Sao Paulo: City of God.
I dont know if you guys have been getting these news over there (click on link above), but there is some seriously heavy shit happening here in Sao Paulo and Sao Paulo state. A very large gang called PCC started waging a very horrendous attack against the police here last week and everyone is scared. It is now focused on civilians as well. Today someone threw two grenades into the metro and four buses were held up this morning. The city completely shut down at 2 p.m. 90 cops have died in Sao Paulo state since only Friday. Panic has already set and the feeling is really becoming as infectious as my staph-laden mosquito bite was last month...
I have been hanging out with another American and two Brits and as having been witnesses of crimes on the national level in our own countries, we are weary but maybe not as alarmed for our safety as we probably should. We dont believe in panic and to see the reaction to all of this and in turn respond with skepticism and cynicism is definitely naive, I admit. We are foreigners in a foreign war so we really are trying to understand what is going on. These attacks and uprisings started from the jails in Sao Paulo state, the thugs inside aided by those outside who owe them favors. Cell phones were used from the inside. Everyone is freaking out and glued to the news, and the roads are a mess because people are trying to go home.
I am leaving tonight to head north, and I think it should be much safer there since this gang war is primarily based in SP. I am not leaving because of this violence -- unusual in the city as the locals have told me... many of them said they have never been this close to violence before because SP is very safe usually -- but I will be glad to continue to be a tourist.
On another note, Skol Beats was really thrilling. I stayed in the drum and bass tent till the very end -- at 8 in the morning. When I finally wandered outside, all I could see was a sea of bodies coming down, people sleeping all over the place. But all the Brazilians looked as fresh as then did when they came in. These kids know how to party...
I have been hanging out with another American and two Brits and as having been witnesses of crimes on the national level in our own countries, we are weary but maybe not as alarmed for our safety as we probably should. We dont believe in panic and to see the reaction to all of this and in turn respond with skepticism and cynicism is definitely naive, I admit. We are foreigners in a foreign war so we really are trying to understand what is going on. These attacks and uprisings started from the jails in Sao Paulo state, the thugs inside aided by those outside who owe them favors. Cell phones were used from the inside. Everyone is freaking out and glued to the news, and the roads are a mess because people are trying to go home.
I am leaving tonight to head north, and I think it should be much safer there since this gang war is primarily based in SP. I am not leaving because of this violence -- unusual in the city as the locals have told me... many of them said they have never been this close to violence before because SP is very safe usually -- but I will be glad to continue to be a tourist.
On another note, Skol Beats was really thrilling. I stayed in the drum and bass tent till the very end -- at 8 in the morning. When I finally wandered outside, all I could see was a sea of bodies coming down, people sleeping all over the place. But all the Brazilians looked as fresh as then did when they came in. These kids know how to party...
posted by Chocolat at 2:35 PM
2 Comments:
GDM
Hey PC, I told you, be careful.
What is happening this week is not normal. Yes, there are crimes in Sao Paulo and Rio, but not so crazy like that. This is more like a mini civil war right now.
Get out of Sao Paulo and go somewhere nice.
I am glad you liked skol beats.
Take care!
Yan
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