mvan1

Well, we can expect more muggers on the streets in Sao Paulo. Ford just announced they are closing their truck & auto manufacturing plant near Sao Paulo. This puts more unemployed on the streets. Where will the unemployed get money for survival? Who pays their rent or house payments or for their food or for the needs of their families? The plant manufactures large trucks and small autos. Bolsonaro is not happy with the decision by Ford to close the plant, thus, increasing unemployment in Brazil. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ford-motor-southamerica-heavytruck/ford-to-close-oldest-plant-in-brazil-costing-2700-jobs-idUSKCN1Q82EB https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-19/ford-exiting-south-american-heavy-trucks-shutting-brazil-plant

VID-20190212-WA0001.mp4

VID-20170525-WA0004_(1).mp4

Generally, if one has to ask for a specific thing, the asking person is often not deserving - To realize a request was granted by the leader of Japan, a major U.S. ally (after it was requested by a psycho) is hilarious - No doubt about that! https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/barack-obama/japan-nominated-trump-nobel-peace-prize-after-white-house-asked-n972661

Depending on the type aircraft that is used on your flight, you might need to use the app I mentioned in my post above. There is a link to how to get the app. LATAM has an entire web page discussing their app and how to download it. When you are on the flight, it is not possible to download the app described on the link I showed you in my earlier post. You must download the app prior to boarding. If you intend to use LATAM again, it might be a good idea to download the app now. You never know, for sure, which type aircraft will be used. You might get one without seatback screens. After your flight leaves, if you are on one of the aircraft that does not have seatback entertainment, you will be able to use your own telephone or other device, without cost, on the plane to watch the specific programs offered. There are select movies and various other type of entertainment on each flight. Check out the link. It will show you what is available and how to use the app after your plane departs. You never know if an airline switches out one type aircraft for another type. Some have seatback entertainment while others do not.

If you do not mind watching entertainment on your cell phone or other device, LATAM has television, movies and other data on board. Follow the instructions on this link prior to your next flight: https://www.latam.com/en_us/about-us/experience-on-board/latam-play/

clapback A dumb-assed replacement phrase for the word-phrase "comeback", which, in normal people English, means "retort". It makes no sense since "clap" is a word that doesn't represent anything having to do with the meaning of the intention behind the phrase, and meaning something completely different.

https://www.prestigetime.com/item/Hublot/Big-Bang-Chronograph-41mm/341.px.130.rx.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-onjBRDSARIsAEZXcKYVR1d2Pw9xDBA-3C8Bv47K72naHX3DKV4vtJzrvyDyjt2z7ilqgdAaAnuhEALw_wcB and http://www.luxuryofwatches.com/hublot-big-bang-301-px-1180-px/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-onjBRDSARIsAEZXcKa_AUjuIayzBvVPCWrCnfBapb7gGzurivn50fP6jojD0HneHVkYeMEaAqhEEALw_wcB

Incredible and insensitive how a TSA agent was to this injured war veteran taking a flight. It is obvious that the guy lost his legs and part of an arm and that he could do no harm. However, the stupid TSA agent continued to search him to the fullest allowed by the silly law. In a word - CRUEL

When are you going to write another letter (you have written many) saying goodbye to the forum only to return time and time again? You always have something nasty to say about people here. Try being nice for a change. You might find less people disliking you.

You are a seasoned traveler to Brazil. You would have no reason to misinterpret or exaggerate the dangers that clearly have increased in Brazil over the past few years. One day, one of the Pollyannas on this forum will get mugged. When that happens, and it most likely will, those Pollyannas will get off their know-it-all perch and begin singing a different tune.

Words of wisdom - Connecting the dots -

I had just exited an Uber car. I was walking to a restaurant about 100 feet from where I exited the Uber. The two guys came out of a doorway. It was 8:30 at night. Will you be so kind as to tell me how you would apply your suggestion of "using one's head as an experienced traveler and if it feels wrong, turn around and leave immediately"? Given the facts and circumstances, your suggestion is pretty silly and impractical. Does it make you feel good to play troll?

Did the car hit you in the head?

What! Did you bother to read what I wrote. I repeatedly expressed caution to others while visiting Brazil. I did not try to discourage others from visiting Brazil. Read my response to Oz above! I complimented him for having suggestions in the Latin America forum - Please think before you post inflammatory comments as you so often do with many other posters to this forum.

You have it right. It is propitious to attempt to mitigate possibilities of something bad happening in Brazil. However, as you wrote, "it is getting more difficult" in Brazil. Thus muggers are on the streets and often on drugs. There is a shortage of police while the muggers are almost undetectable until they strike. Many of the suggestions in the Latin America section of your site are quite good. If only the travelers to Brazil would follow those recommendations. That is the key for a likely good crime free time in Brazil.

