By Sibel Tinar, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – As the official campaign for the upcoming Brazilian elections begins, the Ficha Limpa (Clean Record) law, which makes politicians with criminal convictions ineligible to run for office, is being challenged and even bypassed by some politicians.
Demonstrators in favor of Ficha Limpa symbolically wash the ramp in front of the National Congress in Brasília, photo by José Cruz/ABr.
One of the biggest popular initiatives against corruption in Brazilian history, the Ficha Limpa petition was signed by over 1.6 million citizens and came into effect when President Lula approved it on June 4th.
The subsequent ruling by the Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE, Federal Election Board) determined that the law would be retroactive and apply to this year’s elections, forcing political parties to review their ethical standards and weed out problematic candidates.
Nevertheless, it was this very rushed nature of the bill that left it vulnerable to attacks from the politicians who saw their careers threatened under the new law. It was also criticized by many for contradicting the constitution and the past rulings of Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF, Supreme Court), which gave convicted politicians multiple rights to file appeals in order to prevent false accusations by political enemies. Ficha Limpa puts an end to this process of filing repeated appeals, yet only takes into account convictions made by a court, as opposed to a single judge.
Politicians are not the only ones worried about the retrospective character of the law, as the judges have also raised concerns that Ficha Limpa cases could overwhelm them. It is estimated that some 25 percent of the members of Congress have legal problems that could potentially render them ineligible for reelection.
The number of troubled candidates appears to be the highest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, as 37 out of its 70 legislators are affected by legal woes.Heráclito Fortes, a senator from Piauí, was allowed to run for reelection by the Supreme Court, despite being convicted for misuse of public resources, photo by Roosewelt Pinheiro/ABr.
José Carlos Gratz, a former deputy from the state of Espírito Santo, recently filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court challenging the legality of Ficha Limpa on multiple grounds.
Gratz, who served a jail sentence after being found guilty of abusing his power, claims that the constitution prohibits retroactive laws, and requires all possibilities of appeal to be exhausted before a politician can be declared ineligible due to conviction. The lawsuit also points out that since a second vote was not obtained after changes were made to the original bill as required, it should technically be declared void.
Another politician, Senator Heráclito Fortes from Piauí, who was found guilty by a state court for misuse of public resources, is allowed to register for candidacy and run for reelection as the result of a Supreme Court ruling. The decision was made on the basis that the Supreme Court has not yet reached a final verdict on the case, as Fortes has appealed the decision of conviction and his appeal has been in the court since 2000.
So far, the TSE has rejected the registration of seven candidates, declaring them ineligible to run under Ficha Limpa, while a number of other politicians with corruption charges and/or convictions, including the ousted governor of Maranhão Jackson Lago, ex-senator Joaquim Roriz, and Paulo Maluf, who was declared one of the most corrupt politicians in the world by The Economist, were allowed to register.
The TSE holds the power to revoke the registrations of these controversial candidates. But for the time being, the primary concern for both the politicians and the jurists seems to be finding out whether or not the Supreme Court will rule Ficha Limpa unconstitutional.
By Maíra Amorim, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – July 9th marked the thirty year anniversary of the death of Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian poet, musician, singer, ambassador and Carioca who died at the age of 67. Moraes left behind a legacy of music and poetry that is being celebrated all month.
Vinicius de Moraes in 1970, photo courtesy of of Wikimedia Creative Commons License.
An iconic figure of Rio during the 1950s and 60s, he is best known as author of “Garota de Ipanema” (Girl from Ipanema), the famous song he composed in 1962 with his musical partner and friend, Tom Jobim.
Moraes’ life was portrayed in the 2005 documentary “Vinicius” by Miguel Faria Jr, with exclusive footage of parties he threw and interviews with many of his friends. He was a person who loved life, music, women and Rio.
Moraes was a true Carioca. Born in Gávea in 1913, he was raised in Botafogo and studied at Santo Inácio High School, one of the most traditional in Rio. Over the years, the poet witnessed the development and transformation of the city. He graduated with a degree in Portuguese and went on to acquire a law degree, despite his lack of interest in the subject.
In 1933, his first book, “O Caminho Para A Distância” (The Path to Distance), was published and it became clear that writing was his passion. In 1938, he was awarded a scholarship to study at Oxford (UK), where he later married his first wife, Beatriz Azevedo de Mello. He returned to Brazil at the commencement of the Second World War in 1939, where, in São Paulo, he began working as a journalist and film critic.
