companies must to invest abroad.” For him, Brazilian companies have great a advantage in other emerging markets: “we understand better.” Wenceslao Bunge, Managing Director at Credit Suisse, said that “the only way to be competitive exporting raw material is by reducing the cost of production”, adding value to the application of technological resources. On the effects of corruption, Bunge argued that “when the institutions are more important than people, the country has the means to achieve economic success.” In the second panel, there were a lot of talks about the role of the private sector in the Latin American economy. Alejandro Puente, Chief Relationship Officer at Banco Comportamos, said the region offered “many opportunities because there are many needs.” And that “free trade agreements are good starting points, but not enough.” A similar view was shared by Francisco Gordillo Pírez, Ambassador of Uruguay in the World Trade Organisation, for whom “before the agreement, we must do the homework”, otherwise the national economy can be severely hampered. Before closing the forum, the former Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Herrera addressed the audience. He recalled the creation of Mercosur in the early 1990s, and said he no longer recognised the organisation because it had lost focus of free trade and now has political objectives. Herrera said he thinks an agreement between Mercosur and the European Union is unlikely, showing more sympathetic to a pact between Latin American countries and the United States. Overcoming the alleged dichotomy of the “free market vs. state control” is the great challenge of almost all Latin American countries. Something so naive as to believe that one of these ideologies, alone, can lead Latin America to the full development.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

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brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

GUEST COLUMNIST

THE APPARENT AND THE HIDDEN What do the current governments of Brazil and Greece have in common? And who is interested in destabilising them? By Vassiliki Constantinidou g

Vassiliki Constantinidou is a journalist and wrote a book, in Portuguese, on the story of Greek immigrants in Brazil

Although it may seem strange, I’ll tell you about a recent dream. I was walking in a crowded street: people coming and going immersed in their thoughts, certainties and doubts. The day was clear and the sun shining. But gradually, a grey cloud took over the sky, capping sunlight, although it was possible to see luminosities around it. This picture illustrates the moment we are living since the crisis of 2008. When my thoughts fly to Greece, I know that people are seeing the rays and light the shadows try to hide. It is the light of hope that they see. Here in Brazil, we see the same sun, but what people look are the shadows ahead. Shadows of an economic elite boiling hatred against a party and a president, as it does not accept losing its privileges. Apparently, the two countries are treading opposite paths. Greece is negotiating with the European Union the way out of the economic depression. Brazil, which until last year avoided the crisis, maintaining good levels of income and employment, is performing some adjustments, which in fact are austerity measures. Leave the economic intricacies to the experts. The leaders of the two countries now face an uphill battle in the economic and social field, but also live a very delicate political moment. Only popular support could provide stability to their actions. I have followed and lived the trajectory of these two countries that are part of my life story. In Greece are my ancestral roots; in Brazil, the land that formed and welcomed my immigrant parents and me. How could can such different countries from an economic and historic point of view have something in common? Let’s remember that the two governments were elected democratically in a tight race between conservative and progressive forces. I was in Greece last year, before the elections. The results of the elections confirmed the climate of simply unsustainable situations that ran through squares, homes and streets of Athens. The victory of Syriza opened new possibilities to modify the depression table facing the country, caused by the economic crisis that began in 2008. It is also an encouragement to the European countries experiencing

the same situation. To assist the government in its endeavour, there are the popular support and the majority of Congress. The re-election of Dilma Rousseff in Brazil was a clear response to the need of increasing social achievements that the PT (Workers Party) government and its allies developed since 2002, when Lula was elected. This translates into social inclusion programs that serve as an example for all developing countries. It is also a sign of the urgency of policy and tax reforms to the country following the growth track. However, the intensification of conservative and progressive forces during the elections and the election of a conservative Congress hinders the achievement of these goals. In 2012, Alexis Tsipras and some of the Syriza members were in Brazil and other countries in South America. I attended a meeting with him, organized by the Greek community in Brazil. There were a number of other meetings with representatives of various parties, one of them in the Lula Institute, with the former president. Tsipras and his party wanted to know the alternatives adopted by Brazil to maintain the level of growth despite the crisis. At the time, in an informal conversation, Lula explained that the Brazilian economy was structured and conjectural conditions allowed, even in the crisis, raised the minimum wage, maintaining the level of income and wages, not to fall into recession. Humbly, Lula said it was Brazil that should ask for alternatives to Europe on the issue of social welfare, because we were at least 30 years late on this issue. What do these two leaders have in common? Probably it is the rescue of the dignity of their people. In Greece, Tsipras election rescued the Greek dignity that during these years of depression was stifled by economic power, which led the population to a hopeless situation, humiliation and suffering. Lula, for the sociologist Emir Sader, “was the one who rescued the dignity of the Brazilian people, its poorest, particularly in the northeast. He recognized their rights, developed policies that favoured their living conditions and a spectacular recovery of the economy, social conditions and educational system in the northeast”.

Watching from a distance or experiencing the day-to-day, it is perceived in both countries a movement, powered by the right-wing thinking on policy, business and religious factions, to destabilise the government. In Greece, the media tries to disqualify Alexis Tsipras and his party holding up the bail-out. They worry more about the lack of tie than with the results of negotiations with the European Union. In Brazil, the major news corporations spread hatred, manipulating and omitting information. The garbage that is being taken under the carpet, with accusations of corruption in various segments of Brazilian society, is bringing up a state structure in the service of the privileged classes (business and political). And that is only being possible because there is a democratic government with political will to modify the existing structures, in defence of the most vulnerable. This is something unforgivable to the Brazilian elites. The desire for justice and to improve the conditions of the disadvantaged may be the common point between Tsipras and Rousseff. Although from different backgrounds, in this world where economic power calls the shots, shadows investing in the destabilization of the two governments are the same. It is known that each new crisis of capitalism, someone has to pay the bill. Usually the onus is on the poorer classes of society. And it is against this practice that the two fights taking into account the reality, peculiarities and characteristics of their countries. Our daily life is populated with certainty without knowledge, without memory; handling and nonconformity of conservative forces that lost the elections; a hegemonic journalism committed to the ruling classes, failing on historical information. We are losing track of each other, tolerance and diversity. There is an on-going “evil coarseness” as wrote Eliane Brum in his column in El País. This fight may be swimming against the current, as many say that “the world is like that” to justify inequalities and perpetuate privileges. The polls of the two countries have shown the will to build a more just, fraternal and democratic world. If we really live in a democracy, it needs to be respected.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

PROFILE

SEBASTIAN RAMOS AND THE CATWALK Love is a bit of a combination of romance and sensuality. Which designer could have a theme like this, unless we’re talking about Sebastian Ramos? The Brazilian designer returned to London Fashion Week in February to present his new collection, showing that his style lives up to the motto of the season. In his show, Sebastian showed transparencies, lace and flowers to inspire women to squander his eternally romantic side, with a touch of sensuality. French lace and fabric flower-shaped were combined to represent this sensual and romantic duality of the most anticipated season of the year. The designer was inspired by the parks of London in those days when the flowers are being born and the smell of spring is in the air. “I am delighted by the flowers of London and like to analyse every detail. This collection brings all my floral inspiration. Flowers in London are in my dresses subtly, as part of the details. I tried to reproduce the delicacy and sophistication of buttons and petals, especially the Cherry Blossom”, said Sebastian to Brasil Observer. On the choice of colours, Sebastian stressed the importance of well-being while wearing. Colours and fabrics appropriate to remember the moment of creation. “The colours have great influence on the temperature. Also can stimulate the humour, the daily life of each person,” argued the designer. The dresses from the collection “Spring Feelings” can be defined in three words: lace, embroidery and transparency. Featuring long and short dresses, the palette ranges from black, ivory, red and soft pink. Sebastian revealed the secrets of creation and said to be based on the dress contact with the skin of the model. “I seek always choose fabrics that enhance the cut of the dress and women’s bodies. I’ve been around the world studying the tissues that have the perfect trim that accentuate the silhouette. My trick is to always put the cloth on the body of a model, before cutting. Thus the cut is perfect, and in a sophisticated shape.” For the designer, each step flows naturally in the creation process. “After the inspiration phase and project outline with sketches, shot the measures and then do the cuts. I will create the basis for each measure on the dummy and then I cover the base with jewels and details. The result is what you see on the catwalk.” Asked about the preparation leading up to the London Fashion Week, the designer said work full time to influence the well-dressed women. He understands that his creations impact on female behaviour and know how to deal with this very well. “The preparation for London Fashion Week is intense. Hours of work and dedication. It is the week in which the designers have the dedication of more than half a year of work. The week shows that fashion is ever more present in daily life, especially in the streets of London, where people are not afraid to use what is being released on the catwalks.”

