06/01/19 PUTTING FOREIGNERS FIRST WON'T CURE BRAZIL'S ILLS (int'l edition)

PUTTING FOREIGNERS FIRST WON'T CURE BRAZIL'S ILLS (int'l edition)

Mr. Savernio Joaquim da Silva probably has a hidden part of his life (which is standard for millions of Brazilians) that must be disclosed for the sake of the truth (''Brazil's new look,'' Latin American Cover Story, May 4). He must pay rent, and Sao Paulo is a very expensive city. With some $200 to $300 monthly, he still can't afford a two-room place, even in a distant neighborhood. He has a car but cannot use it: The fuel is too expensive (almost $1 a liter), traffic jams are widespread, and parking areas are scanty. He leaves his house at 5 a.m. (or earlier), faces two or more crowded buses, and maybe two hours later he is at work.
Back home, the same: By 8 p.m., if he is lucky, he will be safely watching a soap opera in which everybody is rich and graceful. If his new TV breaks, he won't have the money to fix it. If he loses his job, he will lose his temper and his heart, too.
As De Gaulle once said, Brazil is not serious. It is still not. Having to deal with a growing social debacle, our swaggering and groveling federal authorities choose as their priority the health of foreign investors, bankers, and mega-entrepreneurs just chasing profits. The ''American way'' will not solve Brazil's problems. Responsible citizens and politicians might.

Paulo Tasso
Salvador, Brazil