Moraes’ diplomatic career began in 1943. He was assigned his first post, Los Angeles, in 1946. In 1950, Moraes returned to Brazil and in 1951 was married for the second time to Lila Maria Esquerdo e Bôscoli. He continued working as a journalist, film critic and poet until he was sent to Paris in 1953, the same year in which he composed his first samba, “Quando tu Passas por Mim” (When you pass by me).
After several posts in Rio, Montevideo and Paris, Moraes was dismissed from the foreign service in 1969, as the military dictatorship, which investigated the private lives of consuls and ministers, disapproved of his bohemian lifestyle.
The bar Garota de Ipanema, where Moraes composed his most famous song of the same name, photo by Phillie Casablanca.
Moraes was married several times, and his long list of wives included Maria Lúcia Proença (1958), Nelita Abreu Rocha (1963), Cristina Gurjão (1969), Gesse Gessy (1970), Marta Rodrihues Santamaria (1976), Gilda de Queirós Mattoso (1978) and Regina Pederneiras, with whom he was married at the same time as Beatriz de Mello. His passion for women was clear in his poems, lyrics and songs.
Arguably Moraes’ most famous composition, “Garota de Ipanema” was inspired by Helô Pinheiro, a young woman who would often pass by a bar where the two men frequented. Formerly named Veloso, the bar is now called “Garota de Ipanema” and is located on the corner of Prudente de Moraes with Vinicius de Moraes in Ipanema. The bar has become a popular stop for tourists.
While its fame is unquestionable, Moraes’ legacy goes far beyond “Garota de Ipanema”. He published more than thirty books, wrote five plays and lived his life to the fullest. He was an intellectual who flirted with Rio’s high society and loved to compose samba.
The injustice of Moraes’ expulsion from his diplomatic career was corrected in February of this year, when the Brazilian congress approved his promotion to first class Minister. “He was an ambassador of Brazilian Culture,” said his daughter, Suzana de Moraes. And this he remains, thirty years after his death.
By Doug Gray, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – The first trailer for the much-anticipated film sequel Tropa de Elite 2 hit cinemas on June 30th, and all indications suggest that a box office smash is on the cards once more when the film receives its nationwide release in October. Research by Veja Magazine suggested that over 10,000,000 people had seen the original (titled “Elite Squad” in English) before it was released either by downloading it from the internet or via a pirate copy, but the film still went on to gross over US$14 Million since 2007.
Wagner Moura plays Captain Nascimento in the forthcoming film Tropa de Elite 2, photo by Bento Marzo.
Much tighter security surrounds the second film, and though piracy clearly did not significantly hamper profits last time around, the secrecy surrounding the new film has become its own marketing tool, and producers have been tight-lipped over the plot.
What will please the millions of fans, however, is the news that Tropa de Elite 2 is destined to be another revealing and violent look into the world of the elite police outfit trained to confront gangs in the favelas of Rio, the BOPE (Special Police Operations Battalion). Filmed between January and April of this year and directed by José Padilla, Wagner Moura reprises his role as Captain Nascimento, but in 2010 the problem is no longer the drug gangs, but rather the militias that dominate the city of Rio.
Directo José Padilla has created another explosive action blockbuster to be released in October, photo by Alexandre Lima.
Nascimento is charged with fighting the war against the militias, and Padilla has again created a dramatic action movie brilliantly using the landscape of the city as his set. Breathtaking aerial shots of the BOPE helicopters and the intense battleground that is the favela’s tight-streets give the visual magic, and the soundtrack is once again strewn with Funk Carioca.
The neighborhoods of Ramos, Jacarepaguá, Barra da Tijuca, Recreio and Dona Marta form the main locations, and it was during filming at the latter that the gunfire and helicopters drew nervous calls to the police from the local residents unaware of the scheduled filming.
Alongside Wagner Moura, Seu Jorge also makes an appearance in the new film. The singer starred in City of God and went on to act in several well-received films including The Life Aquatic in 2004. Moura meanwhile has stayed off the big screen since his last outing as Captain Nascimento, taking to the stage for a run in Hamlet instead.
