Brazzil

During the military regime in Brazil, journalist Fernando Gabeira was among the team of young revolutionaries involved in the kidnapping of the American Ambassador.

His book, "O que é isso, companheiro?" became a mark of an era. Today, Federal Deputy Fernando Gabeira, no longer a blindfolded radical, forms with those who are fighting to pass a law giving Americans free entry in Brazil, with no visa.

The law would benefit the tourism industry, of multiplying effects, and a positive factor for the country's economy. Gabeira sides with those in Brazil who believe that what is good for the country should be done.

Ironically, due to his revolutionary past the representative for the Rio de Janeiro Green Party (PV) has been barred to enter the United States.

Meanwhile, it gets harder everyday for Brazilians to get visas to come to the US. Many are denied a visa with no apparent reason and no explanation. At times Brazilians have to face a condescending attitude from the part of the American Consulate officers.

Like in the case of the 22 year old university student of Psychology, who was denied a visa at the Consulate in Recife. The officer told the young woman she should get a little older before visiting New York.

Who is this person to judge when it is the appropriate time for a tourist to do tourism? The girl was so taken aback that she sat there speechless. After few tears of disappointment, she later used her father's generous gift to go to Paris instead.

Other Brazilians, who do get visas, are sent back from the airport. Also, without explanation.

One governor from northeast Brazil went through such humiliation at the airport in Washington D.C. recently, that he has actually moved all projects and government related businesses he had in Washington's official institutions to Europe.

"U.S. no more," he said, "not in the present administration when there does not seem to have any respect even for a Governor who comes from abroad to do business in Washington."

The Governor, who asked for anonymity, spent hours being interrogated, poorly treated and disrespected. Without any shoes on, he sat and waited for hours without any explanation.

When he told the officers he was a governor, they just said " We don't care, you just do as we say." The governor is black.

Brazilians have been number two tourists in the US, losing only to the Japanese in the 90s. In New York, there were so many Brazilian shoppers, that many stores hired Portuguese speaking sales people.

Travel agencies in Brazil made a fortune organizing shopping tours. With the hardships in the economy, however, the number dropped considerably and the market slowed down in recent years.

Now, Brazil is doing better, the dollar value is depreciating and Brazilians' buying power is coming back.

And what city is more attractive than New York, to go to shows, wonderful restaurants, museums, and do all the shopping one wants? And when the dollar costs less, New York, the ideal city, is better than ideal.

But now getting a visa for a Brazilian is very hard. So hard that many Brazilians are just refusing to go through the time consuming and many times humiliating process and choosing to go to Europe instead.

There they are welcome, have lots of fun, and different options of things to do and places to visit. They can also shop in these days of consumption. And the numbers of Brazilian tourists are going up in European countries.

The numbers are dropping in US tourism and this should not be a surprise to government authorities. Comedian Bill Maher in his final show of the season pointed out that the tourism numbers drop in the US have to do with the dislike of the rest of the world of America since the Iraq war, since Bush.

Maybe Bill is right. But one reason that weighs much, is that American Consulates are pushing tourists away. At least this is the case of Brazil. Brazilians love coming to New York, they have always, but they are denied visas and many times treated as enemies at airports.

Brazilians are not the enemy. The enemy is hiding in the mountains of Afghanistan or God knows where in the Middle East. Brazilians do not place any threat to the safety of this democratic land of opportunity.

For U.S. tourism, the enemy is the undemocratic set of criteria that lead government employees to deny visas at random. Or those airport officers who treat Brazilian authorities as if they were bandits or terrorists. This attitude will only scare people away and change their tourism and/or business destination.

And when it comes to New York, the city that wants to host the Olympics 2012, the two things just do not fit together. New York is the ideal place for the Olympics. No one in his/her sane mind could ever doubt that. This is one of the best cities in the world, the most multicultural city in the planet, and it is indeed prepared to host any major event.

Now, how are people going to do to come to New York for the Olympics? Brazil participates in the Olympics. How are Brazilians getting their visas to come to the big event? Are they going to hear from a consulate officer that they are much too young at 22 to visit the Big Apple during the Olympics?

Mayor Bloomberg could discuss this matter with authorities. It is not because of 9/11 that tourism in this country is going down the drain. It is not because the world does not like Bush administration's international politics and the war in Iraq.

A lot of regular tourists are not coming to the US because they are not being allowed, because they are getting no visas. And I am afraid this is going to count when it comes to deciding whether or not New York is the ideal place for the Olympics.

Mr. Donald Trump announced that "The Apprentice," will also be focusing on helping to bring the Olympics to New York. All New Yorkers are participating in the campaign, one way or another, some just in their hearts, hoping, and ready to collaborate more directly, if given the opportunity.

Because those of us who live in New York, love New York. And we will feel so proud to have the Olympics here, and the city crowded with people from all over the world.

Including many Brazilians of all ages, who would be twice happy, because they would be at the Olympics and in New York. Mr. Trump could use his power to bring the subject out in the open and bring some sense into this.

Security should be a top priority in the US. But it is necessary to find better ways of detecting the enemy. Denying tourists visas might scare away many dollars which will make a difference in the economy. It is also unfriendly and unfair.

Clara Angelica Porto is a Brazilian bilingual journalist living in New York.  She went to school in Brazil and at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.  Clara is presently working as the English writer for The Brasilians, a monthly newspaper in Manhattan.  Comments welcome at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Comments (269)

Subscribe to this comment's feed