The Real World in Rio de Janeiro's Favelas
Those of you who watched Favela Rising over the Labour Day holiday might be intrigued by this well-publicized sub-culture of Brazil - and Rio de Janeiro in particular. As this recent article in the Economist points out, Rio's police force is largely to blame for the violence that persists in these areas. You would think that the fact that Rio's violence costs Brazil over 5% of its GDP would be enough to encourage any politician to focus on stomping out crime. Unfortunately, deeply rooted corruption has kept this from taking place year after year.
This summer's Pan American games went off without any major disasters, which is a victory for the city. An unprecedented amount of security was brought in for the occasion. President Lula da Silva claims that 75% of the gear brought in during this time will remain in Rio to stamp out violence for good. It remains to be seen how effective this will be.
What does this mean for travelers? Well, increased safety would be a bonus, obviously. But every calm period in Rio has inevitably been followed by a stormy outburst of violence somewhere down the line. Yes, Rio de Janeiro is a dangerous city. But like many others, it is quite visitable as long as you are careful. It would be a shame to miss its beauty and vibrant culture. Staying out of the favelas is a great start, but even that might be a bit too cautious.
Favela Tours is a wonderful way to get an unusual perspective and a deeper understanding of Rio and of Brazil. The company founder, Marcelo Armstrong, knew that there could be some value in helping people understand the reality of the abstract idea of “favela”. He is the pioneer in the industry and is connected enough to ensure that travelers under his watch are 'kept safe'.
The Maze Inn provides travelers the opportunity to stay in luxury and comfort among the favelas. When British artist and journalist Bob Nadkarni’s wanderings brought
him to Rio some 30 years ago he decided 
to build an art studio and
community center in Tavares Bastos. high above the downtown
neighborhood of Catete. Yes, Tavares Bastos is considered to be a favela, but unlike most
favelas, there is no drug dealing, no violence, no guns, no muggings
and, as a matter of fact, no illegal activities to speak of. This is
due, at least in part, to the presence of the Rio police SWAT Team
headquarters, which are located right next door. Staying here provides you with a truly unique perspective of the city and puts you closer to many museums and cultural centers than you would if you
stayed in Leblon or Ipanema. The Maze is just up the hill from the
hopping nightlife of Lapa and one of the best museums of the city: the
Folk Art Musuem (Museu do Folclore Edison Carneiro) on Rua do Catete.
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