RÔMULO SEITENFUS

By Rômulo Seitenfus

Brazilian designer returns to London Fashion Week and presents a collection based on sensuality and romance

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

GLOBAL BRAZIL DIVULGATION

A NEW

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

Entrance of AMRC

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

During Open Innovation Week, top Brazilian businesses visit the ‘state-ofthe-art’ manufacturing research facility operated by Sheffield University and Boeing rising partnerships possibilities g

By Juliana Resende, from Sheffield, special for Brasil Observer

Those who associate Sheffield to the bleak and amusing scenes of the unemployed steelworkers who become strippers in the British film The Full Monty are not entirely wrong. High unemployment and a fragile local economy are part of the city’s not so distant past. But the traces of these hard times of the Steel City, well portrayed in the Oscar winning cult movie, are thankfully becoming memories as Sheffield enters a new phase sheltering one of the world’s most modern centres of innovation in advanced manufacturing research: the AMRC (Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre). I was lucky enough to be part of a Brazilian delegation formed by representatives from SENAI (National Service of Industrial Apprentice), CNI-MEI (Business Mobilisation for Innovation of the National Confederation of Industries) and Smyowl, a startup from the Faculty of Engineering of Sorocaba (Facens), who were making their first trip to the site. The Brazilian delegation visited AMRC during Open Innovation Week, an event organised by the Science and Innovation Network of UK Trade & In-

vestment (UKTI), the British government agency that promotes partnerships between Britain and the world. It’s fair to say the Brazilians seemed very impressed by their trip to Sheffield. After all, the success of AMRC is hopefully a model that could be adopted in Brazil. Located in the Advanced Manufacturing Park, the AMRC is a high-tech complex of 420 thousand square meters, which encompasses five institutions researching everything from components for the aerospace industry to human prostheses made of ultra-advanced materials, through to turbines, drones and robots. It was in a virtual reality session showing the assembly of a type of ‘next generation’ engine that Alberto Xavier Pavim, an expert in Industrial Development of SENAI, had most joy. “My colleagues Marcelo Prim and André Nascimento, also experts of Industrial Development, led the SENAI team to visit the potential international partners in Britain. Our trip aimed to identify research, development and partners, who have an interest in working alongside SENAI, an innovation institute from Brasil, as part of a special public call for innova-

tion from SENAI in cooperation with the Newton Fund”, said Pavim. “We’ve been quite impressed with AMRC due to its dimension and research results. From the outset of our visit we could see the positive and impactful effect of collaborative action between business, academia and other actors of Britain’s innovation ecosystem. “The infrastructure available at AMRC reflects the very best in the areas in applied research, including a clear commitment from the partners that make up this innovation environment, as well as investment in the buildings, and purchase of specialist equipment”, Pavim added, noting that the centre is also financed in part by strategic government initiatives. “During the visit, we saw integrated actions between Boeing, Rolls Royce and Sheffield University. The obtained results of this environment are significant and positively impact the university’s academic curriculum, showing that the actions of the different actors in this ecosystem result in mutual benefit, and ultimately to the benefit of the British society itself ” concluded Pavim. JULIANA RESENDE

Richard Caborn and John Baragwanath chat with Brazilian delegation at AMRC

CITY OF STEEL While the rest of the delegation was happy immersing themselves in augmented reality, a question begged: why Sheffield? The city who’s sky was once leaden with the heavy smoke of steel furnaces that led George Orwell to say it should claim the rank of “the ugliest city in the Old World”, in 1937, conquered a much better status since becoming one of the Core Cities, a collaboration group of the eight biggest UK cities outside London established in 1995. Founded in the Bronze Age, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, home of Arctic Monkeys and of the world’s very first football team, among

other things, Sheffield’s real claim to fame worldwide came from the quality of the knives produced in the city since Saxon times when the then village was created as a strategic commercial point on the banks of the river Sheaf became a leader in the manufacture of cutlery. In the 19th century, Sheffield made history when it was the backdrop for the steel production process. In the 20th century, this city revolutionised the international steel industry with many innovations, such as stainless steel invention. By the 1970s, grey days haunted the city, with high unemployment, due to the decline of the coal-dependent traditional industry, following the miner’s strikes during Margaret Thatcher’s terms in office.

But thankfully the end of the 20th century saw a Phoenix-like Sheffield emerge from the ashes to the forefront of innovation in advanced manufacturing of high added value. Thanks to a consistent national policy of redevelopment of the major British cities in the 90’s. The miners-strikers-strippers Sheffield saw, by 2000, its then shrunken economy increasing circa 5% per year due to fundamental partnerships with the universities of Sheffield and Hallam, from¬ which came out researches for the evolution of modern low-alloy and high strength steels so essential in the 21st century.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

Sheffield and Hallam Universities also began utilising the local reputation and knowledge of steel, building important industry partnerships and leading research into modern steel and manufacturing. AMRC is an example of how the UK – which jumped from tenth to the second most innovative country in the world, according to the Global Innovation Index 2014 – is reinventing its industrialisation, focusing mainly on the potential of regions outside Greater London. This decentralisation model of knowledge and production centres, linking research (university) and market application (industry) is being replicated in other regions and continues to inspire governments, businesses and insights from several countries – including Brazil. The AMRC is now “the most complete advanced research translation of high value manufacturing” said the vicechancellor of the University of Sheffield, Sir Keith Burnett. “The centre is like an ‘independent department’ of the university”. And AMRC is preparing an impressive expansion of its ‘Factory of the Future’ for the end of 2015 (read more in the info BOX). AMRC was appointed as the driving force of economic recovery and cited in the main report UniverCities: The Knowledge to Power UK as a reference to provide components of high value manufacturing to multinationals which foster two local clusters on innovation fields: Advanced Manufacturing and Nuclear Manufacturing. The Catapults, as they are called, are financed by the British government through the Innovate UK (the agency for innovation promotion and also name of one of the world’s largest innovation conferences that takes place in November in London). The AMRC also houses a training centre which is a leader in the education of advanced learners into the study of engineering and metallurgy - two areas in which the University of Sheffield was elected first in student satisfaction in 2014 by the Times Higher Education ranking. Interested in exchanging experiences, the AMRC has the Knowledge Transfer Centre that, since 2012, shares discoveries and innovative materials with affiliates and supporters that will be the basis of a new industrial revolution. According to SENAI engineers, “a similar applied research model and cooperation for innovation” interests the Brazilian institution, which currently focuses on a sustainable strategy to introduce new business models to support innovation in Brazil. “To the extent that the organisation is implementing 26 Innovation Institutes entered into a national innovation ecosystem, we aim to build such strategic partnerships with industry, universities, entrepreneurial communities and other stakeholders in the ecosystem.” Through its institutes, SENAI seeks to benefit society, contributing to the necessary change in the technological level of the Brazilian economy. Created in 1942 by the then president Getulio Vargas, SE-

NAI was built to meet a pressing need: the training of qualified professionals required by the incipient industrial base. Already at that time, it was clear that without professional education there would be no industrial development for Brazil. AMRC was born in 2001, as result of collaborations between Professor Keith Ridgway (CBE), who is still the centre’s lead researcher nowadays) and the local businessman Adrian Allen, who began working with Boeing to redirect applied research for new materials for the aviation industry to Sheffield University. Initial funding of £15 million from the European Fund for Regional Development was invested. In 2004, the centre started to expand. Today, more than 200 engineers and several researchers occupy the bold architecture of buildings, prototyping and testing high-tech equipment for the aerospace, medical and high value general manufacturing industries. To integrate academic expertise with the local economy and industry the RISE program was created, including a multidisciplinary committee to promote the growth of the city and the region. Through this scheme, the university works closely with the city of Sheffield to create jobs and attract and retain the best researchers (the campus is home to 26,000 students and staff from 120 countries, five of whom are Nobel Prize winners). No wonder AMRC is seen as a catapult for innovation in the UK and its links to business, in a chain fed by the partnership with technology companies. Side by side with the aerospace giant Boeing, global powers such as Rolls-Royce, Unilever, AstraZeneca, Glaxo SmithKline, Siemens and Airbus are among the 30 British and transnational corporations, along with foreign government agencies and foundations, contributing to the centre’s operation. “Here we are extremely privileged to put visionary work in advanced manufacturing in place, joining academia, government and the market, not only with national coverage, but as a way to keep the British economy competitive in a global stage”, said Richard Wright, executive-director of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce. This public-private effort is something that the Brazilian government intends to replicate through Inova Empresa, channelling investments of R$ 32.9 billion over the next two years towards innovation. For the economist Igor Siqueira Cortez, Industrial Development expert at CNI-MEI, one of the delegates of the Open Innovation Week, working with AMRC would be amazing: “There is a world of opportunities here to be explored”.

