Favela.
No, I wasn't buying cocaine, but I did take this picture of a resident showing me an empty vial he picked up off the ground when he was talking me around the Rosinha favela in Rio de Janeiro. He was sponsored by the drug lord of the favela so I knew I would be in safe hands. The drugs lords take a commission of all activities in the favela but with that comes protection. The rules? Very simple. Nobody robs. Nobody hears. Nothing is lost. Those who are wise obey those give orders. He mentioned them to me and then I saw them later in some lovely artwork by Chilean artist, Jose Seleron at his Lapa steps. He showed me some videos of what happens when someone does break the rules, a sort of vigilante justice. A man who robbed a woman was later beaten by the drug lord's men with 2 by 4's on his arms and legs, a woman who did the same had half her head shaved off and was forced to live that way until it grew back. One is compelled to not brea...