Corona was in Brazil, first of all, the Virus of the Rich. The first registered case was a business man from São Paulo who had previously traveled to Northern Italy. But now is the most populous country in Latin America with 1.4 million Infected and 60,000 dead is one of the Hotspots of the pandemic, and the Virus is also up in the Favelas, the shanty towns of the major cities, penetrated.

The more than 13 million Brazilians living in poor neighborhoods, seem to be a large infection waves, although so far spared. But the concern is that this could change at any time. The Coronavirus, where he meets a supposedly good conditions, to spread out: The people live crowded together in a confined space and under poor hygienic conditions; there is often most Needed such as soap, or a functioning sewer system.

And to stay due to Corona home, can afford to be no one here. "Those who do not go out during the day and works in the evening and nothing to eat", also describes Michele Silva, the Situation of many residents. She lives in the Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro, one of the biggest Favelas of the country, and has co-founded the citizen newspaper "Fala Roça".

"Whoever goes out of the house, gets a bullet in the head"

in Spite of these difficulties would have tried in the first weeks of the pandemic for many residents, the contact-based restrictions, so Silva. "But then President Bolsonaro began to trivialize the Coronavirus as a 'small' flu'. This was not exactly helpful."

another reason why the contact restrictions in the initial stage of the Corona-crisis were better adhered to, could be that at that time in some of the Favelas, drug gangs own output imposed lock, so also in the Rocinha. The dominant gang is said to have threatened, according to media reports: "those Who go out of the house, gets a bullet in the head."

A resident of another poor district in Rio says: "We should be at eight o'clock in the evening until eight o'clock in the morning, not in front of the door. In addition, the drug dealer, people have been forbidden collections, and a mask of duty arranged." The regulations have been subject to one month, the woman, who prefers to remain anonymous. After that, the Dealer had not much of hear.

most of The Favelas in Brazil, have emerged as informal settlements of former slaves. The state there is little to not at all present. Instead, drugs have gangs spread - and since the years of the 2000 militias, which are composed of active and former police officers, firefighters and other officials.

people to call own ambulance service

About the role of organized crime in the Corona-crisis Michele Silva would like to speak, however reluctantly, just as Gilson Rodrigues, the head of the "Union of the inhabitants and trade of Paraisópolis". So he is something like a mayor or speaker of the Favela of approximately 100,000 inhabitants in São Paulo. Rather, the 36-Year-old points out how much the residents themselves have made to the Coronavirus is from the curb. "We will be left since time immemorial, and in this issue of the policy alone," says Rodrigues. You have created, therefore, self-directed, among other things, a map of the city and for each street for a volunteer to be the "President" to be appointed. This will keep the disease situation in his area and call if necessary an ambulance.

"And because the regular emergency assistance service come neither to Paraisópolis in many other Favelas, we have rented self-car, three sick, and Doctors are employed." Funded the Initiative, especially through Crowdfunding and other donations, the municipality have helped, according to Rodrigues, by contrast, "zero".

educational work with speakers and posters

The inhabitants of Paraisópolis also produce about their own masks, they distribute Hygiene Kits and food. Two schools have been converted into isolation centers for Corona-the Sick and suspected cases so far, 300 people have spent a two-week quarantine.

In the Rocinha in Rio, citizens ' initiatives have started similar actions, such as Michele Silva told. In addition, there is information campaigns, which over the loudspeakers, via WhatsApp, or on billboards about the dangers of COVID-19 will its security. "We write 'Fala Roça' also a lot of posts about the Virus. And we try, at the infection numbers to keep track of them."

What is the role of drug gangs play?

Apart from the Reports on his own authority, imposed curfews at the beginning of the Corona time, little is known about the extent to which drug gangs are involved in the actions of the anti-Virus, be it as actors or as a donor. You can at least assume nothing happens in the favela without their Knowledge or consent, says Rafael Soares Gonçalves, of the Papal Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, has been a lot of research to poor districts.

Against this Background, a headline from the beginning of April sounds plausible, the want to look for, according to the then Brazilian Minister of health, Luiz Henrique Mandetta in the fight against Corona, the dialogue with the drug gangs. However, Mandetta was fired soon afterward; then was heard of such plans and nothing more.

police raids, in spite of Corona

The Favela-dwellers are accustomed since time immemorial to self-organize. But instead, given the current exceptional situation help from the state, many during the Corona of a crisis with facing a set of police violence. According to the Brazilian Institute of public security (ISP) alone were killed in April and may in the state of Rio de Janeiro, more than 300 people in the "intervention of officials" - one of them is the 14-year-old João Pedro Mattos Pinto, was hit in his home by dozens of bullets. Be the case caused nationwide outrage.

at the beginning of June then Brazil's ban on the Supreme court of the raids in the poor districts during the Corona pandemic. Gonçalves says: "the brutal procedure of the officers in a Situation in which many of the residents in the home and many of the citizens were initiatives on the streets, has caused a lot of misunderstanding out. A society that allows that is sick."

the worst Is still to come?

While raids are prohibited without authorization from the public Prosecutor's office so at least for the time being, is not the danger of the Coronavirus itself for a long time. Gilson Rodrigues believes: "The only reason why there has been not a disaster, is that the civil society has organized itself so well."

Also, Michele Silva is afraid of what could stand before - especially since now in many places in Brazil, in spite of a rising infection, the Corona numbers loosened restrictions. "I'm afraid that the crisis is worsening and we will not be able to the Lord."

author: Ines Eisele In FOCUS Online/Wochit In the

*The post "Brazil's Favelas: published left Alone with COVID-19" is from Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.

Deutsche Welle

Date Of Update: 05 July 2020, 09:26