mini said:
I have NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER with people having different opinions from me. BTW, you have no idea if I agree with you on wether BA is safe or not.
My problem is that you are want to use an outdated article (the article is from 2008 but the data in it is older than that) which compares the murder rates in Brazil to civil war in Angola and then you want to use that article to prove it's safe in Argentina. Does not compute.
Crime & facts? Apples & oranges.
You are trying to deny the facts ? This is from 20 years of government statistics and I doubt if the murder rate in San Paulo or Rio De Janeiro has declined in the last few years and many indicators suggest it is worse .
This is from the US GOVERMENT WEBSITE JUST ON RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1072.html
RIO DE JANEIRO: The city continues to experience a high incidence of crime. Tourists are particularly vulnerable to street thefts and robberies in areas adjacent to major tourist attractions and on the main beaches in the city. Violence and crime are most likely to occur in establishments and neighborhoods near favelas without a visible police presence. In August 2010, 10 armed gang members entered a popular five-star hotel in the wealthy Sao Conrado area of Rio after a firefight with police spilled into the hotel.
Rio’s favelas are a subject of curiosity for many U.S. citizen visitors. However, most favelas exist outside the control of city officials and police. You should avoid Rio’s favelas, even those that have been recently “pacified” by the state government. Several local companies offer “favela jeep tours” targeted at foreign tourists. Be aware that neither the tour company nor the city police can guarantee your safety when entering favelas, and that favela tour fees may ultimately be used to support criminal gang activities. In May, 2010, one U.S. tourist and two others were stopped by youths holding AK-47’s and a rocket launcher and held for 20 minutes while the tour guide negotiated with the favela’s leadership.
Do not to take valuable possessions to the beach. Pay close attention to your surroundings and the behavior of those nearby; there have been incidents of robbers and rapists slipping incapacitating drugs into drinks at bars, hotel rooms, or street parties.
While crime occurs throughout the year, it is more frequent during Carnaval and the weeks prior. In the weeks before Carnaval 2009, robbers ransacked two tourist hostels. Two U.S. citizens were also shot and killed by off-duty policemen outside of nightclubs after altercations in 2007 and 2008. Though the vixctims were unarmed, in 2010 the courts upheld verdicts of not guilty by reason of self-defense. Be aware of your surroundings. If robbed, do not attempt to resist or fight back, but ratherrelinquish your personal belongings. Choose lodging carefully, considering security and availability of a safe to store valuables, as well as location.
Attacks against motorists continue, both in Rio and in smaller towns. There have been attacks, including shootings, along trails leading to the famous Corcovado Mountain, on the Red-line road (Linha Vermelha) linking the airport and the Southern Zone of the city. In Rio de Janeiro City, motorists are allowed to treat stoplights as stop signs between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to protect against holdups at intersections. Travelers should follow police instructions in the event of road closures, and report all incidents to Rio’s tourist police (DEAT) at (21) 2332 2924. The tourist police have been very responsive to victims and cooperative with the U.S. Consulate.
Manhole cover explosions occur in all areas of Rio. In one 16 day period in 2010, there were three explosions, and in June two U.S. citizens were seriously burned when a manhole cover exploded in Copacabana.
