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Change beckons for Vila Autódromo, the favela that got in the Rio Olympics' way Change beckons for Vila Autódromo, the favela that got in the Rio Olympics' way
(4 months later)
“People wonder why we want to stay here,” says Sandra Maria de Souza, gesturing at the wasteland outside her home in Vila Autódromo, a favela in western Rio de Janeiro that has been devastated to make way for the Olympic Park. “But why would we want to leave?“People wonder why we want to stay here,” says Sandra Maria de Souza, gesturing at the wasteland outside her home in Vila Autódromo, a favela in western Rio de Janeiro that has been devastated to make way for the Olympic Park. “But why would we want to leave?
“I have lived here for 25 years and never had a problem … I live in an area of Rio where there is no drug trafficking, no risks and I can leave my doors open. If there is a problem, we neighbours all help each other; our children have always played outside,” says De Souza, 44, an acupuncturist.“I have lived here for 25 years and never had a problem … I live in an area of Rio where there is no drug trafficking, no risks and I can leave my doors open. If there is a problem, we neighbours all help each other; our children have always played outside,” says De Souza, 44, an acupuncturist.
Now, after an at times violent struggle to resist the demolition of their homes to accommodate a road to the Olympic Park for the Games in August, her family is among 25 that have finally agreed a plan with city hall for the urbanisation of their community.Now, after an at times violent struggle to resist the demolition of their homes to accommodate a road to the Olympic Park for the Games in August, her family is among 25 that have finally agreed a plan with city hall for the urbanisation of their community.
Related: Rio de Janeiro's Vila Autódromo favela in the shadow of the Olympics – in pictures
The outcome has been hailed as a victory for a community that became a symbol of resistance to Olympic development but also regarded warily as an uneasy bargain in the long-running battle with the office of mayor Eduardo Paes.The outcome has been hailed as a victory for a community that became a symbol of resistance to Olympic development but also regarded warily as an uneasy bargain in the long-running battle with the office of mayor Eduardo Paes.
“This is a victory not only for those who remain in Vila Autódromo but all those in the same situation … With the agreement being made official and the mayor’s office assuming responsibility for building the houses, other communities will perceive that where there is resistance, there will be a response,” legal aid lawyer João Helvecio de Carvalho said after the deal was announced on 13 April.“This is a victory not only for those who remain in Vila Autódromo but all those in the same situation … With the agreement being made official and the mayor’s office assuming responsibility for building the houses, other communities will perceive that where there is resistance, there will be a response,” legal aid lawyer João Helvecio de Carvalho said after the deal was announced on 13 April.
The families have agreed to a plan for 25 new houses linked by a road, with a sports field and a cultural centre to house the residents association. The community initially resisted the plan but agreed after modifications: according to blueprints shared on social media, the original twin houses will now be separated, with an increase in living space from 46 square metres to 56. They are scheduled to be built before the Games begin on 5 August.The families have agreed to a plan for 25 new houses linked by a road, with a sports field and a cultural centre to house the residents association. The community initially resisted the plan but agreed after modifications: according to blueprints shared on social media, the original twin houses will now be separated, with an increase in living space from 46 square metres to 56. They are scheduled to be built before the Games begin on 5 August.
The breakthrough came as public pressure mounted ahead of the Olympics; in mid-2015 police tried to force residents to leave their homes, sparking violent clashes. Most of the original 600 families were paid to leave and the bulldozers arrived.The breakthrough came as public pressure mounted ahead of the Olympics; in mid-2015 police tried to force residents to leave their homes, sparking violent clashes. Most of the original 600 families were paid to leave and the bulldozers arrived.
The residents who had decided to stay endured power cuts and interruption of services such as post and rubbish collection.The residents who had decided to stay endured power cuts and interruption of services such as post and rubbish collection.
“This is how they piled on the psychological pressure to leave,” says De Souza, who has four children, gesturing at iron rods and building waste left by construction workers who failed to clear up.“This is how they piled on the psychological pressure to leave,” says De Souza, who has four children, gesturing at iron rods and building waste left by construction workers who failed to clear up.
“Look at it – it’s like living in a war zone … This is part of the policy of the city government to make life unbearable and inhuman, to make people leave,” she says.“Look at it – it’s like living in a war zone … This is part of the policy of the city government to make life unbearable and inhuman, to make people leave,” she says.
Residents who were reluctant to go were told that the community was in an area of environmental protection. Yet the Olympic construction work and demolitions have scarred the landscape with chemicals discolouring the lagoon, and rubble and pools of fetid water accumulating.Residents who were reluctant to go were told that the community was in an area of environmental protection. Yet the Olympic construction work and demolitions have scarred the landscape with chemicals discolouring the lagoon, and rubble and pools of fetid water accumulating.