What occurred to me in Brazil could not have “easily happened in Chicago or New Orleans, two US cities known for their violence issues” as you wrote. Unlike Chicago and New Orleans, in Brazil, there is extreme high unemployment and a major shortage of police. High unemployment often puts more people on the street with idle time and little to do. Furthermore, those unemployed people have little or no other means to purchase food, or housing and other necessities of life. There is an old proverb that touches on this subject - “An idle mind is the devil's workshop” - Meaning - - People who have nothing worthwhile to think about will usually think of something bad to do.” Moreover, unlike Chicago and New Orleans, in Brazil, there is open use of drugs on the streets, even in “good areas” and there is an increase in the quantity of “street people” who have nothing to lose by opportunistic attacks against other citizens and tourists. As I wrote above, there is an extreme shortage of police in Brazil’s large cities. In view of the foregoing facts, the odds of becoming a victim of violence are far greater in Brazil than in any of any other country I visited. Like you, I have traveled to many parts of the world, many times. My incident late last year was the first time I ever encountered any form of violence while traveling. Clearly, given the changed economy, high unemployment and lack of sufficient quantity of police, Brazil is not what is used to be. As I wrote, I will continue visiting Brazil. However, I will exercise more caution than I ever did over more than fifteen years and many trips to Brazil. New travelers to Brazil should be extra careful while there and follow the rules that are written in this forum. Even then, you could still get mugged or worse. Caution, caution, and more caution!

Read this is you still think the crime rate in Brazil has not increased: https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/four-women-murdered-every-day-in-brazil-in-2019/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRioTimes+(The+Rio+Times) And this: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/04/brazil-women-killed-2019-rate-alarming-iachr It seems that violence in Brazil is just the way things are nowadays -

There is an old proverb that dates back to the 1,500s - the author was John Heywood of England. Among other musical and plays and books he wrote, he wrote "There are none so blind as those who will not see." Crime in Brazil is real and it is out of control. To say otherwise, is ignoring current and daily news reports and reality. To my knowledge, never before has the U.S. State Department gone into such detail about specific dangers in Brazil. Never before has the Brazilian news been filled, daily, with reporting street muggings and robberies and killings. Brazil's new president won his election on his promise to clean up corruption and crime in the streets. Just because travelers to Brazil have not yet had a problem, don't think it cannot happen to you. It was not my intention to report an incident that happened to me late last year. I felt reporting the incident in this forum would scare off many visitors to Brazil if I disclosed what happened to me. I did not want to negatively influence anyone to visit or not to visit Brazil. I got mugged on the street. During the mugging, I was injured and had to be returned to the U.S. via a private aircraft (paid for by my travel insurance provider). During the assault, I suffered two torn ligaments in my shoulder and damaged muscles in my shoulder. Needless to say the injuries were quite painful and debilitating. After the damaged shoulder muscles heal sufficiently, I must submit to surgery to repair two torn ligaments in my shoulder that are not knitting together as they should. A surgery date has not yet been set. The incident happened around 8:30 in the evening near one of my favorite restaurants. There were many people around but it happened anyway. Then the muggers fled after being interrupted. It so happened that the owner of the restaurant knows me and saw the incident happen. It was she who ran up to the muggers and started screaming at them which caused them to quickly leave. But damage had already been done. I had traveled to Brazil more than one hundred times without any danger coming to me. I was in denial for years and thought that robberies or muggings happened only to "other people" but not to me. But robberies and muggings do happen to anyone if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite my injuries, most of the pain is gone. I traveled to Brazil in January, this year. I just returned from Brazil last week. I expect to return again to Brazil next month. I must admit that I am more cautious while in Brazil than I was prior to the incident. I now use Uber and taxis more than I ever did prior to the incident. I also have to admit I am not as comfortable while out and about as I was prior to the mugging. Hopefully, the surgery to repair my torn ligaments will be a success and the mugging will merely be a learning lesson about an incident in Brazil. So, let all the confident people believe they are not subject to dangers while visiting Brazil. I wish you luck. In reality, one should assess their behavior while visiting Brazil. Without being overly cautious, visitors to Brazil should try to lessen the likelihood of encountering a street mugger, robber or worse. It is difficult to reach a happy medium in being cautious compared to being overly cautious. Time will eventually equalize that difficulty. Unquestionably, it is not always possible to avoid danger if you happen to be in the way when danger rears its ugly head. The pleasures of Brazil seem to outway the potential dangers. Just be careful and remember the potential dangers in order to stay less likely to become a statistic. Peace

Funny - you never know -

Recife? Recife’s Pina Beach U.S. government personnel are prohibited from walking after dark on Pina Beach, located in the northern part of Boa Viagem, due to crime. This restriction covers the sandy areas of Pina Beach starting at Dona Benvinda de Farias Street and ending at Brasilia Teimosa neighborhood. Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

The warning I presented, that I received from the State Department, did not center its discussion on intentional homicides. The warnings were of recent - 2018 - robberies, muggings, attacks and of course, some homicides - - - - - in Brazil. The State Department alert I received confirmed for visitors to Brazil that violence, robberies and worse have increased over the past few years and that incidents are increasing. The notice advised visitors to Brazil to act accordingly by following the recommendations listed on the warning. Those who travel to Brazil once a year or less would not be able to compare the changes that occur during the year particularly if they are traveling for a specific event. A short visit for an event is not the same as a stay of several weeks each visit. I travel to Brazil eight or nine times each year and started visiting Brazil in 2003. I can see for my own eyes that there is more danger on the streets now and elsewhere in Brazil. The police in Brazil would have no reason to fabricate reported crimes. That could harm tourism. Furthermore, the inhabitants and tourists who get mugged in Brazil would have no reason to fabricate the incidents. I don't think anyone here can logically dispute actual statistics of Brazilian police agencies concerning reported crimes in Brazil. I enjoy Brazil a lot. I wish the reports were false, but they are not. As a further form of evidence, the new president of Brazil - Bolsonaro - campaigned on going after street crime and that campaign promise is credited for a major element of his success in winning the election. Clearly, street crime spills over to affect tourists.