Tropa de Elite 2 is set to be released on October 8th, 2010, and will arrive on an unprecedented wave of hype, such is the appetite for the sequel in Brazil. Distributed by Zazen Productions, expect to start seeing the first film posters on bus stops and Metro Station walls very soon.
By Jewellord T. Nem Singh, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – State Attorney Luis Roberto Barroso delivered the opinion of Rio’s State Prosecutor’s office on Tuesday July 6th, arguing that the changes to the royalty distribution recently passed in Congress are unconstitutional. The new document questions the constitutionality of the new law, and forms the latest attempt of the largest oil producing state of Brazil to mobilize against Congress’ move to centralize revenue resources towards the federal government.
Petrobrás headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, photo by Jorge Lascar/Wikimedia Creative Commons License.
While still some way from reaching the Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF) – the sole body able to decide its constitutionality – due to the complex procedures involving many government agencies and branches to challenge the law, it is quite clear that the newly passed legislation will undergo further changes. However, the move also indicates that this is the only legal avenue for the state to prevent radical changes for the fiscal prospects of oil-producing states and municipalities.
Rio de Janeiro, one of the most politically and economically important states of Brazil, would experience a R$7 Billion per year fall in its annual budget should the current law be implemented.
For the proponents, the law aims for equitable distribution of oil revenues because oil is considered a national wealth and as such other states deserve a share of the region’s windfall. For its opponents, the law disregards the vulnerability of oil-producing states, whereby the environmental and social consequences of oil extraction are solely shouldered by these states.
With elections nearing, whether Lula will act to veto on the law or not, is uncertain. The alternative is to let the issue lie whilst a transition of presidency is occurring, allowing the incoming President to make the final decision on a law that will have serious economic and political implications in the governance of petroleum.
The royalty law is just one of the main policy changes being made public today, as Congress also approved an annual investment in Petrobrás of around R$20 million. The company has moved swiftly to expand its activities and has already acquired the license to build a pipeline that is set to begin operation in the second semester of 2011. The investment costs around USD$1.1 billion and the new 542-kilometer pipeline will produce roughly 12.9 billion liters of ethanol per year.
Câmara dos Deputados (Chamber of Deputies), the Lower House of Brazil's National Congress, during the plenary session on Petrobrás capitalization, photo by José Cruz/ABr.
The main problem with the current oil debate remains the overriding uncertainty in the industry. No study has even clearly indicated how big the reserves are, with rough estimates between 20-120 billion barrels of oil, but exact amounts are unknown.
In addition, the proposed law changing the concessions system to access the reserves is more restrictive to foreign firms and how this will affect Petrobrás, which is attempting to act both as a public company and a private firm competing against foreign capital, remains equally unclear. Worse still, the upcoming election is holding off these pressing decisions which need to be undertaken by an out-going president.
By Matthew Burgess, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – After a six week break, the Campeonato Brasileiro – Brazil’s top flight soccer league – recommences this evening with a clássico at the Maracanã stadium as Flamengo meet Botafogo. The two clubs however, have endured wildly contrasting preparations for the restart of the competition following the World Cup hiatus.
Flamengo end Bruno's contract following allegations, photo by Márcia Feitosa/VIPCOMM.
Flamengo were forced to spend the break searching for reinforcements to the squad with strikers Vágner Love, Bruno Mezenga, Denis Marquees and Gil all exiting the club.
The Rubro-Negro were able to make a handful of minor signings with goalkeeper Vinícius (Boavista), midfielders Corrêa (Atlético-MG), Renato (Al-Shabab, UAE) and Marquinhos (Palmeiras), central defender Jean (FC Moscow) and forwards Val Baiano (Monterrey-Mexico) and Cristian Borja (Caxias) all moving to Gávea. But with the foreign based signings unavailable for Flamengo’s next five games due to Augusts international transfer window, coach Rogério Lourenço has already warned of his side’s unlikelihood to retain the trophy.
“Flamengo is always looking to have a strong team but we are far from having a team similar to the one that won the Brasileirão or began this season”, he warned, while hoping the speculation linking legend Ronaldinho Gaúcho with a move to Flamengo will come to fruition.
With the first team squad based at a training camp in Itu, São Paulo, Flamengo’s preparations were overshadowed by far more serious news emerging from Rio. Following a confession from his 17 year old nephew, goalkeeper Bruno handed himself in to police after alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of his ex-partner Eliza Samudio.
