Riots, revolts, and insurrection. At the moment, Brazil suffers from all three. An uprising over tax increases and failing infrastructure has ended the joy of hosting the most celebrated competition in the world as well as the country - The World Cup. The event will take place in Brazil 2014, but with a large amount of public funds going into building stadiums and not the public services of Brazil, many people have taken to streets and tried to send a message to the Brazilian government: The Brazilian government must stop funding the World Cup and start funding much-needed public services in the country.

Brazil has recently suffered a breakdown in public and government infrastructure, as well as exponentially rising tax rates, all due to the World Cup. A recently published 2013 Forbes article, “Infrastructure Problems in Brazil: Equipment Imported by Petrobras from Italy Has Been Stuck in a Port For over a Month,” effectively depicts Brazil’s government infrastructure problems. The article describes an oil reactor stuck in a Rio de Janeiro port for over a month. Without the necessary funding, it will remain, “useless to the 8th biggest trading company in the world,” and oil giants, Petrobras. Moving on to public infrastructure problems, according to Bloomberg Financial Group, a bus ticket in Brazil costs “double that of New York City’s,” as compared to half the cost less than a decade ago. Finally, a recently published 2013 CNN News Report, “What’s REALLY Behind the Brazil Riots,” accurately reveals the tax problems in the nation. The article states the Brazilian people feel the tax rates have increased to extremely high levels. Also, the people do not understand why they, “have such bad infrastructure when there is so much wealth that is so highly taxed.” The answer lies within the funding of the World Cup. Instead of using the taxpayers’ money to transport the oil generator to a proper facility, the money went into building stadiums with bright light and pasture green grass for the competition. This then translated into a dip in oil production, and with it came a rise in gas prices. Once the gas prices went up, so did the public transportation fees. All the little things can be traced back to the World Cup funding thus far, making it the common denominator in the current Brazilian riots. The government must stop funding the World Cup at once.

Some people of course can afford the small increase in bus fares, but for others, the rise in prices has had a major impact in their spending habits. A sudden drop in spending of basic needs like food and education have stemmed as a direct corollary to the increased cost of living in Brazil, which has at the same time slowed down the regression of the nation’s poverty line. In 2005, The World Bank measured the poverty line in Brazil around 30% and falling rapidly, but as the years went on, the regression of poverty only slowed down. With an increasing amount of poor people in Brazil, more and more people will lack food, and those who do will eventually starve. To top it off, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the school dropout rates in Brazil have increased to alarming rates of 20% in 2007 and 24% in 2008. Nearly a quarter of the country cannot afford education anymore. What could be the underlying cause? Well, Brazil earned the hosting of the World Cup in 2006 and since then, the Brazilian government has stopped funding infrastructure and education to focus on the stadiums. Only after the 2006 announcement did the regression of poverty slow down. Only after the announcement did the people go hungry. Only after the announcement did the school dropout rates skyrocket. Coincidence? The Brazilian government must stop funding the Cup, and get back spending money on its people.
Moreover, another argument can be made that Brazil is not ready to host an intercontinental event such as the World Cup, which not only would require funding, but also the support of its people. A 2013 CNN article “Brazilian Protests Surge Again After Bus Fare Victory,” has quoted many protestors in the streets of the big cities saying thing like "I'd swap 10 stadiums for one decent hospital in this country" and "I'd give up the World Cup for better education in my country." The people do not support the government. Another issue raised along these same lines refers to the mere fact that Brazilian people cannot even afford a game ticket. Vivid Seats, a sports ticket re-seller, set the starting price of a World Cup ticket at $1900. A separate study done by Forbes reported the average salary for a Brazilian worker stands at about $631 per month. A regular worker would need to work for three months straight and not eat anything to even afford a ticket! Ridiculous! This further proves Brazil should not host any sort of competition next summer. If most of the Brazilian citizens do not have the funds required to afford a ticket, then how will the country host one of the world’s most popular competitions? The Brazilian government must make better use of taxpayers’ money and put it towards the nation, not the Cup.

Looking from a different perspective on the situation, the critics of the Brazilian riots are furious at the protests, and hope this is not another Arab Spring, which could potentially shut down the competition. A development in the summer of 2013, covered by the USA today, revealed FIFA (Federation Internacionale de Football Association) President Sepp Blatter pledged to give $100 million of the profit made at the World Cup back to Brazil. This has brought up the question, “Why are they still rioting?” Well, when looking at the numbers, the dust really settles, and it becomes very clear why. According to an Associated Press report released by ESPN FC, Brazil will spend around $13.3 billion in projects related to the World Cup. The money Blatter has promised the Brazilian government will not amount to 1% of what has already been spent. The other 99% could have been used to build better schools and hospitals, but rather it has gone into building a luxury sports arena.

The past few years in Brazil have been tough for its people. Terrible infrastructure, high taxation, increase in public transportation fees, and issues of poverty and education have taken the people of Brazil to the streets against its own government and the beloved sport of soccer. The government must realize the effects of funding the World Cup, so they can put it to a halt immediately, or the Brazilian people will remain on the streets, and will eventually sacrifice something they hold near and dear to them, the World Cup. Peaceful protest remains the only plausible solution at the time, so people of Brazil, keep at it, and show the government that these actions will not be tolerated! The full effects of these developments have yet to materialize, however, by the time Summer 2014 rolls around, everyone will know the truth behind the shining success or imminent failure of the World Cup.