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| Brazil's Lula makes Rio slum trip | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has visited a favela, or shanty town, in Rio de Janeiro - his first such trip as president. | 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 had seen recent clashes between police and drug gangs, and strategic roads were blocked before the visit to improve security. | 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 formally launched a revitalisation programme for the area. | The president formally launched a revitalisation programme for the area. |
| It is part of a 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 raid | Police raid |
| On the day before the visit, scores of council workers cleared away rubbish from along the route to be taken by the president. | On the day before the visit, scores of council workers cleared away rubbish from along the route to be taken by the president. |
| The infrastructure in Rio's favelas should be improved under the plan | |
| 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 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 president's decision to inject cash into the favelas seems to be generally welcome among local people. | The president's decision to inject cash into the favelas seems to be generally welcome among local people. |
| Community leader Luiz Bezerra Do Nascimento said that while the government had been slow to act, it was good news. | 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 capital 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. |