ABSTRACT
This chapter examines recent changes in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro that have been triggered by the World Cup and the Olympic Games but have extended beyond these events. They manifest the impact of gentrification and may be economically useful but socially and environmentally conflicted. This process has been reinforced by the government’s implementation of the Pacifying Police Unit and the enactment of the Land Title Act, both targeting some long-standing issues including security and legalization of tenure. In Rio, these well-intended governmental programs have not achieved their goals. One of the issues is the lack of institutionalized processes for participatory decision making. Nevertheless, thanks to the increase of population and economic activities in the favelas, more bottom-up efforts have emerged. However, these require greater collaboration between authorities and local communities for the favelas to move toward a better socially integrated and vital economic future.