Having made headlines around the world, Flamengo are now threatening Bruno with legal action for damaging the club’s image and have already canceled the 25 year-old’s contract.
Deco has negotiated his release from Chelsea and is now set to join Fluminense, photo by John Dobson / Wikimedia Creative Commons License.
Former Flamengo coach Joel Santana, now at Botafogo, worked with Bruno in 2007 and spoke of his disbelief and disappointment:
“This case is so serious that I am trying to understand the situation better. When I was with Bruno, we got along just fine. In my head, it is difficult to believe that it all happened. It has made me re-think all my beliefs. We all need to find a way for society to become healthier. I am very upset about all that happened. It is inexplicable. It is a time for us all to reflect,” said Santana.
Santana’s Botafogo have enjoyed a relatively peaceful period in comparison. Jóbson, whose goals last season just kept Botafogo in the top league, has returned to the club from Brasiliense after completing a doping ban. Long term transfer target Maicosuel also finally began training with club and played in a friendly match on Saturday, despite not having officially completed his transfer from German outfit Hoffenheim.
The most significant signing made during the World Cup break was at Fluminense after Deco negotiated the release from his contract at Chelsea. The Tricolor expect to officially make an announcement regarding Deco’s arrival this week, with the Portuguese international signing a two year deal. The side restart their Brasileirão campaign on Thursday night when Grêmio Prudente visit Rio.
New Vasco coach PC Gusmão has kept his squad busy during the break with friendlies against Avaí, Grêmio and Coritiba. The club also secured the services of striker Éder Luís and midfielder Fellipe Bastos who arrive on loan from Benfica, whilst former star Felipe also returns, ten years after leaving the club. Carlos Alberto meanwhile has made his loan from Werder Bremen permanent, signing for three years with the Cruzmaltino who face Goiás tonight.
Campeonato Brasileiro as at July 12th, 2010.
By Oliver Bazely, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – The second article in our series on renting apartments in Rio focuses on the kind of apartment you can expect to find for R$2,500. Again, we will examine the rental market in five popular neighborhoods; Ipanema, Copcabana, Leblon, Flamengo and Botafogo. Prices were taken from www.zap.com.br.The view back across Leblon to The Lagoa and Sugarloaf Mountain shows the wide variety of apartment buildings available, photo by Jake Gordon/Wikimedia Creative Commons License. Ipanema
Ipanema is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Rio, with high class shops, restaurants and the famous beach running along its length, accordingly, the cost of renting an apartment is among the highest in the city. For R$2,500, expect an 80m² apartment with one to two bedrooms.
Example: This 70m², two bedroom apartment on Almirante Sadock de Sá has been thoroughly renovated, and features fitted furniture throughout. The building is located at the end of the street, abutting a rock-face, so is relatively quiet. There does not appear to be any balcony, or shared amenities, which may be found in comparable apartments in this price range. There is also a monthly R$506 building charge. This apartment may be viewed here.Average apartment area: 80m²
Average rent per m²: R$50Leblon
Leblon is Rio’s most sought-after zip code, but with high demand comes high prices. R$2,500 is sufficient to rent a serviceable one or two bedroom apartment here, although it will probably be less than spacious, and have restricted views, or be along a noisy main road.
Example: At R$2,700, this first floor apartment may stretch your budget slightly, but it has all of the essentials. There is a bedroom and small living room with dining area, all squeezed into 45m². There is also a car parking space, and it can be viewed here.Average apartment area: 55m²
Average rent per m²: R$50Copacabana
Copacabana is the very heart of Zona Sul, but with good transport links comes huge traffic congestion, though it is serviced by three Metro stations. It is popular with tourists so lacks the refined atmosphere of Flamengo and Ipanema, and has a reputation for some seedy streets. R$2,500 is sufficient to rent a 65m² apartment in a centrally-located building. Many are targeted at tourists, so are already fully furnished.
Example: This 60m² apartment features two bedrooms and a small living and dining area and comes with some basic furniture, including double beds. The master bedroom is of a reasonable size, although the guest bedroom is only a little bigger than the bed it contains. The listing can be viewed here.Average apartment area: 60-70m²
Average rent per m²: R$28Flamengo's apartment buildings crammed together as the favela overlooks from the hillside, photo by Joe Hodge.Botafogo
Botafogo is a popular area with students and increasingly families, but suffers similar traffic problems to Copacabana during peak hours. Rio Sul Shopping and Botafogo Praia Shopping are two excellent malls in close proximity, and there is certainly no shortage of bars and restaurants to keep residents entertained. Apartments in the R$2,500 price range are a more spacious 80-120m² on average, and can be found with two or three bedrooms, fitted kitchens and bathrooms and pleasant views. Many will also feature private balconies or terraces and communal facilities such as a pool.
