Violent Protests and Naked Beauty Welcome Bush in Brazil

Naked model Janaí­na Ribeiro protests Bush's visit to Brazil Pretty girl Janaí­na Bueno, 25, who presented herself as an actress and model, was among many Paulistanos (a São Paulo resident) waiting on the sidewalk on the route of American President George W. Bush's motorcade on its way from the international airport to the Hilton hotel.

Wrapped in a Brazilian flag she ended up being charged with indecent exposure after a suspicious policeman ordered her to show what was under the big green-yellow flag and found very little. She was arrested in the corner of Arizona street and Luis Carlos Berrini avenue, minutes before 9 pm and a little before she could protest Bush's visit.

Her intention was to expose herself to the passing chief of state, the most powerful man in the planet. Her message was short and bilingual, scribbled over her naked painted-in-black breasts: "Out, Fora, Bush." The phrase was repeated on her exposed legs. And Bueno wasn't naked. She had a micro panty covering her most intimate region.

"I was incensed because São Paulo stopped to watch Bush passing by," the model said after her short detention. She also said that she hated Bush because she could not get a Visa to enter the United States. Janaí­na had to stay in the police district for close to an hour, until lawyer Alexandre Castanha interceded on her behalf.

"I didn't want anybody to see my body. Only Bush," she told reporters. For Castanha if there was any crime it was committed by the policeman who forced the girl to remove the flag covering her body.

Bush arrived in the Air Force One with first lady Laura at about 8 pm, local time, at the Cumbica International Airport, in the city of Guarulhos in the Greater São Paulo. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, and the United States Trade representative, Susan Schwab were also in the plane.

The president was received by São Paulo mayor, Gilberto Kassab and the new Brazilian ambassador in Washington, Antonio Patriota.

Bush waved and smiled at the reporters, kept at a distance, at the airport. To cover the US president's arrival reporters went through an X-ray then their working material was sniffed by two dogs: first the American sniffer and then the Brazilian one.

After that they still weren't allowed to take their purses or cell phones to the tarmac. All for a smile of Bush, who immediately went into his limousine escorted by a 40-car motorcade that rushed to the Morumbi Hilton, 25 miles away.

Most of the protests against Bush's visit happened before his arrival in Brazil. A showdown between demonstrators and the military police a little after 5 pm in Avenida Paulista, São Paulo's main avenue, ended up with at least 22 injured between policemen and protesters.

A rally that had started at 3 pm and had been peaceful for over 2 hours turned into a little war when some demonstrators lay down on the pavement interrupting the traffic in both sides of the avenue.

To clear the road the police went against the protesters with their clubs. The demonstrators, most of which seemed to be students, responded by throwing stones and sticks at the police.

The military were then reinforced and escalated the war shooting rubber bullets and launching tear gas and pepper gas against the crowd.

In thousand of signs carried by an estimated 6,000 people Bush was called among other things: imperialist pig, fascist and terrorist.

There were also protests in other cities. In Rio de Janeiro, protesters threw stones and red paint against the building that houses the American consulate. Other noisy demonstrations happened in Salvador, capital of the northeastern state of Bahia and Porto Alegre, capital of the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Tags:

You May Also Like

The High Price of Fame in Brazil

A common enough fate had befallen Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda that had also been ...

Carnaval Capers

Over 40,000 members of the security forces are patrolling the streets of Rio this ...

Payback Time in Brazil: Friends Get Cabinet Post

March 15th was the 20th anniversary of Brazil’s latest experiment with democracy. For the ...

Bolivia Tells Brazil to Get Out of the Oil Distribution Business by July 1st

Brazil’s Oil Company Petrobras Bolivian affiliate will cease to distribute fuel and refined products ...

Brazil’s Army, Navy and Air Force Chiefs Threaten to Resign over Truth Commission

Praised as one of the most influential leaders of the world, Brazilian president Luiz ...

Feijoada with Soy Sauce

Koreans and Chinese seem to be the only people interested in emigrating to Brazil ...

While the World Tightens Belt Brazilians Go Shopping

Brazil is proving to be the best alternative for national – and even foreign ...

Brazil's Ribeira Valley in the state of São Paulo

A Few Proposals to Bring Sustainable Development to Brazil’s Ribeira Valley

The Ribeira de Iguape River, one of the most important rivers in the Brazilian ...

More Than Jobim’s Alter Ego

Newton Mendonça and Tom Jobim met in 1942, when they were fifteen, and became ...

Brazil on Its Way to Become Olive Oil Country

Brazil now has its name on olive oil labels that are sold in some ...