Day 2 Mal

Today we visited the Rocinha favela. This is the largest of approx 600 favelas in Rio with a population of around 70,000 people. A favela is a slum or shanty town area. I was very much out of my comfort zone before the trip. However, very glad we visited, it was extremely educational. In years gone it by was run by criminal gangs and police would not enter. in the last few years, Milatary police have entered and removed drug barons and the general police can now be found inside keeping law and order. Other photos will be added to the photo section. The alleyways we walked through are extremely grim, dirty and without light. We walk past peoples front doors and wonder how they live without any natural daylight. Many things to tell when home.

Day 2 Chris

The favela tour guide was very interesting and entertaining but certain facts didn't sound in line with what we'd heard so we fact checked a couple of his statements on the web and found them not to be 100% accurate. Our day 5 guide (see later) did confirm that all favelas are still run by 'drugs barons', some larger ones may have multiple drug barons, each with his own area of the favela. Residents must all pay a 'tax' to this person, or be evicted, in which case returning, even to visit, would be likely to be a life shortening event. If a favela resident robs or commits a similar crime against another resident of the same favela, then this is also likely to result in a shortening of that persons life. So other than the drug dealing and drug gang disputes, there is almost no crime in the favela. The electricity is still 'syphoned off' from the main grid and not paid for.

In October 2017, a Spanish tourist died after being shot by the police while visiting Rocinha during a turf war.

The slum is controlled by Amigos dos Amigos, although it is often caught in violent disputes among (and within) different criminal organizations.