Vice’s Tim Pool is broadcasting live from the streets of downtown Rio de Janeiro, tracking protests against the World Cup, an international event that many Brazilians say has focused resources and attention away from the very real problems in the country.
While the tournament kicks off today with a match between Brazil and Croatia, the real contest may be between the police trying to keep order as the country is flooded with tourists and the protesters decrying alleged corruption and the lack of spending on infrastructure and public services.
We saw some of the same issues when Brazil hosted the Confederations Cup, a tune-up soccer tournament that also sent Brazilians to the streets. In part, it’s probably also the natural result of a rising middle class coming to terms with economic changes reverberating across their country.