Criminal law, International, Society

Brazilian Police: Please Don’t Scream When You Are Being Robbed

250px-Palioviatura_pmespThe Sao Paulo police are distributing a pamphlet for tourists coming to the country for the World Cup next month and presumably those who will be coming for the next Olympics. The police strongly encourage people not to “react, scream or argue” because that will only make robbers angry or nervous and push them to greater acts of violence. It is probably sound advice but the optics are not great for a country accused of rampant corruption and abuse in the police forces as well as runaway crime.


Brazil is being widely criticized for pollution and crime and corruption in preparation for the World Cup and the Olympics. Many feel the country bit off more than it could chew in grabbing the games. I personally experienced the corruption of the Sao Paulo police when officers tried to shake me down for a bribe years ago after I spoke at a United Nations conference.

The pamphlet warned tourists of the risk of “latrocinios” – or robbery that ends in murder. The police fear that Americans and Europeans who are not used to so much crime will react and cause more problems. The key is to be passive and silent while being robbed. One police officer, Mario Leite, sis quoted as saying “There is no use crying over spilt milk.” In other words, better spilt milk than spilt blood.

Source: BBC

29 thoughts on “Brazilian Police: Please Don’t Scream When You Are Being Robbed”

  1. NSA is civilian
    The NSA is led by the Director of the National Security Agency (DIRNSA), who also serves as Chief of the Central Security Service (CHCSS) and Commander of the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) and is the highest-ranking military official of these organizations. He is assisted by a Deputy Director, who is the highest-ranking civilian within the NSA/CSS.

  3. Not from propagandists:

    In accordance with Department of Defense Directive 5100.20, dated December 23, 1971, the Director of the NSA must always be a commissioned officer of the military services. Because the assignment is currently part of a tri-hatted position, the Director of the NSA is appointed to the grade of a four-star general or admiral during the period of his incumbency. The Deputy Director is always a technically experienced civilian.
    …
    A. Subject to the provisions of NSCID No. 6, and the National Security Act of 1947, as amended, and pursuant to the authorities vested in the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Agency is a separately organized agency within the Department of Defense under the direction, supervision, funding, maintenance and operation of the Secretary of Defense.
    …
    F. The Director and Deputy Director of the National Security Agency shall be designated by the Secretary of Defense, subject to the approval of the President. The Director shall be a commissioned officer of the military Services, on active or reactivated status, and shall enjoy not less than three star rank during the period of his incumbency.

    G. The Director, National Security Agency/ Chief, Central Security Service shall report to the Secretary of Defense.

    (On The Origin of Security – 2).

  4. Not from the ignorati:

    The National Security Agency (NSA) is … of the United States Department of Defense … The NSA is directed by at least a lieutenant general or vice admiral … The Director of the National Security Agency serves as the Commander of the United States Cyber Command … (USCYBERCOM) … an armed forces … command subordinate to United States Strategic Command … led by General Keith B. Alexander… USCYBERCOM … synchronizes defense of U.S. military networks … United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense … charged with … military satellites … information warfare … missile defense, global command and control, intelligence, surveillance … global strike and strategic deterrence … nuclear arsenal … Strategic Command [is] a successor to Strategic Air Command (SAC). It is headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha, Nebraska.

    (On The Origin of Security – 3).

  5. From “Creation of the NSA” by the DoD:

    … the Joint Chiefs created the Armed Forces Security Agency [AFSA in 1949 [which] was redesignated the National Security Agency, without change in personnel, funds, or facilities.

    (On The Origin of Security – 4).

    1. The NSA is led by the Director of the National Security Agency (DIRNSA), who also serves as Chief of the Central Security Service (CHCSS) and Commander of the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) and is the highest-ranking military official of these organizations. He is assisted by a Deputy Director, who is the highest-ranking civilian within the NSA/CSS.

  7. Animals. More stunning is the lack of police presence. It’s soccer is Brazil. That means possible riots and murder at every game. Police should be everywhere. World cup? No thanks. Olympics? Hell no.

  8. Brazil is not a Pirate Territory like some segments of land mass on Earth that I complain about on this blog. No. It is a barely Third World civilized nation state with failed policing power. Kinda like Detroit. As with any travel in the world Americans need to learn to dress like vagabonds not rich suburbanites from Long Island. No neck jewelry or expensive watches. If you are in India and kids surround you with their hands out then you know that you look like a middle class American. Don’t wear an American flag on your lapel or luggage. Canadian might do to cover your accent. Buy some mace as soon as you get in-country. Carry a club. Not a switch blade knife or a large knife, you will get busted.

    1. Al – how was the night shift? I am going to posit that the best thing a person can do is spend the money on a 70 in screen and watch the whole thing in the comfort of their home.

  10. JT: “It is probably sound advice but the optics are not great for a country accused of rampant corruption and abuse in the police forces as well as runaway crime”

    I’m sorry. I was under the impression that we were discussing BRAZIL, not the U.S. :-).

  12. The military NSA also asks “please don’t scream when you are being spied upon by our women/girl stealers around the world:

    A Washington area man with ties to Ethiopia’s political opposition sued that country’s government in federal court Tuesday, alleging that agents had used powerful spyware to hack into his computer and snoop on his private communications for more than four months.

    The suit says that forensics experts found more than 2,000 files related to a spyware program called FinSpy, including evidence that it had accessed the plaintiff’s Skype calls, e-mails and Web-browsing history in violation of U.S. wiretapping laws.

    The case is the latest sign that the government of Ethi­o­pia, an American ally with a history of repressing political opponents, journalists and human rights activists, has used sophisticated Internet technology to monitor its perceived enemies, even when they are in other countries.

    “The Ethio­pian government appears to be doing everything it can to spy on members of the diaspora, especially those in contact with opposition groups,” said Nate Cardozo, a staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties group based in San Francisco that prepared the suit.

    (EmptyScreams).

  13. Soccer anyone? Looks like a place you can take the wife and kids.
    Got the street gangs, gang bangers, one big happy party.

  14. I think with all that is going on down there the State Dept needs to issue a warning to travelers. I am cancelling my tickets for the games. 😉

  16. No one and do mean no one should go to Brazil for the World Cup or the Olympics or for anything else.

  17. I wonder if folks didn’t report crime, would we have less crime?

  18. On the issue of women, I strongly urge all women and men to read a superb essay in The Atlantic, The Confidence Gap. It is written by 2 women in TV journalism, Katty Kay and Claire Shipman.

  19. Another country has also informed victims to sink slowly, don’t scream, and don’t ask us for help:

    The court took the orthodox position that persecution is primarily political and internal. There had to be a “violation” of human rights and a “failure” of state protection. Teitiota’s claim turned that definition on its head.

    In essence, his claim held that the violation and failure was on the part of the international community. The persecution was external, not internal, and environmental, not political.

    The decision reveals – in all its misery – the protection deficit in international law. A judicial decision is an uncodified statement of power relations. Never could there be a more unequal power relationship than here: on one side, the I-Kiribati and their sinking home, on the other the rigid machinery of international law. If Lord Diplock is right, then “law is about man’s duty to his neighbour”. That principle should underpin our approach to climate change and forced migration.

    (Guardian, “New Zealand refuses climate change refugees”).

  20. ALWAYS give up your money and valuables w/o any resistance and calmly. However, for women, if someone tries to take you in a car or on foot, scream kick, yell, bite, do ANYTHING to not be taken. You must assume if you are taken you will be killed.

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