INNOVATION IN BRAZIL In Brazil, innovation is supposed to be a priority for Dilma Rousseff ’s government, who want to increase competitiveness and unite the market and research for a generation of new businesses in the areas of health, energy, sustainability and aerospace. Inova Aerodefesa was one of the pillars of the Brazilian innovation pro-

JULIANA RESENDE

EXEMPLARY MODEL

A world of opportunities are here to be explored Igor Siqueira Cortez, economist, specialist in Industrial Development

gram that received more praise from Rousseff in 2014. The program aims to encourage innovation in companies of defence, security, aerospace and specialty materials through public calls administered by FINEP (Financier of Studies and Projects), a public company linked to the Ministry of Science and Technology and established to promote and finance innovation. “The support we give to innovative activities is justified by the fact that the country needs more and more innovation, technology and knowledge”, said the President at the opening of the hangar for the production of KC390 freighter by Embraer, a successful project that generated jobs. However, the road to the top is long and depends on patience and political commitment, regardless of which party is in the government. The report of competitiveness from CNI Competitiveness Brazil showed the country as the second last among the world’s 15 most competitive in 2014.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

Juliana Resende is a journalist, executive-director of content and PR agency BR Press, operating in Sao Paulo and London. She visited AMRC as intern communication manager from the British Consulate in Sao Paulo, invited by the Brazilian Network for Science and Innovation from UKTI. E-mail: Juliana@brpress.net

FACTORY OF THE FUTURE DIVULGAÇÃO

There are talks between the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) and Embraer to develop a research and technological production park inspired by the AMRC experience. Familiar with negotiations with potential Brazilian partners, Richard Carbon, the Labour MP for Sheffield and strategic consultant to the AMRC, gave a presentation to the Brazilian delegation, and seemed eager to get “straight down to business”. “By now, as it is known that ITA has been selected to form the EMBRAPII Unit (Brazilian Enterprise for Industrial Research and Innovation) Aeronautical Manufacturing for Supply Chain in Defence Air Force, the actual chances of partnership with the AMRC do increase considering financing funds from the Brazilian government”, Caborn said, though nothing is yet officially confirmed. The UE-ITA will provide synergy with various divisions of the institution that feature a core unit for Research initiatives, development and innovation with the effective participation of companies and will include the technical coordination of Prof. Dr. Luis Gonzaga Trabasso. For him, “the UE-ITA is an opportunity to increase academic-business integration through agile contracting mechanisms, implementation and verification of Research and Development projects”. It is good to remember that the ITA, as well as the University of São Paulo (USP) have formalised staff exchanges with the University of Sheffield. Tim Cricks, International Partnership director of the University of Sheffield, is already awaiting “a visit from Embraer Vice President to AMRC soon”. In her speech at Embraer, President Rousseff listed the integrated system for monitoring Brazilian land borders, the construction of the geostationary satellite for communications strategies and the program of conventional and nuclear submarines as priorities for innovation. The construction of a Brazilian nuclear submarine, for example, “suffers from the inconsistency in receiving funds”, recalls Prof. Dr. Tharcisio Bierrenbach de Souza Santos, FAAP-MBA the teacher responsible for Globalization and Competitiveness, Economic Scenarios, Corporate Governance and Compliance and Strategic Crisis Management courses, and coordinator of Agenda Brasil, an specific course for journalists in the institute. According to Santos, “focus is necessary and much more investment in education so that innovation can develop in Brazil”.

Construction of Factory 2050, the ‘Factory of the Future’ and the presentation of what the project will look like

The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has grown rapidly in scale and scope and is now preparing to expand the so called “Factory of the Future”. The space has been operating since 2010 and with Rolls-Royce as a key partner. The revised and expanded edition of the Factory of the Future will be AMRC Factory 2050, “a big laboratory for production encompassing various technologies and integrated with various universities”, explained John Baragwanath, OBE, former Royal Airforce communications engineer who when heading up the Innovation Unit of Yorkshire County had an important role in the AMRC’s foundation, which he joined as project director in 2005. In the age of biocomposites and new industrial paradigms made possible by technology, AMRC is focused on the “convergence of all areas”, said Baragwanath, to reinvent itself with the Factory 2050, which should be completed this year and

will give former Sheffield City Airport a new revolutionary purpose. In March, AMRC will host an international convention about the project. Judging by the model available in a video, it is a building of impressive dimensions, with large windows, shaped like a flying saucer, which will be the first all-digital factory in the UK to produce different components of high value at alternating on the periods, production of which will be entirely automated, through robotics and virtual reality. With a cost of £43 million, Factory 2050 will be a milestone in advanced manufacturing industry and follows the concept of a “reconfigurable factory”, which provides high levels of flexibility in relation to what can be produced and when. The goal is to meet the growing demand to enable rapid changes in both product design and effective production techniques. The “Factory of the Future” is de-

signed to allow machines and operating modules to move around in the facilities. Sophisticated monitoring systems will catalog all the processes, generating a high volume of information, which will be compiled and used to maximise results minimising production time while maintaining high quality. The whole operation will use green technology, as its main source of energy is renewable. The new project will also create employment opportunities. Already in the construction phase, Factory 2050 generated 160 jobs and is expected to hire about 75 technicians to operate it upon completion. Not to mention the jobs and indirect investments generated by companies that will settle in the Sheffield region, bringing an estimated £6.4 million to the local economy and contributing with around £2 million annually in Generation of Added Value (GVA).

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

BR-UK CONNECTION

HITCHCOCK ON DISPLAY

EMBASSY OF BRAZIL PROMOTES ARTS AWARDS

A partnership between the British Council Brazil, British Film Institute, Festival of Rio and SESC São Paulo offers a rare opportunity for Hitchcock fans in Brazil DIVULGATION

In 2012, the British Council Brazil, the British Film Institute (BFI) and the Festival of Rio screened a silent film by Alfred Hitchcock with live soundtrack for the first time in Brazil. In the following years, the Brazilian public have enjoyed other silent films that the eternal master of suspense made in his early career. Now, SESC São Paulo is continuing the project with Hitchcock in Concert, offering the opportunity for film buffs to discover four movies: Blackmail, The Farmer’s Wife, Easy Virtue and The Manxman - all displayed at SESC Santana during the first two weekends of March. The films were restored by the BFI, which houses the first and most important existing copies of the great filmmaker’s work. The project was the largest restoration project undertaken by the institute, who have employed various technologies to reveal, layer by layer, new textures, facets and hidden meanings in every movie. “The BFI team reviewed more than 9 million individual frames to bring these films back to life, using seven archival materials from three continents. The result is a fascinating and valuable collection of Hitchcock’s early work, offering a sample of the first fates of his fu-

British filmmaker on the rise in Brazil

ture mastery. The British Council has been working with the BFI to bring these jewels to audiences around the globe, with screenings accompanied by live music,” said Will Massa, film consultant to the British Council in London. It is hoped that this project will give a new Brazilian public the chance to follow the birth of a unique style, marked by the insight and artistic

and technical accomplishments of the young man who would become one of the biggest names in cinema. The partnership, is one of the many fruits of the Transform program (www.transform.britishcouncil.org.br) which has supported cultural and artistic collaboration between Brazil and the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2016 as part of the Olympic legacy.

NUMBER OF BRAZILIAN TOURISTS IN THE UK GROWS Speaking at the Explore GB tourism event in February, Sally Balcombe (photo), the CEO of Visit Britain, announced the provisional data for UK tourism in 2014 and highlighted rising number of Brazilian visitors. According to Balcome, final statistics for last year should show the country welcomed 34.8 million foreign visitors, a 6% increase from 2013, who contributed £21.7 billion, the UK economy, which also was an increase of 3% from the previous year. Regarding the number of Brazillians, the country sent 245,000 visitors, a large 15% increase on 2013. Although the stronger pound seemed to influence spending as Brazilian tourists spent 8% less then the previous year with £215 million spent during their stays. In terms of visitor numbers, the main nationalities to visit were the French (3.93 million), Germans (3.1 million), Americans (2.7 million) and Irish (2.3 million), according to provisional data for January to September 2014.

