{"id":63299,"date":"2021-01-06T09:51:41","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T12:51:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=63299"},"modified":"2021-02-23T12:34:48","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T15:34:48","slug":"best-and-worst-international-reporting-on-rios-favelas-2020-editorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=63299","title":{"rendered":"Best and Worst International Reporting on Rio\u2019s Favelas: 2020 [EDITORIAL]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

This is the latest contribution to our media watchdog series on the\u00a0Best and Worst International Reporting on Rio\u2019s favelas<\/a>, part of <\/em>RioOnWatch\u2019s ongoing conversation on the\u00a0media narrative<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0media portrayal<\/a>\u00a0surrounding favelas.<\/em><\/p>\n

The coronavirus pandemic, and responses to it, dominated coverage of Rio\u2019s favelas in the international media in 2020. Coverage focused on the specific challenges favelas face in preventing the virus<\/a>, the virus\u2019s advance through these communities, inadequate government responses<\/a>, and community-led efforts<\/a> to safeguard residents\u2019 health and well-being. Many pieces did an excellent job of sourcing from local leaders and documenting responses that were spearheaded by them, while some fell into dangerous and unverified stereotypes, as detailed below.<\/p>\n

\"Demonstration<\/a><\/p>\n

A handful of reports provided important coverage of the mounting deadly abuse of force by Rio\u2019s police department, even as the pandemic began<\/a>\u2014in April, Rio police killed 43% more people<\/a> than they did in April 2019\u2014and the subsequent Supreme Court case that banned police operations in favelas during the pandemic. International media also touched on nationwide antiracist organizing<\/a> and its parallels with similar activism in other parts of the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since March 2020, according to the Covid-19 in Favelas Unified Dashboard<\/a>,* at least 28,110 of Rio’s favela residents have had Covid-19, with over 3000 perishing with the major culprit being the lack of adequate response from city<\/a>, state<\/a>, and federal<\/a> government officials. Severe underreporting<\/a> has been a critical issue. While incoming mayor Eduardo Paes<\/a> has pledged to take the pandemic more seriously\u2014and was resoundingly endorsed by voters facing an alternative of a second Marcelo Crivella<\/a>\u00a0term\u2014Paes\u2019s record on forced evictions and the gentrification of the city that occurred during his 2009-2016 tenure as mayor require a sharp media eye on how favela residents will fare as he returns to the helm.<\/p>\n

The international media covered the broad results of the 2020 Municipal Elections<\/a>, a referendum of sorts on pandemic responses\u2014including Bolsonaro\u2019s narrative on the pandemic<\/a>\u2014and on social welfare. Bolsonaro’s disregard for and lack of interest in managing the crisis in an effective science-driven manner, referring to the virus as “just a little flu,” are now world famous<\/a>.\u00a0The media also covered the fact that Bolsonaro, who has always been a strong opponent of social policies<\/a> such as Bolsa Fam\u00edlia, was compelled by popular pressure to approve a\u00a0monthly R$600 (US$115) emergency stipend<\/a> for all those who are not formally employed, with a value of R$1,200 (US$225) for informally employed single mothers.<\/p>\n

Paradoxically, during the pandemic, this emergency aid had a positive impact in the president\u2019s approval ratings<\/a>, bringing them to an all-time high, even in regions where he has long been unpopular, such as the Brazilian northeast. The upcoming expiration of these benefits and their effect both on the welfare of Brazil’s poorest residents and on Bolsonaro’s political project deserve careful media attention. Bolsonaro, worried about the unpredictable impacts of the end of the emergency aid on his popularity, has called for a raise in the average stipend of R$190 (US$36) paid by Bolsa Fam\u00edlia for the poorest Brazilians, backtracking on his own longtime rhetoric.<\/p>\n

\"Jair<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Reporting<\/h3>\n

Good discussions of the nexus of challenges faced by favelas amid the coronavirus pandemic include this Washington Post <\/em>piece<\/a>, which hears from a community health worker in the Borel\u00a0favela, in Rio’s North Zone, and residents of Rocinha and Complexo do Alem\u00e3o, as well as this Guardian<\/em> piece<\/a>, which looked at early\u2014but already distinct\u2014differences in abilities to protect oneself from the virus among Rios\u2019s rich and poor.<\/p>\n

