Letter From Brazil: New Subways, Highways Can't Arrive Fast Enough
Brazil has become a country engulfed in major transportation projects ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro—including subways, ports and a beltway to ease congestion in and around São Paulo.
In the past few weeks, however, the South American giant has become engulfed in some of the biggest protests in 20 years. Apparently sparked by a proposed increase in bus fares in São Paulo, which is known for its unreliable bus service, some 65,000 citizens there recently took to the streets to demand better public services and protest the state of transportation systems. Some 100,000 reportedly followed suit in Rio.