The Embassy of Brazil, in partnership with Itaú BBA and People’s Palace Projects (Queen Mary University of London) is hosting the first edition of the Visual Arts Award. The 2015 inaugural Visual Arts Award is now open for submissions from all UK-based artists. The Award is focused on the cities of London and Rio de Janeiro, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games hosts, and the thematic links and connections between the two. Various formats of creative works will be accepted, including paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, ceramic and prints (except video installations). The closing date for submissions is 5pm on 17 April 2015. A pre-selection of works chosen by a jury will go on display between 4 – 22 May 2015 at the Embassy, giving the general public the chance to view the works and vote for their favourite piece. Cash prizes, provided by Itaú BBA, will be awarded to the three finalists who will be announced on 22 May. The prize for 1st place is £3,000, and £1,000 for both 2nd and 3rd place. For more information, please visit www.culturalbrazil.org

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

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BRASILIANCE

DISSATISFACTION AND AGITATION Statistics and economic projections do not justify alarmism of the pessimists, but brake euphoria of optimists. On the streets, people react to austerity measures and accusations of corruption By Wagner de Alcântara Aragão

In political and economic terms, Brazil faces one of the most complex moments of the last decade. But despite the daily bombardment of news and information about corruption scandals and unfavourable projections of economic indicators, it’s an exaggeration to say that the country is in a deep, unfixable crisis. There are also satisfactory results in some sectors of the economy. And if the corruption accusations come to the fore more often these days, it does not mean that the deviations by politicians are larger than before; it indicates that fewer misconducts go unnoticed nowadays and are subject to scrutiny. However, there is an almost general feeling that, in relation to the recent social and economic achievements, there are imminent threats. The labour market remains warm and incomes remain high, but the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) could retract in 2015, with higher inflation (see indicators in the box). In addition, there is an on going series of unpopular measures, taken mostly by the federal government but also by state and municipal governments. They are basically increases in taxes that mainly penalise workers with restrictions on welfare benefits, cuts in public services like health and education budgets and tariffs readjustment of urban transport, energy, water and fuel. A set of actions labelled as “fiscal adjustment” that aims to ensure the government’s primary surplus target (economy to pay public debt interests) in 2015, which is 1.2% of GDP – 110 billion reais. In practice, this contributes to feed the climate of dissatisfaction, shortening the path to the crisis. “The fiscal adjustment only deepens the economic, social and political problems in Brazil. The so-called austerity will fall, as always, on the workers, the middle class and the productive sector, reducing the growth margins,” warns Professor of Economics Luciano Wexell Severo, from the Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA). “The supposed austerity only serves to further benefit the financial market, which requires high interest rates and the faithful payment of public debt. The spending cuts hits staff, investments and social infrastructure. Expenditure for debt is untouchable”.

CORRECTION WAY President Dilma Rousseff (Workers Party), on the rare appearances and public statements since she began her second term, has argued that the socalled fiscal adjustment is essential to put the country back on the path of economic growth. “We are now entering a new phase of confrontation of the international crisis, in which steps are necessary for a new path to grow,” she said earlier this month during delivery of 1,472 houses in Arauguaria, Minas Gerais. “We want to further improve what we have achieved. So we are making corrections and adjustments,” she added. Mainly due to the increases in electricity bills and gasoline prices, there is widespread discontent with the beginning of Rousseff ’s second term. The latest research on the popularity of the president available at the time of writing, made by Datafolha and published in February, showed that 44% of respondents consider the government bad and very bad – almost double that of the month earlier, in December, when the percentage was 24%. The rate of those who consider the Rousseff ’s government excellent or good, in turn, dropped from 42% to 23%. The drop in popularity is not affecting President Dilma Rousseff. The same survey identified dissatisfaction with the São Paulo state governor Geraldo Alckmin (Social Democrats) – the percentage of assessing his administration as poor and very poor also nearly doubled, reaching 24% – and the mayor of São Paulo city, Fernando Haddad (Workers Party) – 44% of poor and very poor. On February 26, Alckmin experienced at Bandeirantes Palace, the seat of state government and official residence of the governor, a demonstration led by the Homeless Workers Movement (MTST, in Portuguese) against the lack of water that affects the state. Thousands of people participated in the protest (up to 10,000 protesters).

UPRISING IN PARANÁ The greatest demonstration of popular dissatisfaction in 2015 so far came from Paraná State. On stri-

ke, state public servants – mostly teachers and school officials –promoted an uprising against resources cuts for basic and higher education and against a fiscal adjustment package announced by Governor Beto Richa (Social Democrats) to the Legislative. The package included the elimination of the social security fund, extinguishing mechanisms of career progression for educators and drastic reduction in benefits such as transportation. On 10 February, anticipating that the proposals sent by the governor would be approved by a majority of state legislators, public service workers occupied the plenary of the Legislative Assembly in Curitiba, interrupting the package appreciation session. The protesters remained camped all night and the next day, inside and outside the legislature, forcing the deputies, on 11 February, to resume consideration at a meeting in the House cafeteria. On 12 February, when there would be a final voting session of the governor of projects, thousands of protesters surrounded the Assembly to block the entry of parliamentarians and thus prevent a vote session. Transported by an armoured minibus from the military police shock battalion and isolated by a police cordon in the soil, the deputies were able to break through the siege of the protesters, and entered the Legislative Assembly through an improvised passage. They went up to the cafeteria to begin the session, but as soon as the meeting was open, outside, indignant and angry, the crowd breached the police cordon (which did not impose the usual resistance), took down fences and fully occupy the Legislative Assembly. Cornered, fearing a tragedy, state deputies managed to convince the governor Beto Richa to withdrawal the package. The retreat of the governor was not enough to end the demonstrations. The teachers and staff of both schools and state universities kept the strike, demanding the state government to resume the transfer of funds for the maintenance of schools and the cancellation of administrative measures that had been taken by the state since the end of 2014.

Educators promoted two other large marches on the central streets of Curitiba, on 25 February (40 thousand to 50 thousand people) and on 4 March (20,000 people). Dissatisfaction with Beto Richa’s management in Paraná is not only by public servants. Re-elected in October 2014 in the first round, with 56% of the votes, the governor saw his popularity plummet. A survey conducted by Paraná Pesquisa institute released this month shows that 76% of respondents disapprove Paraná’s current government.

ON THE ROADS Also in Paraná and at least ten other Brazilian states, the last week of February and first of March were marked by protests by truck drivers who blocked dozens of federal and state highways. Among the reasons, two were key: the recent increase in diesel prices and high toll tariffs. The truckers’ strike came to harm the supply industries and supermarkets and the flow of agricultural crops. The federal government invited the leaders to negotiate – the sanction of a law regulating the industry, approved last year by Congress, attended part of the claims. The reduction in fuel prices was discarded. For the first half of March, two other demonstrations were anticipated. One, scheduled for 13 March, promised to bring together in various cities, unionists, members of social movements and leftist political leaders. The mobilisation had a heavyweight ally, former President Lula. The movement supports Petrobras (worn down by Operation Car Wash) and the fight against corruption, “against the right-wing bias given to the facts”. This protest came in response to calls made, especially by social networks, for demonstrations on 15 March, asking for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff. Since losing the presidential elections in October, sectors of the Brazilian right outlines movements in order to remove Rousseff from power. In the face of unpopular measures made by the president, the advocates of the impeachment bet on popular dissatisfaction to achieve success.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

JOKA MADRUGA/ APP

INDICATORS g

Impeachment of whom? So far, the largest demonstration took place in Curitiba: 50,000 in favour of the teachers’ strike and against the governor of Paraná, Beto Richa.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects an increase of 0.3% of Brazil’s GDP. Internally, the market predicts a downturn of up to 0.5% for the country. Even the finance minister, Joaquim Levy, admitted the possibility of recession. The GDP for 2014 will be announced on 27 March – accumulated from 12 months to last September, growth was 0.7%.

month. The current minimum wage (788 reais per month) has the highest purchasing power since 1965.

Labour market and income: National unemployment ended 2014 with an average rate of 6.8%, lower than the 7.1% of 2013 and the 7.4% of 2012. Last year, the formal labour market generated a positive balance of 397 thousand jobs, a 1% increase over 2013. In the same comparison, the average salary rose 7%, reaching 1,181.56 reais per

Industry, trade and services: In 2014, the Brazilian industry and production fell 3.2% compared to 2013. But trade saw revenue rise in the same period, 8.5%; in sales volume, growth was 2.2%. The service sector ended 2014 with 6% nominal growth over 2013.

Inflation: Inflation in 2014 was 6.1% and was within the target limit (6.5%) stipulated by the Central Bank. In the 12 months ending last February, the index was 7.7%, driven mainly by higher fuel, electricity and bus fares for the first two months of 2015.

Sources: IBGE, Ministry of Labour and Central Bank

FISCAL ADJUSTMENT IS NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION, ECONOMISTS SAY To further discuss the Brazilian economy, Brasil Observer consulted two economic professors: Fernando Ferrari Filho, from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), and Luciano Wexell Severo, from the Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA).