Example: Located on Rua Pinheiro Guimarães, this 87m² apartment features an en-suite master bedroom, a guest bedroom and a single parking space. There is a balcony, although the views are not particularly exhilarating. The building has both a shared pool and a shared football pitch and can be seen here.Average apartment area: 80 – 90m²
Average rent per m²: R$23Flamengo
Flamengo is another of Rio’s high-rise neighborhoods and very popular with families with its quieter streets and proximity to Centro. On average, apartments available for R$2,500 are, as with Botafogo, of around 80m² and feature two or three bedrooms and a modern fitted furniture.
Example: This 90m² apartment has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and well-maintained parquet flooring throughout. The kitchen features fitted furniture, modern appliances and a breakfast bar. There is a small terrace although views are restricted, and it can be seen here.Average apartment area: 80m²
Average rent per m²: R$35
By Christine Wipfli, Contributing Reporter
SÃO PAULO – While many get discouraged at the sometimes elite and pricey São Paulo scene, there are still a variety of trendy places that are easy on the wallet and well worth checking out. Abundant in cultural diversity, São Paulo offers a plethora of attractions for the budgeted tourist to the light pocketed local; there is indeed no shortage of inexpensive weekend attractions.
The impressive São Paulo skyline at night, photo by Teosaurio/Flickr Creative Commons License.
Exceptional cuisine is something the local Paulistas take a great deal of pride in. There are over 12,000 restaurants and over 15,000 bars to choose from offering cuisines from over sixty different countries, not to mention the eclectic Mercado Municipal. Everything from Thai, Arab, Japanese, Mexican, French, American, or Native Brazilian, you can easily find quality dishes for under R$25.
If there is any place in Brazil to experience delicious oriental cuisine then the Liberdade neighborhood is it, the market being open both Saturdays and Sundays. You can find traditional noodle dishes like Yakisoba for as little as R$4 that will leave you full until dinner time. Aside from authentic oriental dishes there is an arts and crafts market which makes for a great place to buy souvenirs as everything is handmade and the prices are reasonable.
Another very enjoyable destination that is often overlooked is São Paulo’s very own Aquarium located in the Ipiranga neighborhood. Aquário de São Paulo, which is the first themed aquarium in South America, houses hundreds of different types of fish and aquatic animals including playful otters and penguins and impressive Amazonian manatees and Piranhas. The average entrance price is only R$30 per person, relatively cheap considering it is an intriguing and entertaining spectacle be it for couples, friends or families, which requires at least half a day’s visit.
MASP, São Paulo's number one art museum, photo by Peteris2009/Flickr Creative Commons License.
São Paulo’s Ibirapuera Park, often compared to New York’s Central Park, is the largest patch of green in the city and makes for a great place to enjoy the Sub-Tropical Brazilian climate on the weekends. For fitness, you can find just about any sport being played and for leisure a great number of Paulistas laying on the grass, reading, and having a picnic. On Sundays they offer open- air concerts with live music for those interested in dancing or listening to traditional Brazilian music for free.
What trip to São Paulo would be complete without a visit to the Museum? The MASP (Museu de Arte de São Paulo) is an icon of cultural exuberance in the city. While visiting the Museum you can view hundreds of pieces by renowned artists such as Nattier, Ingres, Renoir, Van Gogh, Tintoretto, Rembrandt, and Monet for the small entrance fee of just R$15. To add to a pleasant day, on Sundays there is a captivating antiques flea market right outside the museum with items sure to impress history enthusiasts.
Before leaving the city one should experience a bit of the night life at any of the city’s livelier neighborhoods such as Vila Madalena. It’s a great way to get to know São Paulo and the locals on a more intimate level, and is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Regular flights from Rio to São Paulo with Gol from around R$349.