The most impressive improvement we saw in 2020 relative to reporting in past years was the much-deserved, high quality and ample coverage given to community-led responses to government neglect<\/a>, in this year’s case due to the coronavirus, including must-read pieces in The Guardian<\/em><\/a> (which also produced this excellent video<\/a>), Slate<\/em><\/a> and the BBC<\/a> <\/em>and the Brazilian Report<\/a>. Reuters<\/a> <\/em>covered deep cleaning efforts in Santa Marta, NPR<\/a> <\/em>spoke with a community leader in City of God, The\u00a0Havana Times<\/a> <\/em>covered efforts by favela photographers,\u00a0and an\u00a0Americas Quarterly<\/em><\/a> piece covered favela-based news outlet Voz das Comunidades<\/em>\u2019 app for sharing news about the virus geared to favela residents. OpenDemocracy<\/a><\/em> published translated versions of articles by journalist Tha\u00eds Cavalcante of the Mar\u00e9 favela about how favela journalists are responding to Covid-19 and the fight for access to mental health in Mar\u00e9; Cavalcante’s coverage of favela journalists’ work was also published in IJNet<\/a><\/em>. The Sociable<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0The Response<\/a><\/em> were among those who covered resident efforts to close the data gap about the pandemic in favelas. The AP<\/em> covered\u00a0sanitization efforts in Rocinha<\/a>\u00a0and how a samba school in\u00a0Vila Vintem<\/a> transitioned from sewing carnival costumes to medical masks and gowns, and a France24<\/em><\/a> piece on the pandemic features a physiotherapist who lives in Complexo do Alem\u00e3o.<\/p>\n

\"Action<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Jo\u00e3o<\/a>Covering public security, The New York Times<\/em><\/a> provided crucial scrutiny of Rio\u2019s record year of police killings, 2019, with a long investigative piece examining the consequences of Rio’s now-suspended governor Wilson Witzel\u2019s hardline positions<\/a>. A piece in Quillette<\/em><\/a> takes a historical look at four decades of a failed war on drugs in Rio. After high levels of police violence grew further<\/a> during the first months of the pandemic, a piece in YES! Magazine<\/em><\/a> offered excellent coverage of the public outcry in the wake of the police killing of<\/a> 14-year-old Jo\u00e3o Pedro Mattos Pinto in the Complexo do Salgueiro favelas in Greater Rio’s\u00a0S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo<\/a> municipality. The YES!<\/em> piece also covers favelas\u2019 protagonism in the Supreme Court case that resulted in a ban on police operations in favelas during the pandemic, which became known as the ADPF das Favelas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Rate<\/a><\/p>\n

2020 also included coverage of positive news in favelas not directly related to the coronavirus: Medium\u2019s Level<\/a><\/em> looked at the media revolution happening in Brazil\u2019s favelas, the AP<\/a> <\/em>did a story on favela residents’ efforts to green their communities, and Al Jazeera<\/a> <\/em>covered a ballet project in Complexo do Alem\u00e3o.<\/p>\n

We also noted excellent coverage on wider socio-economic issues in Brazil in articles that did not center favelas, but deal with topics that are crucial to favela residents. These include a deep dive Economist<\/a> <\/em>piece on the Bolsonaro administration\u2019s downsizing of Bolsa Fam\u00edlia payments before the pandemic, a piece in National Geographic<\/a><\/em> on the double bind faced by Brazil\u2019s domestic workers during the pandemic, and a discussion in Americas Quarterly<\/a> <\/em>on why U.S. protests for racial justice resonate so deeply in Brazil. The Brazilian Report<\/a><\/em>\u00a0covered Brazilians\u2019 difficulty of accessing the federal government\u2019s R$600 (US$115) per month stipend.<\/p>\n

Worst Reporting<\/h3>\n

The incorrect stereotype that favelas are fully controlled by drug gangs and militias<\/a> surfaced in two lines of coverage about the coronavirus pandemic. One characterizes drug dealers as central social welfare providers in this time of crisis. An article in Filter Magazine<\/a> <\/em>uses one interview with a Rocinha resident to assert that drug traffickers were playing a key role distributing groceries and bags of cash in the community in the face of the \u201cscarcity of other help.\u201d It is important to note that as Brazil’s largest favela, Rocinha is the size of a small city, with well over 100,000 residents. While the article mentioned some aid coming from NGOs and the federal government\u2019s emergency stipend, it failed to mention the incredibly diverse and widespread efforts conducted by numerous Rocinha-based organizations, from being the first favela to issue its own case reporting<\/a>, to its incredibly active community media<\/a>, and partnerships between local activists and public health workers<\/a>, which carefully identified high-need families and sustained aid efforts for months, engaging allies<\/a> throughout the city. These citizen-led programs were a cornerstone of aid in the community for families falling through the cracks, in Rocinha as in other favelas<\/a> across the city and country. These are likely what helped keep Rocinha from being the hardest-hit favela by the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/11.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

Video by Rocinha Resists Collective of the collective’s partnership with local health workers.<\/em><\/p>\n

Another problematic generalization that surfaced was that of criminal gangs acting as public health enforcers in favelas, enacting lockdowns to slow the spread of the virus. An Ozy<\/em> piece<\/a> writes that \u201cWith President Jair Bolsonaro dismissing the pandemic as \u2018sniffles\u2019 and criticizing regional lockdown measures, the country\u2019s drug gangs and paramilitary groups have stepped in to enforce social distancing to combat the spread of the coronavirus.\u201d While there is evidence that this kind of messaging appeared from drug gangs in a handful of favelas, describing it as widespread is an irresponsible overstatement. The Ozy<\/em> piece cites messages in two favelas, whereas there are some 1000 in the city. Meanwhile, as pointed out by<\/a> sociologist Jos\u00e9 Claudio Souza Alves, an expert on Rio’s off-duty police mafias, or militias, which\u2014rather than drug traffickers\u2014increasingly control the city’s favelas: rather than enforcing quarantine, militias in many areas pressured for commerce and activities to remain open during the pandemic, as they benefit from extortion fees on commercial activities.<\/p>\n

