The Brazilian way helps FIFA

24Jun11

Carlos Nuzman, Eduardo Paes and Ricardo Teixeira

The Brazilian way – ‘jeitinho brasileiro’ in Portuguese – is an informal way of behaving widely accepted by Brazil’s society that relies on improvisation, flexibility, creativity, intuition etc, behind unexpected or complex situations. Although it isn’t founded on procedures or techniques previously set, it is an unethical system historically adopted that makes use of emotional blackmail, family ties, bribes, promises etc, in order to benefit someone. Millions of Brazilian think that they are influential and smarter than others when they manage to apply it and they also give a high status to this way of getting things done. If it were used the most on a personal level, it wouldn’t be so harmful to the country but, since day one, it has always been a national tool used by crooked politicians and bureaucrats to the detriment of honest citizens.

Jeitinho came out once again and was named ‘Provisional Measure 527’ last June 15th. The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil agreed that there will be total secrecy on the cost of all necessary constructions and on the budgets of FIFA and of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC). In other words, the Brazilian government is allowed to spend public money without giving further explanation, general contractors can charge any price they wish for their services and the Brazilian population won’t be let known anything about the expenses. Is it a steal?

Both the success and the realization of FIFA World Cup depend on the Brazilian way very much, as it’s the best way to enable a serious of tricky measures that would never be considered in a serious country. The process is already in progress and it’s a shame that Globo TV – Brazil’s most successful broadcaster – doesn’t report what’s going on. On the other hand, there’s no political willingness to deliver infrastructural improvements to the population that, in spite of paying one of the most expensives taxes on Earth, has no other way but going to miserable public hospitals, enrolling their children into a useless educational system, taking crammed means of transportation to commute and so on.

The Rio de Janeiro visitors don't see

Some English journalists affirmed that Brazil, Russia and Qatar were chosen as World Cup hosts by FIFA because they would be countries where control doesn’t exist. That seems to be true, at least in the Brazilian case.

Filed under: Brazil, Brazilian way, CBF, FIFA, Football   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Carlos Nuzman, Eduardo PAes, infrastructure, Ricardo Teixeira, Rio de Janeiro