The tight security effort to receive President Bush threw São Paulo in a state to chaos yesterday: major avenues had to be shut down and barricaded over an hour prior to the President's arrival, and air space had to be cleared for the landing of Air Force One. Including police officers, Brazilian troops, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, there are about 4,000 security agents on hand while Bush is in the city.
The American President is in the country for a day before heading to Uruguay. On his agenda with Brazilian President Lula da Silva: ethanol as alternative fuel, terrorism, agricultural subsidies, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
More than 6,000 people marched down the streets of São Paulo to protest the visit of President Bush. Protesters fear the proposed ethanol deal between the U.S. and Brazil would damage the Brazilian environment for the sake of alternative fuel, and worry about an OPEC-like cartel on ethanol.
Read more about Bush's South American tour at:
Angry Crowds Rally Against President in Brazil (Washington Post)
Bush greeted by clashes in Brazil (BBC)
Bush to Sign Biofuels Pact in Brazil (CNN)
And I guess some Brazilians like Janaina Bueno got protest and Carnival mixed up. In an attempt to harrass Bush, she ended up in jail. Only in Brazil...
Brasillians have always seen Bush as mafioso. My Brasillian friends never can understand why he is president. I'm glad they are protesting him and letting him know they feel he is a crook. Glad they are not being polite/politically correct!! Go Brasil!!
Posted by: Rp | 03/10/2007 at 07:13 AM