Will the fiscal adjustment bring Brazil back to growth? c F ERRARI FILHO - The fiscal adjustment is necessary, but it is not the only way. We left a relatively comfortable fiscal position before the crisis to a primary deficit situation in 2014, but the public debt has not become more intense. Focussing on the adjustment seems to be ignoring that the country has deindustrialisation problems, external imbalance, infrastructure bottlenecks, and other factors that contribute to the poor dynamics of the Brazilian economy. c SEVERO - The adjustment is the most expensive alternative for Brazilians and the most cowardly for the government. During the second government of Lula, even with mitigation measures, there were positive impacts in an economy that was stagnant. The prevailing concern, with the return of industrialisation and strengthening of the internal market. However, after 2011, there was a change of course, with an economic policy of liberal, orthodox and conventional character that conspires against growth and development. What other economic measures could be taken? c FERRARI FILHO -Monetary and exchange rate policies that induce private investment; public-private partnerships that expand the coun-

try’s infrastructure; industrial policy and tax, social security and labour reforms; these and other measures should be in the government’s agenda. Moreover, we have to hope that the international scene gets better, because then not only net exports can reverse the trade deficit of the country, as international investments can be streamlined. If we insist only on fiscal adjustment (such as in Germany), we will not get that far. SEVERO - The neoliberal adjustment proposed by minister Joaquim Levy is not the only option. The problem is that the main concern of the ruling coalition is not with the national economy or the development of domestic productive forces. So far, the government proposal expressed a vague idea of growth with income transfer in which all won. In fact, the improvement of social indicators and the expansion of opportunities for the poorest via palliative actions of transferring resources coming from a growing process of denationalisation are sought. But this strategy is unsustainable. The BNDES (National Bank of Social Development) financing could promote a sovereign industrialisation, with state-owned enterprises or domestic private capital small and medium sized.

What is the position of foreign investors in this scenario?

FERRARI FILHO - If there was a total lack of public accounts, with high primary and nominal deficits and worsening of public debt - the result is a higher pricing in interest rates by the applicants of government securities (and therefore the market itself) - surely the fiscal austerity could restore confidence of investors. We are not in this situation, but we have a critical problem: between 2008 and 2014 accumulated a deficit in current account of US$ 390 billion. This is the point. If not reversed, this situation, in the near or distant future, will spark a currency crisis. What investors want is institutional stability. SEVERO - Claiming that the adjustment measures redeem investor confidence is equivalent to blackmail done primarily by the financial market. The adjustment inevitability’s argument is false and is intended to expand the extortion of banks and share of exporters of Brazilian society. Foreign investors should come to help and not to hinder. Contribute means invest, produce, add value, pay taxes, create jobs, export and re-invest capital here. Everything within the law and the Brazilian state standards, as every respected country does. The resumption of growth depends on countercyclical policies. It depends on state planning, promotion of industrialisation and the expansion of the internal market.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

CONECTANDO

Foz do Iguaçu

A UNIVERSITY THAT INSPIRES LATIN AMERICA Bordering Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, UNILA is a hub for the development of Latin American integration By Francisco Denis – de Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná g

I am one of the first Brazilian students going to the Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA) to study a degree in International Relations and Integration, starting in August 2010. I am from the small town of Quixelo within the State of Ceará. A son of rural workers, I accepted the challenge to participate in the construction of a new university because of its features, which from the beginning caught my attention. This made me cross the country (over 5000km) towards the city of Foz do Iguaçu, to follow the career I dreamed of.

As UNILA is quite young – only 5 years old – and is not located in a large Brazilian centre, few know about its characteristics. Why, then, is this university is so special? First of all, it could not be in a better place: Foz do Iguaçu, in Paraná state, is in the tri-national border between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Besides being the most significant border in population, economic and strategic importance for the continent, it also has one of the largest natural beauties on Earth - the Iguaçu Falls - which makes the city the second most visited tourist

destination in Brazil. The attraction receives more than one million visitors per year on the Brazilian side, and about the same on the Argentinian side. The region has a varied ethnic composition, housing more than 72 nationalities – with particular attention to the Arab community. The region has been through a rapid process of economical, cultural and demographic integration over the past decades, in a unique phenomenon on the continent. In this new scenario, the place is more relevant. The local asymmetries in economic, social and politics, which are a true

reflection of Latin America’s reality, make Foz do Iguaçu a laboratory for the study and formulation of policies for regional integration. UNILA is not in this location by accident. This is the first federal (public) institution in the region, which shows the importance of this process of construction of new knowledge and application of this for local development. With various challenges that involve a border area, the university has the duty to act in favour of scientific and technological development of society, through the production of knowledge and the cooperation between different

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

DIVULGATION

UNILA has students from all Brazilian regions and from 11 other countries in Latin America

fields of study, leading to build a true regional citizenship. One of the features that caught my attention when starting my studies at the university was the interdisciplinary nature of its courses. UNILA now has 29 undergraduate courses in different areas of knowledge and will inaugurate 12 new courses in the second half of 2015. The courses have different characteristics compared to the traditional from other universities, with strong emphasis towards Latin American societies. The university offer courses in Anthropology - Latin American Cultural Diversity; Political

Science and Sociology - Society, State and Politics in Latin America; Biologic Sciences - Ecology and Biodiversity; Natural Science - Biology, Physics and Chemistry; Economics - Economics, Integration and Development; Cinema and Audio-visual; Rural Development and Food Security; Renewable Energy Engineering; Geography - Territory and Society in Latin America; History - Latin America; Music, International Relations and Integration; Medicine; Biotechnology; Public Administration and Public Policy; among others. It also offers six lato sensu specialization courses, and in scricto sensu

offers Masters in Contemporary Integration of Latin America and an interdisciplinary course in Latin American Studies. With the expansion process, the institution will have 41 undergraduate courses by the end of 2015. This amount of courses - in a federal institution that does not have its own campus - concerns the different university class organizations, and the lack of infrastructure has been a major challenge from the beginning. Most of the students, teachers and technicians were against the creation of new courses, understanding that this expansion would jeopardize the qua-

lity of teaching and learning in the university. This is the most important challenge that UNILA will have to face in the coming years. I entered UNILA via the Unified Selection System (SiSU), a test that is based on the grades obtained at the National Examination of Secondary Education (ENEM). This is the selection system for all Brazilian students. For other students from Latin America and Caribbean countries the selection is made in their own country by the respective Mi-

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

DIVULGAÇÃO

nistry of Education. Today, UNILA has more than 2,300 students from all over Brazil and 11 other countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The arrival of students from neighbouring countries to UNILA is also a key challenge. Most are socially vulnerable and cannot afford to stay in Brazil without student aid (housing, food and transportation) offered by the university. It turns out that the provision of benefits is limited, depending on the resources allocated by the Ministry of Education from Brazil. As not all students are entitled to the aid, it is a decisive factor for many who are considering choosing UNILA for starting a career. In this year’s selection process, the number of foreign students has decreased. Beyond the exposed factors, there are also political reasons in the countries themselves, motivated by elections and changes in bureaucratic staff. This slowly makes the institution lose its Latin American feature, moving away from its mission, and it has to seek strategic cooperation with other institutions and bodies of the neighbouring countries to fund more scholarships - as it already does with Paraguay through an agreement between UNILA and Itaipu Hydroelectric, which provides scholarships for students from the neighbouring country. Another important feature that differentiates the institution from other Latin American universities is the existing internal democratic process that comes from the conquest of the university. When I was a student representative on the University Council, the students’ organisation was essential to achieve of parity not only for university elections for Head Master, but also for the University Council, the greater decision -making body of the institution. The proportionality for the three categories (students, teachers and technical and administrative body) is a victory on behalf of university autonomy and the result of a process that aims to democratize the universities. The understanding is that UNILA must be co-constructed between all classes in a democratic way, with equal voice and vote. After a year of parity experience, the result proved that no subject or project was harmed, as predic-

Itaipu Technological Park, where the majority of courses from UNILA take place

With daily usage of Portuguese and Spanish in classrooms, bilingualism is a differential

ted many of those who were against the proposal. On the contrary, democratic participation increased, all categories had more engagement and therefore, more debate around the direction of the institution. I can say that bilingualism in UNILA is also one of the main features that differentiate it from other existing higher education institutions. Portuguese and Spanish are spoken in classrooms and in the student housing, mixed with the indigenous languages spoken by students from various regions, such as Guarani (Paraguay), the Aymara and Quechua (Bolivia and Peru) and the Chaná (Uruguay). This linguistic diversity shows that the design of Latin America is not restricted to a continent born of the Iberian colonization (Spain and Portugal),

but includes all the countries of the Americas that speak Spanish, Portuguese or French as well as languages of native population. What is sought in UNILA is that everyone respects this diversity and takes into account the interaction of different areas of knowledge as an important tool of the learning process. The so-called Joint Study Cycle, which includes languages (Portuguese or Spanish), epistemology and methodology, as well as the fundamental study of Latin America, are the institution’s differential. During the first four semesters, the subjects for all students of all the institution’s courses, being offered in modules are compulsory. The idea is to introduce students to the main issues related to the region, collaborating in the construction of Latin American knowledge.

