BRAZIL WORLD CUP RIOTS

With the World Cup just 24 days away, unrest has spread across the host country of Brazil in a wave of strikes and protests.In the northeastern town of Recife, looters raided shops during a police strike as the military struggled to control the situation.

Protests were planned to roll out across 50 cities in an effort to put pressure on the government to improve services ahead of the football tournament which has seen millions spent on expensive stadiums out of the public purse.In Sao Paulo, demonstrators marched on the Itaquera stadium which many blame for forcing out families living in the area.

The head of Homeless Workers Movement (MTST) warned: “What we can safely say is, that if there are no advances in the housing and urban reform policies in the country during this time, this movement will put up a fight during the (World) Cup.”It’s a threat that hangs over the June 12 World Cup kick-off, but how the government deals with the security situation will be on voters’ minds as they head to the polls in the presidential elections in four months’ time.

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