Looking Ahead to 2021: What to Keep an Eye On<\/h3>\n

While national plans for coronavirus vaccination are still up in the air, favela residents appear destined for many more months of disease risk, especially with the arrival of the British strain of Covid-19<\/a> this week. It is unclear when the pandemic-era ban on police operations in favelas will lift, and what violence may ensue. Already, a Supreme Court justice is questioning Rio\u2019s government<\/a> about a long line of operations that appear to have violated the ban.<\/p>\n

\"Marcelo<\/a>Though the outcomes of Brazil’s local elections represent a small blow to Bolsonaro’s power, and since then, his ally, Rio mayor Marcelo Crivella, was arrested<\/a> on December 22 for corruption allegations, the president remains popular as described above. How the incoming US administration led by Joe Biden responds to Brazil under his leadership<\/a> is going to be a critical determinant of future outcomes across the country and important topics\u2014from the environment to human rights and racial justice\u2014even in local communities like Rio’s favelas.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Mayor Eduardo Paes was inaugurated on January 1. His administration deserves close scrutiny, given its track record from 2009-2016 when Paes evicted some 80,000 cariocas<\/em>\u2013mostly favela residents\u2014from their homes, spending the equivalent of tens of billions of dollars to redesign the city purportedly for the Olympics with little positive impact felt today. A close eye will need to be kept on whether he attempts to use the pandemic as a new pretext for forced evictions<\/a> today.<\/p>\n

On the socioeconomic front, residents of Rio’s favelas are due to face continued challenges with pandemic aid expiring and food prices on the rise.<\/p>\n

Above all, international media coverage of favelas should continue to focus on how communities are responding to these unprecedented circumstances\u2014which are ripe with positive examples for the rest of the world.<\/p>\n

*The Covid-19 in Favelas Unified Dashboard and RioOnWatch are both projects of the NGO Catalytic Communities (CatComm).<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Support\u00a0<\/b>RioOnWatch<\/i><\/b>\u2019s tireless, critical and cutting-edge hyperlocal journalism, online community organizing meetings, and direct support to favelas\u00a0<\/b>by clicking here.<\/a><\/b><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas This is the latest contribution to our media watchdog series on the\u00a0Best and Worst International Reporting on Rio\u2019s favelas, part of RioOnWatch\u2019s ongoing conversation on the\u00a0media narrative\u00a0and\u00a0media portrayal\u00a0surrounding favelas. The coronavirus […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":209,"featured_media":58801,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1294,3071,2637,1288,1290,1271,328,336],"tags":[1448,1361,3221,697,804,112,162,280,32,2662,3068,140,2239,479,272,1278,2597,2225,23,1845,1900,2679,37,155,17,2481,2222,12,120,2634,1910,156,268,868,21],"writer":[921],"translator":[],"illustrator":[],"photographer":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-63299","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-communitymedia","8":"category-coronaviruswatch","9":"category-mediawatch","10":"category-highlight","11":"category-civilsociety","12":"category-favelaqualities","13":"category-understanding-rio","14":"category-violations","15":"tag-favelasareassets","16":"tag-endfavelastigma","17":"tag-2020-municipal-election","18":"tag-bolsa-familia","19":"tag-borel","20":"tag-cantagalo","21":"tag-city-council","22":"tag-complexo-da-mare","23":"tag-complexo-do-alemao","24":"tag-complexo-do-salgueiro","25":"tag-coronavirus","26":"tag-corruption","27":"tag-dem","28":"tag-democracy","29":"tag-mayor-eduardo-paes","30":"tag-income","31":"tag-jair-bolsonaro","32":"tag-marcelo-crivella","33":"tag-mass-media","34":"tag-media","35":"tag-media-narrative","36":"tag-narrative-shifting","37":"tag-north-zone","38":"tag-pavao-pavaozinho","39":"tag-police-brutality","40":"tag-police-violence","41":"tag-prb","42":"tag-rocinha","43":"tag-sao-goncalo","44":"tag-series","45":"tag-series-best-worst-reporting","46":"tag-south-zone","47":"tag-state-violence","48":"tag-welfare","49":"tag-west-zone","50":"writer-rioonwatch"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/209"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=63299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63299\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/58801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=63299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=63299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=63299"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwriter&post=63299"},{"taxonomy":"translator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftranslator&post=63299"},{"taxonomy":"illustrator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fillustrator&post=63299"},{"taxonomy":"photographer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fphotographer&post=63299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}