In my case, I lived with a Uruguayan colleague for more than two years in the same student residence, where I had my first contact with Spanish language, and he with Portuguese. This experience of living in the same space with young people from other countries enriches the educational process as we learn about the culture and the way the other persons sees the world, which contributes to build respect among us and leads to understanding the problems and solutions of each society in our continent. UNILA is the first public bilingual institution of higher education in Latin America and has many challenges, but we can already see some good assets of a university project that is revolutionising public education in Latin America.

This content was produced by Francisco Denis, newly graduated in International Relations and Integration at Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA), in partnership with the Project CONECTANDO, developed by Brasil Observer together with universities in Brasil, Europe and Latin America. To take part and see your own production published in this newspaper contact at conectando@brasilobserver.co.uk

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

B R A S I L O B S E R V E R

FOR FANS STILL HAUNTED BY BRAZIL’S WORLD CUP DEFEAT, WE HAVE A GUIDE TO SEEING THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THE UPCOMING FRIENDLY TO BE HELD IN LONDON AT THE END OF THE MONTH >> PGS. 22 & 23

MARCELLO CASAL JR/ AGÊNCIA BRASIL

E L I H C . S V L I BRAZ

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

GUIDE

A GUIDE TO SEEING THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THE SELEÇAO’S FRIENDLY AGAINST CHILE After Brazil’s unforgettable 7-1 defeat to Germany, it’s better not to take football seriously when the South American teams roll into London for a friendly later this month By Guilherme Reis MARCELO CAMARGO/ AGÊNCIA BRASIL

Arriving in London this month, the greatest, the most awarded, most talented, most spectacular all singing, all dancing national football squad: the feared and loved Seleçao Brasileira! Just imagine the World Cup… Oh wait a minute, the World Cup has been and gone and no one seems to be very enchanted with the Brazilian national team. After all, if that semi-final against Germany were still going on, the scoreboard would mark something around 700,000 in favour of the Germans. In fact some fans still have the chants of “Gol da Alemanha!” echoing in their ears. For those who are not very enthusiastic about football, this may all seem very silly. But the sad truth is that after that dramatic match at the Mineirao (a tear forms in my eyes...) it has become more difficult to strike up good conversations and make friends abroad. The first conversation between a Brazilian and other nationality usually was about football: “Are you Brazilian? Oh I love Brazilian football!”. Who with a healthy brain would say such a thing nowadays? OK, there are those who still love our ‘beautiful’ game, but before it was much easier to find them, as easy as our team found winning a game against England in the World Cup (sorry guys, I love you all). But let’s try and see things from a positive perspective... After that massacre (actually, after the 3x0 against Netherland we had to swallow in the dispute for the third place), Brazilian football changed for the best! In a groundbreaking turning point of boldness, the new commandant chosen to make the Seleçao reborn was - the unquestionable Dunga a man who had already done the job between 2006-12 until he was forced to resign. Oh and coincidentally ‘Dunga’ is the name of one of the seven dwarfs in Portuguese... let’s hope it’s not another bad omen. But let’s not be unfair. In his second outing coaching Brazil Dunga has accumulated an unbeatable mark: 100% success rate. We had six wins in six friendly matches, against Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Japan, Turkey and Austria. In 2015, the first two appearances of the Seleçao occur in this month: first against France (oh, Good...), in Paris, on the 26th, and after against Chile (easy?), in London, on the 29th. Those who want to watch the match need to run to get tickets. The friendly is taking place at the Emirates Stadium. At the time of writing, tickets were on sale from £35 via the Arsenal website www.arsenal.com. If you, dear reader, have already bought your tickets, or if you don’t even like football and for some inexplicable reason has read this article so far, I would like to share some tips I have been giving to my Brazilian fellows so they can see the funnier side of things going wrong on the pitch.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

RAFAEL RIBEIRO/CBF

REMATCH Before the 7x1 loss, the world was different. The Brazilian crowd really believed that we would be world champions again (the English team was already on vacation, just to mention). But who could forget that painful penalty decision against Chile that sent them out took Brazil to face the Germans? Well, the Chileans must remember it better than us (as we have another wonder-

ful day to remember, haven’t we?). So I think it is fair that, we Brazilians humiliate our opponents imitating Julio Cesar defending a penalty. Not so funny, I know. But just in case: if Brazil loses the game, we can say “when it was for good you didn’t win!” and repeat it incessantly. After all, for Chile this is kind of a rematch.

ENGLISH BRAZILIANS REPRODUCTION

In total there are five Brazilian players called for the game who play in the English Premier League: Filipe Luis, Oscar and William, from Chelsea, Fernandinho, from Manchester

City, and Philippe Coutinho, from Liverpool. So we can ally with English supporters of those teams to make jokes about the Chileans – if it becomes necessary, of course.

ALEXIS AT HOME On the flip side of that however, we need to remember that the ace Chilean attacker Alexis Sháncez plays for Arsenal, and is English mate definitely not on our side. The player is very pleased with the draw: “We welcome the Seleçao to our

stadium”, he has already told the Arsenal website. OK, he seems to be a nice guy, but if Sanchéz starts to make problems for our defence, we can organise a big “booo” to him together with Arsenal’s rival supporters.

REPRODUCTION

CHINA’S STAR For the very first time in the centenary history of the Seleçao, a footballer who plays in China was called: Diego Tardelli, who plays for Sha-

dong Luneng. If he scores a goal, we can make stupid jokes that even the Chinese can score a goal against them.

THE HURRICANE This is my favourite. And has nothing to do with jokes against our brothers from Chile. After all, they are not guilty for our disastrous moment in the World Cup. On the bench, as a special assistant, is a sacred monster of Brazilian football: Jairzinho, “The Hurricane” of the World Cup of 1970, when Brazil won its third championship. Until today he is the

only player who scored in every match of a World Cup: there were seven goals in that year. Friendly matches use to be monotonous, with many passes to the sides, lazy runs and sleepy crowd. If that happens, we can ask Dunga to put Jairzinho on the pitch – if he stands on the technical area for few seconds, it could be the best moment of the match!

RAFAEL RIBEIRO/CBF

AFTER CHILE, CHILE After the friendly match against Chile, the Seleçao will face Chile again in June and July, when Chile host the the Copa América. So maybe it’s worth giving some advices to our hermanos on how to host a major

football competition. “Relax, mate, you will not necessarily will win a competition just because it is in your home”. Or: “Don’t panic, Germany does not play the America Cup!”

‘GOL DA ALEMANHA’ After all this, if you see the Brazilian crowd sad, don’t worry. We know that it cannot become worse. After all, our last World Cup

title was in this century and we are almost reaching the target of one year without suffering any goal from Germany!

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

CULTURAL TIPS

CINEMA

CONCERTS

Review: Fictional Third World By Gabriela Lobianco

EMICIDA When: 24 April Where: Rich Mix (35-47 Bethnal Green Road) Tickets: £15 | Info: www.comono.co.uk

From the MC’s battles on the outskirts of São Paulo to the renowned festival Coachella in the United States, Emicida has accumulated a relevant path in music. Alongside with the rapper Criolo, he is now probably the main voice of Brazilian rap, mixing themes, rhythms and forming partnerships with various names of the new generation.

In 2012, Emicida was in London for the Back2Black festival. Next month, he returns to the British capital for the La Linea, a festival organized by Como No group, between 21 and 30 of April. It is an excellent opportunity to see what Brazilian rap produces, with space for other rhythms such as samba, funk, soul and maracatu.

ELIANE ELIAS & ED MOTTA When: 4 May Where: Barbican Hall Tickets: £20–35 | Info: www.barbican.org.uk

Trash reveals the political vision of a Britain in the Third World, its leaders and its poverty. The Brazil of Stephen Daldry, however, is unreal – even though the director has lived in the country for the past two years to adapt the eponymous Andy Mulligan’ novel for cinema. The bestseller was based on the writer’s experiences of teaching English and theatre in four places: India, Philippines, Vietnam and Brazil. For logistical issues, Daldry and screenwriter Richard Curtis, in partnership with O2 producer, opted for the Brazilian scenario to narrate the saga of friends Rafael, Gardo and Rato on the big screen. The story covers the adventures and misadventures of three boys from the favela who find a wallet at the dump in which they work, and become involved in a hunting treasure plot, with actions of a corrupt police and divine help in the form of a gringo priest. As the director had his four previous films nominated to the Oscar (Billy Elliot, The Hours, The Reader and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), there were high hopes for the project in Brazil, spoken in Portuguese and with the presence

of American actors Martin Sheen and Rooney Mara in the cast. But the plan backfired. In Billy Elliot, the cameras capture with wit the awkward discomfort that Billy had with his father – nuisance inherent in the behaviour of the British and their culture. It is precisely this perspective of who is part and not of the audience that is missing in Trash. Stephen Daldry hasn’t got cultural background to show a less stereotyped Brazil. It lacks conviction, with ease and intimacy, to portray the poverty of marginalized boys who want to be the hope of a better future as opposed to a country full of cops and corrupt politicians. Even Sheen’s competence as an actor is insufficient to interpret the priest, Juilliard – his efforts to speak Portuguese turns out to be mechanical and the feeling of indignation that the character requires is lost on the screen. In the end, the mise-en-scène of the film comes down to a mixture of articles on emerging countries such as Slumdog Millionaire or City of God, by Fernando Meirelles. Despite the high budget, Trash was made for English to see – as people say in Brazil.