By Maíra Amorim, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – From idol to monster: that is how the life of Bruno Fernandes de Souza, Flamengo’s famous former goalkeeper, has changed in the last few weeks. Arrested on July 7th, he is suspected of involvement in the disappearance of his ex-lover, Eliza Samudio, who has been missing since June 8th and presumed murdered in a crime that has shocked Brazil.
Bruno's mugshot following his arrest over the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend, photo provided by Minas Gerais' Civil Police.
Bruno presented himself to police in Rio and was transferred to Minas Gerais where he is currently in jail along with friends Luiz Henrique Ferreira Romão (Macarrão), Marcos Aparecido dos Santos (Bola), Wemerson Marques (Coxinha), Flávio Caetano and Elenilson Vitor da Silva. All six are suspected of having links to the murder of Eliza, who allegedly has a son with the goalkeeper, called Bruninho, though DNA tests remain unconfirmed.
Up to July 7th, Bruno was showing tranquility towards the news of the disappearance and appeared at Flamengo’s training despite having been dismissed from the official group. However, testimony of his cousin changed everything.
The young man said that Eliza was kidnapped, tortured and murdered and even gave details of a shocking crime: her body was fed to the dogs at the house of ex-policeman Marcos Aparecido dos Santos, in Minas Gerais. The cousin took Minas policemen to the place, but nothing was found there, and the body is still missing.
The cousin, an unnamed minor, gave contradictory versions to the Police and to the Public Ministry. Eliza was driven by him and Macarrão to Bruno’s country house in Minas Gerais. First, he said that Bruno arrived the next day and stayed there for only two hours. But he has since changed his mind and declared to the Public Ministry that Bruno arrived the same day as they did and also that his ex-wife, Dayanne was there when they arrived.
Flamengo have canceled the goalkeeper's contract, worth R$250,000 a month, and his shirt has been removed from stores, photo by VIPCOMM/AgenciaFla.
There are still many missing elements to the story, and police will again check and compare the testimonials of everyone involved on Eliza’s disappearance. So far, Bruno has refused to provide blood or saliva for a DNA test to see if he is really the father of Eliza’s son, and also to see if the male blood found in his car is indeed his. It has already been confirmed that Eliza’s blood was found on the vehicle.
New facts have emerged daily, but what is clear is that the life and career of Bruno, Flamengo’s ex-captain and an idol of the team that claims to have the highest number of supporters in Brazil, has been destroyed. His contract with Flamengo, that guaranteed him R$250,000 a month, was suspended on July 8th.
Olimpikus, the sports company that sponsored him, also canceled the contract and announced the end of his autographed line of shirts, gloves and shoes. The keeper’s shirt, with Bruno’s signature, is also being recalled from all stores.
The coldness of the goalkeeper in court has impressed both judges and officers, and he has not demonstrated tension or despair and always keeps his head up. However on Monday July 12th, he felt sick and passed out in jail which, for some specialists, may finally serve as an indication that he is now facing the reality of the problem.
Editorial
RIO DE JANEIRO – “Garota de Ipanema” (“The Girl from Ipanema”) is perhaps the most famous bossa nova song ever, and maybe the most famous song to come out of Brazil. It became a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s winning a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. It was written in 1962, with music by Tom Jobim and lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes, with English lyrics later written by Norman Gimbel.
Stone Korshak, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of The Rio Times.
The song is so famous the title precedes itself, and I’m not proud to say it was only recently I matched the song name to the melody. This month is the thirtieth anniversary of Vinicius de Moraes‘ death, and so it seemed like a good time to have another listen.
Legend goes that “The Girl from Ipanema” was inspired by Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto (now Helô Pinheiro), a fifteen-year-old girl that past by the popular Veloso bar-café on her way to the beach, attracting the attention of regulars Jobim and Moraes. It’s not hard to imagine, having spent some time people-watching on the path to Posto 9 myself.
The first commercial recording was in 1962, by Pery Ribeiro. The version performed by Astrud Gilberto, along with João Gilberto and Stan Getz, from the 1964 album Getz/Gilberto, became an international hit, reaching #5 in the United States, including number one on the Pop Standard chart.
Like a handful of great songs, it transcended the language it was written in, but it is only now that I realize the English lyrics are not as close a translation as I’d imagined.
