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Brazil's Lula to visit Rio slum Brazil's Lula heads to Rio slum
(about 7 hours later)
Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to make his first visit as president to a favela, or shanty town, in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has visited a favela, or shanty town, in Rio de Janeiro - his first such trip as president.
The favela of Cantagalo has been the scene of recent clashes between police and drug gangs, but no exceptional security measures will be in place. The favela of Cantagalo had seen recent clashes between police and drug gangs, and strategic roads were blocked before the visit to improve security.
The president will formally launch a revitalisation programme for the area. The president formally launched a revitalisation programme for the area.
It is part of a $1.7bn (£820m) plan to help restore infrastructure in some of Rio's best-known favelas. It is part of a plan to help restore infrastructure in some of Rio's best-known favelas.
Police raidPolice raid
With hours to go before the president's visit on Friday, preparations were continuing at a furious pace. On the day before the visit, scores of council workers cleared away rubbish from along the route to be taken by the president.
There was a slightly unreal atmosphere in Cantagalo late on Thursday as scores of council workers cleared away rubbish from along the route to be taken by the president. The president's initiative has been welcomed by many residents
There will be no exceptional security for the president's trip The week before police had gone into the area searching for a suspect involved in the killing of an Italian tourist - a raid that ended with an exchange of shots.
The week before police had come into the area searching for a suspect involved in the killing of an Italian tourist - a raid that ended with an exchange of shots. The president's decision to inject cash into the favelas seems to be generally welcome among local people.
But although the area is regarded as high risk, officials say there will be no exceptional security measures for the president. Community leader Luiz Bezerra Do Nascimento said that while the government had been slow to act, it was good news.
The injection of cash seems to be generally welcome among local people and community leader, Luiz Bezerra Do Nascimento, said that while the government had been slow to act, it was good news.
"The mistake of the government was to neglect the communities, to leave them on the margins, and people created a disorganised society," he said."The mistake of the government was to neglect the communities, to leave them on the margins, and people created a disorganised society," he said.
"There was a lack of any official presence, but thank God, this has come late but this is finally coming.""There was a lack of any official presence, but thank God, this has come late but this is finally coming."
National and local authorities have together pledged the $1.7bn to improve living standards in some of the most well-known of Rio's favelas. National and local authorities have together pledged capital to improve living standards in some of the most well-known of Rio's favelas.
However, there are reports that state authorities are still debating which should come first - confronting the city's drug gangs with force or social policies to help revitalise local communities.However, there are reports that state authorities are still debating which should come first - confronting the city's drug gangs with force or social policies to help revitalise local communities.