Two sides of contemporary Brazilian music come together for a unique presentation at the Barbican. Jazz pianist and vocalist Eliane Elias will be joined by soul singer and multi-instrumentalist Ed Motta. Elias’ latest album was a tribute to her friend and jazz legend Chet Baker

called ‘I Thought About You’. Ed Motta released his latest album ‘AOR’ in both English and Portuguese. The concert will feature music from their respective careers, including material from Eliane Elias’ new album ‘Made in Brazil’ to be released on 31 March.

FLÁVIA COELHO When: 18 May Where: Rich Mix (35-47 Bethnal Green Road) Tickets: £15 | Info: www.richmix.org.uk

Created in the traditions of samba and bossa nova, Flavia Coelho is a versatile Brazilian singer who walks lightly by rhythms that mix from reggae to hip-hop. Outside Brazil since 2006, when she moved to Paris, Flavia charmed the critics with her first album, ‘Bossa Muffin’, which gave her great impact in the UK, with the right to participate in the London Jazz Festival and Womad

Festival in 2013. In 2015, Flavia Coelho came back to London to open the Serious Space Shoreditch festival. The presentation came a week after the release of her new album, ‘Meu Mundo’, produced by Victor-Attila Vagh. The new work reveals a vision of a comprehensive world, with the mixture of diverse rhythms such as funk, afrobeat, forró and samba.

CAETANO VELOSO & GILBERTO GIL When: 1 July Where: Eventim Apollo (45 Queen Caroline Street) Tickets: £45.75–£67.75 | Info: www.eventim.co.uk

Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil need no introduction: they are established names of Brazilian Popular Music. In July, the two take to the stage in very rare appearance in London. The city, in fact, is part of the personal and artistic trajectory of the two. At the turn of the 1960s to 1970s, after the peak of the

musical movement known as Tropicália, Caetano and Gil spent a period of exile in the British capital – Brazil was on the most difficult years of the civil-military dictatorship. From that time, both hold memories that will surely be remembered in the form of stories and songs. The public should ask Caetano to sing “London, London”.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

EXHIBITIONS IRIS DELLA ROCA When: 14-21 March Where: The Little Black Gallery (13A Park Walk) Info: www.thelittleblackgallery.com

In 2009, photographer Iris Della Roca moved to Rio and started living in the favela of Rocinha. As she considers photography a collaborative art, she began a project where the children could express their unique personality and show who they really were. These are portraits of children as dictated by them, proud and full of promise. ADVENTURES OF THE BLACK SQUARE When: Until 6 April Where: Whitechapel Gallery Info: www.whitechapelgallery.org

This show takes Kazimir Malevich’s radical painting of a black square as the emblem of a new art and a new society. The exhibition features over 100 artists who took up its legacy. Their paintings, photographs and sculptures symbolise Modernism’s utopian aspirations and breakdowns, including works of Hélio Oiticica. RAFAEL SILVEIRA When: 19 March – 11 April Where: Atomica Gallery (7 Greens Court) Info: www.atomicagallery.com

“Mind’s Eye Funfair” is an exhibition of new paintings by Brazilian artist Rafael Silveira, whose imaginative work combines figurative classical painting, comic-inspired imagery and surreal subject matter. Like portals into an alternate dimension, his paintings invite the viewer to abandon everyday paradigms and embrace the unknown. LUCAS SIMÕES When: Until 11 April Where: Space in Between (8 Andrews Road) Info: www.spaceinbetween.co.uk

“Perpetual Instability” is the artist’s first solo exhibition in London, and sees Simões present an installation of new works in concrete responding to the current situation of Brutalist architecture. This exhibition is part of a wider artistic exchange. The second half is a solo show by London-based Simon Linington in Sao Paulo.

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brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

COLUMNISTS

FRANKO FIGUEIREDO

ON SUCCESS Money, fame and material possessions offer fleeting satisfactions. They might help you towards success, but it is not the be all and end all

Success, according to the Oxford English dictionary, is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose, also seen as the attainment of fame, wealth or social status and in the most archaic of meanings the good or bad outcome of an undertaking. Success is a very subjective topic, but one thing is certain: success doesn’t necessarily equate to quality of life. How we go about creating or making use of our success can make all the difference. Over the past year a number of plays both in the fringe circuit and in the west-end celebrated the lack of success, forcing us to look at our own humanity in the face. How to hold your breath at the Royal Court sees a woman spiralling down towards her own personal financial crisis. Plays for the Write Now Festival, which will be on at the Brockley Jack in May, deal with subjects such as a new worldwide generation that feels lost and powerless, mainly whose undertakings lead them to failure. Almodovar’s new musical Women on a verge of a nervous breakdown is also built on failure: the despair, rejection, heartbreak that comes with love that has been betrayed. All of them however, are tributes of the characters’ capacity for survival. Some people have the determination to never give up in the face of adversity, and therein lay their success. Theatre as well as all art forms is always trying to get us to think, to question our actions, holding a mirror to our flaws in the hope to provoke positive change in our society. Take the recent unveiling of the plinth in Trafalgar Square, for example, where now sits the skeleton of a horse being dragged by the bows of the stock exchange. This is a symbol of the austerity measures that the current government forced upon us. I hope this will shake the nation and make people think about their votes in the next election. The majority of the po-

pulation was left like that horse on the plinth: skeletal and mal-nourished. Even Boris Johnson said something on the lines that the sculpture represented the Tory rule flogging the dead horse of George Osborne’s economic policy. This is a courageous piece of art that provoke us hugely and an example of what success can do. In his book Seven Paths to Global Harmony Daisaku Ikeda, a chapter on self-mastery, dialogue, tolerance and the “Path of Culture” which talks about human revolution in terms of self-mastery. Simply put, this means winning control over oneself, overcoming the small self that is dominated by narrow self-interest and awakening to the larger self that works for the good of all humanity. From this standpoint a major obstacle to developing ourselves is to pursue a way of life bound by our small ego or self. Expanding from the lesser self to the greater self is the path of human revolution. Daisaku Ikeda affirms “success is not a matter of accumulating more of this or that, success is not measured in quantity, it means changing the quality of your life. Wealth, power, fame and knowledge alone cannot make you happy, no matter how much of these you acquire. Nor you can you take them when you die. But by improving the quality of your life you will at last approach true happiness”. Things such as money, fame and material possessions offer fleeting satisfactions, they might help you towards success, but it is not the be all and end all. Success lies in the pursuit of happiness; it is not a one-way street. It is a constant journey. We stop trying, we fail. As Samuel Beckett wrote in Worstward Ho: “All of old. Nothing ever else. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better”. REPRODUCTION

Franko Figueiredo is artistic director and associate producer of StoneCrabs Theatre Company g

The majority of the population was left like that horse on the plinth in Trafalgar Square: skeletal and mal-nourished

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

10am - Instrumental Workshops AUTHENTIC BRAZILIAN CULTURE

2.45pm - Live Bossa Nova Perfect for a relaxing Saturday afternoon 4pm - Film / Talk 5pm - Dance Class Suitable for all ages and abilities 7pm - Clube do Choro UK

An entire day of authentic Brazilian activities celebrating the music and culture of Rio De Janeiro and culminating in an evening of live Brazilian music

Showcasing choro music in a traditional roda (circle) Fusion between choro and Samba de Raiz Midnight - Samba de Raiz Finish the night in Brazilian samba style!

