Brazil: Protests over spiraling World Cup costs

(Vatican Radio) Indigenous people in full ceremonial clothing have joined a protest in Brazil's Capitol, Brasilia, against the vast and spiraling cost of the soccer World Cup. James Blears reports that the country's poor are voicing outrage.  
 
The final bill for building the new national stadium in the Capitol Brasilia will be the equivalent of almost 850 million dollars. The overall cost for Brazil to stage the soccer World Cup, which starts in just over two weeks is beyond vast for a developing nation, and not unnaturally, its poor are protesting.
 

The latest demonstration by homeless workers, was joined by indigenous people, who were already in Brazilia to protest about land rights boundaries. They tried to reach that stadium, where the World Cup trophy is being displayed, but bows and arrows were more than matched by mounted riot police with long batons, and rounds of choking tear gas were fired.

 Brazil's President Dilma Roussseff has promised subsided governent housing for the workers, and has already launched a huge social development program. But in a more encompassing and wide ranging message, she's warned that protesters WON'T be permitted to disrupt the World Cup.
In two more years, Brazil is due to host the Olympic Games. The cost of the World's two most spectacular and expensive sporting extravaganzas is likely to linger in Brazil for many more years to come.