The lyrics in Portuguese by Vinicius de Moraes:Olha que coisa mais linda
mais cheia de graça
É ela menina que vem e que passa
nun doce balanço, caminho do mar…
Moça do corpo dourado, do sol de Ipanema
O seu balançado é mais que un poema
é a coisa mais linda
que eu já vi passar…
Ah! Porque estou tão sozinho
Ah! Porque tudo é tão triste
Ah! A beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
que também passa sozinha
Ah! Se ela soubesse
que quando ela passa
o mundo sorrindo
se enche de graça
e fica mais lindo
por causa do amor
por causa do amor
por causa do amorAnd then the English language version of the song, by Norman Gimbel:Tall and tan and young and lovely,
The girl from Ipanema goes walking,
And when she passes
each one she passes goes “a-a-ah!”
When she walks she’s like a samba
Swings so cool and sways so gentle,
That when she passes
each one she passes goes “a-a-ah!”
Oh, but I watch her so sadly,
How can I tell her I love her?
Yes, I would give my heart gladly
But each day when she walks to the sea,
She looks straight ahead not at me
Tall and tan and young and lovely,
The girl from Ipanema goes walking,
And when she passes I smile, but she doesn’t see,
She just doesn’t see, No she doesn’t see
Of course if you don’t speak Portuguese you won’t see the differences, but try running it through Google Translate if you’re curious.
Below is one of the few videos I found with Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes performing together, recorded in Milan in 1978.
Opinion, by Felicity Clarke
RIO DE JANEIRO – At the start of the World Cup a television appeared in the house. As well as facilitating a thorough viewing of the Cup’s proceedings (which have been emotional), it has become a near-constant distraction and a window into the wonderful world of Brazilian television.
Silvio Santos and his iconic microphone present the popular daytime quiz show "Roda a Roda Jequiti", image recreation.
With no knowledge of the story lines, I left the famous soap operas alone and instead have found myself glued to a blurry mix of game shows, news and at a low ebb, trashy American films dubbed in Portuguese.
The big, bright studio lit bonanza of “ordinary” people winning prizes is a prime time standard the world over. Inane, cringe worthy and of seemingly little cultural value, Brazilian game shows are like game shows everywhere. But in their unique peculiarities, they really aren’t.
Following the World Cup final on Sunday, I tuned in to SBT’sRoda a Roda Jequiti, Brazil’s answer to the Wheel of Fortune where vendors and customers of Jequiti products get the chance to compete for prizes of up to R$100,000. Hosted by eighty year old television legend and station owner Silvio Santos and assistant Patricia Salvador, Roda a Roda Jequiti works the guess a letter, guess the word format at 7PM every Sunday evening.
Santos is a lovable old smoothy with a deep mahogany tan, enhanced face and bumbling charm, while Salvador is the quintessential lovely assistant that sparkles prettily on screen. So far, so standard. Things get unusual when certain technical issues (such as Santos leaning over the podiums to see the contestant’s score) lead us to the shocking conclusion that the well-preserved octogenarian is presenting prime time TV without an ear piece or autocue. There is also the curious, clunky great silver microphone attached to his tie, although this could be explained by a disease on his vocal chords he suffered in the late 1980s.
Going against the dolly bird game show grain, Santos and Salvador alternate roles between asking the questions and revealing the letters. Just as I was welling up with excitement that the Brazilian Wheel of Fortune was giving it a “you go girl!” in the game of gender roles, a camera shot of the whooping audience knocked the wind out of my right-on sails. They were all, without exception, female. Cut back to the contestants and the same goes. The realization dawned that Santos is the only televised man in the room.
But why? In the early 1980s, the young SBT station didn’t allow men in the audience for fear the boyfriends and husbands of contestants would get uncontrollably jealous of the hot male celebrity guests on the shows. It’s a weak reason that has somehow allowed a norm of feminine only audiences to continue on the station to this day.
While Santos and Salvador swap places, Santos is never less than the anchor of the show, and as the audience performs Mexican waves on his command and the contestants blush and giggle nervously at his mild flirtation, it all starts to look like a thinly veiled harem set up with Santos as lord and master to an adoring lady clan.
Roda a Roda Jequiti is by no means the only show on Brazilian television with this kind of dynamic; its most obvious manifestation is the bounty of mute bouncing dolls that accessorize much of the light entertainment programming. This is nothing new and it is certainly not unique to Brazil, but in a country with a very real possibility of a woman president, it’s disappointing to see the hugely influential TV networks continuing to pander to a distinctly male ego.