LAST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH LAUNCH: 28th MARCH 2015

3-7 Delancey St, NW1 7NL www.forgevenue.org

Lapa in London is supported by The Brazilian Embassy, The Forge and Clube do Choro UK

3-7 Delancey St, NW1 7NL

www.forgevenue.org

£10 Standard £8 Students

DOIS POR QUATRO The Forge 28th MARCH 7pm

3-7 Delancey Street,

Camden NW1 7NL

LAPA IN LONDON

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

COLUMNISTS

SHAUN CUMMING

LOSE-LOSE SITUATION FOR BRAZIL In October, the day after Dilma’s re -election as Brazil’s President, I wrote the following: “Dilma’s next moves will determine how quickly confidence returns to her government’s critics. The final weeks of the debates between the two sides focussed on corruption, which was an absurd spectacle to observe. Dilma, as an individual, appears clean and wants to take a tough line on corruption. Unfortunately for her, PT (Workers Party) – the party she represents – was and is involved in numerous scandals of a severe nature. Aécio, meanwhile, can boast a number of troubling personal incidents and questionable dealings of his own that he failed to clearly answer. The bottom line on these arguments is that both have skeletons in the closet. People debated ‘which is worse?’ – with many concluding that, on this particular point, both were similar. “Reconciling the divisions will be a difficult task for Dilma, but is essential if

she is to avoid social unrest of the type seen in 2013. Dilma must recognise that a substantial percentage of the electorate disagree with some of her policies, and must now work to make changes for all Brazilians. This includes the continuation of the good work done to benefit of the poor, stabilising the economy, encouraging growth, cutting bureaucracy, and absolutely stamping out corruption wherever it exists – whether that is within her party or others.” Unfortunately for Dilma, she has failed to get to grips with all the most serious problems facing Brazil quickly enough, meaning that those who want her out have jumped on the chance to call for her impeachment. They have ample fuel; the Petrobras scandal has not only caused anger, but has now also caused thousands of workers to be without a salary for several months as the contracting firms they work for lost their contracts. The economy, meanwhile, is disappointing.

Let’s say in some wild imaginary situation Dilma Rousseff is impeached. The next President faces the exact same problems

On Sunday 15 March, an enormous protest is due to call for impeachment. This sounds serious, but is of course absurd. As an individual, Dilma is not to blame. The President is literally powerless. The Petrobras investigation has implicated not only members of her own party, but also the opposition – her much-need voting coalition in Congress. Without their support – which she has more-or-less already lost – the government cannot move forward properly with any new legislation. What is needed is widespread reform of the way Brazils’ government works. This ‘doing deals’ to get people to vote favourably, even without the passing of money, is a dirty game. Let’s say in some wild imaginary situation Dilma is impeached. The next President faces the exact same problems. This will never change unless Brazil’s Congressional system is completely reformed. Something else quite scary has popped into my head. For Brazil’s government to properly deal with the Petrobras scandal, many people and organisations should

be punished so seriously that they would struggle to operate in future. Thousands of workers would loose their jobs permanently. Not only will Petrobras be severely damaged financially, but many of Brazil’s biggest construction companies will be as well and may not survive. If you think the economy is bad now, wait to see what happens if they are all dealt with as the government keeps promising. So here is the dangerous position. Dealing with all of those involved in this corruption scandal will damage the Brazilian economy more than it can handle at the moment. However, not dealing with those responsible is completely unacceptable to the Brazilian public, and rightly so. This is a lose-lose situation for Brazil and, as Dilma said when it was first revealed, could change the country forever. g

To see more of my travels from around Brazil, please find me on instagram under the username @shaunalex

EASTER HANDWORK

Easter/Bunny box 07/03 - Saturday 2 to 6pm

1 day £30.00 - Include all materials

Fabric Bunny 26/03 - Thursday 4 to 8pm 28/03 - Saturday 2 to 6pm Bunny Basket (for children) 28/03 - Satrday 2 to 6pm

* Entries can be made by phone (020 7792 2931) or directly at Casa Brasil, in a minimum advance time of a week to prepare the material. * Payment upon registration for the purchase of material. * All courses can be taken as individual lessons for £15.00/hour.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

TRAVEL

BONITO LIVES UP TO ITS NAME DIVULGATION

Awarded as the best destination for eco-tourism at the World Travel Market in London, Bonito in Brazil’s Centre-Western state of Mato Grosso do Sul enchants visitors with great natural beauty and plenty of leisure options By Cati Calixto

The person who created the stereotype that Brazil is a country where everyone lives in a paradise, bathes in crystal clear rivers, eats fish and regional fruits and lives alongside incredibly colourful birds and monkeys must have visited Bonito for such inspiration. With nearly 21,000 inhabitants, the small town is located in the Serra da Bodoquena, on the south-western edge of the Pantanal Complex. Bonito - which after all is Portuguese for ‘beautiful’ is a place of wonderful natural beauty which has been celebrated and protected with sympathetic yet comprehensive tourist infrastructure. It is not uncommon to see gringos circling the main street, going from store to store to buy local handicrafts, or enjoying themselves in the city’s bars and fine restaurants. Then there are the many Brazilians from different regions who arrive with only one purpose: to experience the city magical city of Bonito. There are a number of special tours available, all focussed on ecotourism. These tours are well organised, easy to book and offered exclusively by properly regulated agencies in accordance with the laws of tourism and environmental preservation. As the city is very busy and places limited, it is important to book in advance, which also applies to the various lodges and hotels.

CRYSTAL WATER My time in Bonito was relatively short. In one morning, I visited the incredible Gruta do Lago Azul, or Blue Lake Grotto, one of the city’s ‘picture perfect’ locations. At around 9am each day the sun’s rays directly penetrate the cave, illuminating the underground lake. Sunlight combined with the unique composition of the water, rich in calcareous and magnesium, makes the lake shine in an indescribable shade of blue. You can only visit the cave in small groups and accompanied by a guide and all safety equipment required for the descent are available. Except the trail used to the lakeside, the rest of the cave remains virtually untouched - only researchers who study the site are allowed to explore other areas of the breathtaking cave. On the same day, I visited the Natural Aquarium of Bonita Bay. The main attraction is having the chance to snorkel in the source of the Formoso, Bonit’s main river. All equipment, such as bathing suits and

masks, are provided and the tour is also held in groups, with a guide. In order not to contaminate the water source, visitors need to take a shower before to remove chlorine, sunscreen, insect repellent or any other chemicals. Before snorkelling in the river, visitors undertake a short training session in a pool. During snorkel dive, you can see more than 30 species of fish. The feeling is of belonging: the shoals swim close to you and the underwater vegetation creates an alternative underwater world. The water is so crystal clear that you can observe the underwater plants performing photosynthesis (releasing air bubbles out of their leaves). Seeing the bottom of the bubbling spring, reminds us of the restorative power of nature and how it keeps everything in place.

ADVENTURE Bonito, however, is not only a place to see beautiful scenery from afar. You can be part of it’s natural beauty through adventure. The Eco Park Porto da Ilha offers a combination of activities that can be done for a whole day, such as duck tours, boat rides, tubing and standup paddling. The complex borders the river of Rio Formoso, and also has an area for swimming, waterfalls and retreats to rest – to relax a bit after all the excitement. The duck tour is done in pairs in a kind of inflatable kayak. The guides offer tips on how to paddle and then have to go a few meters downstream, including the decline of some waterfalls. The boat ride is similar but groups are larger and the route is longer. The buoy-cross or ‘tubing’, is a fast and fun ride where visitors ride the river rapids on top of an inner tube. The park’s route includes three waterfalls and it is hard to stay on top of the ‘donut’ through all of them. Standup paddling is the practice of standing on a surfboard with a paddle so you can go further out depths. At first, trying to stand on the board is almost impossible, but once you get the hang of the game it is fun and even a little relaxing. Anyone who visits Bonito will be inspired to go for another snorkel session Rio Sucuri. The small river is among several that flows into the Rio Formoso and its water is among the clearest in the world. The water is very cold, but the feeling of having the light current of the river gently leading you is wonderful.

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

WHEN TO GO The best time to enjoy the scenery is during the rainy season of December to March, when the vegetation is lush, the rivers are high and the waterfalls, most powerful. During the winter, while the fields become drier, the waters are lighter, improving visibility for snorkelling.

HOW TO GET THERE The Azul air company (www.voeazul.com.br) schedules flights from Campinas, in the State of Sao Paulo, to Bonito, departing on Wednesdays and returning on Sundays. Airport of Dourados, 254 km from Bonito also receives flights of Azul, from Campinas, twice a day. The airport of Campo Grande, capital of Mato Grosso do Sul, which operates flights from several companies, is 310 km from the city. You can also travel by bus. Gontijo (www.gontijo.com.br), Motta (www. motta.com.br) and Andorinha (www.andorinha.com) have buses leaving from various Brazilian capitals to Campo Grande. The Cruzeiro do Sul company operates the line from Campo Grande to Bonito.

WHERE TO STAY There are lots of hotels in Bonito, for different tastes and budgets. In low season, out of the summer months and school holidays, you can find a place from 90 reais a day (around ÂŁ20).

For more information, visit www.turismo.bonito.ms.gov.br

Into the wild, Bonito is Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main destination for ecotourism

brasilobserver.co.uk | March 2015

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