Dona Dalva de Oliveira, 82, remembers when Vila Autódromo, which is next to the Jacarepaguá lagoon, was an oasis of nature. “This entire area was covered in fruit trees – guava, acerola, mango and cajá – but they cut them all down.”Dona Dalva de Oliveira, 82, remembers when Vila Autódromo, which is next to the Jacarepaguá lagoon, was an oasis of nature. “This entire area was covered in fruit trees – guava, acerola, mango and cajá – but they cut them all down.”
Originally settled illegally in the 1960s and 70s by fishermen and construction workers, Vila Autódromo has been at the centre of a tussle over housing security for 20 years, with the city legally obliged to negotiate with residents who lease the land. After Olympic developers moved in, campaigners and residents drew up their own urbanisation plan, staged resistance events and hosted the world’s media.Originally settled illegally in the 1960s and 70s by fishermen and construction workers, Vila Autódromo has been at the centre of a tussle over housing security for 20 years, with the city legally obliged to negotiate with residents who lease the land. After Olympic developers moved in, campaigners and residents drew up their own urbanisation plan, staged resistance events and hosted the world’s media.
Related: Rio Olympics: view from the favelas – 'The closer the gunshots, the stronger my heart beats' | Daiene Mendes
Theresa Williamson, executive director of the NGO Catalytic Communities, says the community’s status as a symbol of resistance and the huge media interest meant authorities could not use force to end the dispute. She cites the #UrbanizaJá campaign, which asked Brazilian TV celebrities and others to post videos backing the community.Theresa Williamson, executive director of the NGO Catalytic Communities, says the community’s status as a symbol of resistance and the huge media interest meant authorities could not use force to end the dispute. She cites the #UrbanizaJá campaign, which asked Brazilian TV celebrities and others to post videos backing the community.
“[This] will be an example to communities anywhere the Olympics travels in future. The community’s main mantra is ‘not everything has a price’, and that refers to residents who were unwilling to negotiate with the city, even when the city began divvying up public housing, giving multiple apartments to one family as payment, and offering millionaire compensations in some cases.“[This] will be an example to communities anywhere the Olympics travels in future. The community’s main mantra is ‘not everything has a price’, and that refers to residents who were unwilling to negotiate with the city, even when the city began divvying up public housing, giving multiple apartments to one family as payment, and offering millionaire compensations in some cases.
“This community’s assets cannot be bought or sold: they are made up of the people who live there, their stories and struggles – and the community fabric and structure that resulted from that,” she says.“This community’s assets cannot be bought or sold: they are made up of the people who live there, their stories and struggles – and the community fabric and structure that resulted from that,” she says.
But she notes that some people have been left out of the process, including families who were evicted and are still awaiting compensation and others who wish they had held out.But she notes that some people have been left out of the process, including families who were evicted and are still awaiting compensation and others who wish they had held out.
“There are many, many families who took compensation and regret it. They feel fooled by the city – they were lied to about their rights to public housing and/or they were given lesser compensation than others and ultimately felt tricked.”“There are many, many families who took compensation and regret it. They feel fooled by the city – they were lied to about their rights to public housing and/or they were given lesser compensation than others and ultimately felt tricked.”
According to Larissa Lacerda, an urban planning graduate and activist with the Popular Committee on the World Cup and Olympics, the deterioration in the quality of life in Rio may have prompted city authorities to agree a deal.According to Larissa Lacerda, an urban planning graduate and activist with the Popular Committee on the World Cup and Olympics, the deterioration in the quality of life in Rio may have prompted city authorities to agree a deal.
“It is not just the chaos of the schools and hospitals, but the cost of living and the huge traffic jams, and Eduardo Paes is watching all this … The urbanisation of Vila Autódromo has appeared to Paes as a possibility to keep some political capital at a time [when] he is losing popularity.”“It is not just the chaos of the schools and hospitals, but the cost of living and the huge traffic jams, and Eduardo Paes is watching all this … The urbanisation of Vila Autódromo has appeared to Paes as a possibility to keep some political capital at a time [when] he is losing popularity.”
She describes the agreement as a “huge victory” but warns that it does not undo the damage of other evictions: “The mayor’s office began reinforcing the argument that this is the only eviction linked to the Games, rendering invisible the 22,000 other families who have been evicted because of the same project – now they are trying to turn this into a ‘model eviction’.”She describes the agreement as a “huge victory” but warns that it does not undo the damage of other evictions: “The mayor’s office began reinforcing the argument that this is the only eviction linked to the Games, rendering invisible the 22,000 other families who have been evicted because of the same project – now they are trying to turn this into a ‘model eviction’.”
But the battle has left deep scars and an abiding lack of trust. Some residents are worried because they have been asked to leave temporarily while the new houses are being built.But the battle has left deep scars and an abiding lack of trust. Some residents are worried because they have been asked to leave temporarily while the new houses are being built.
Graffiti has appeared on a wall in the community. “We will only leave to go into a new house.”Graffiti has appeared on a wall in the community. “We will only leave to go into a new house.”