Rising social unrest in downtown Sao Paulo due to increasing presence of drug addicts

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Sao Paulo’s urban center in Brazil is witnessing an escalating decline, with an increasing number of drug users now frequenting the central streets of South America’s largest city. The fear of thefts and assaults keeps shop owners and residents on their toes. Despite the city’s inconsistent efforts to curb this, local dwellers have begun to relocate, marking a significant shift in years.

Below are some of the individuals impacted by this crisis:

THE BUSINESS OWNERS

Balduino Alvares, a three-decade veteran in Sao Paulo’s city center, has recently resorted to starting his workday at 6 a.m., an hour earlier than usual, to clean human waste that accumulates outside his jewelry shop.

The 62-year-old Alvares has devised a strategy to deal with the filth – he power-washes the area, sprinkles powdered soap, sweeps, takes a short break, and then returns for a final clean-up. This, according to him, is essential to eliminate the odor and the remnants of the drug addicts’ waste.

“The situation has changed since last year. It’s frustrating,” Alvares shared with The Big Big News. “These individuals weren’t around here before. They used to stick to an area a few blocks away. Now they’re all over the place, sleeping anywhere, and leaving waste in public.”

The so-called “Crackland”, once restricted to a few blocks around the Julio Prestes train station, has now expanded into adjacent neighborhoods, including the city’s prominent electronics district. Locals attribute this expansion to a City Hall policy that resulted in the dispersal of addicts, but seemingly lacked a contingency plan to handle the resulting chaos, which included assaults on pedestrians and looted stores.

Some recent incidents have made national headlines. A drugstore was looted by dozens, some brandishing crack pipes, in April. Earlier this month, a ride-share driver’s car was attacked by a mob of addicts.

Daniel Bonfim, a 58-year-old salesman who once relished his job in the bustling area, now questions his decision to invest in a store of his own. His business is regularly occupied by the homeless and addicts, forcing him to constantly guard his entrance and serve customers outside his shop.

Many local establishments – including shops, eateries, and grocery stores – have reportedly closed since the start of the year.

THE LOCAL RESIDENTS

Paulo Recife, a 31-year-old Italian language instructor, resides near one of Sao Paulo’s main routes. For the first time, he experiences disturbances from drug addicts creating a racket in the morning and issuing threats to bystanders.

Psychiatrist Flávio Falcone, a local resident who works with addicts, attributes the deteriorating situation to the dismantling of a harm-reduction program by a former mayor.

Every week, Falcone and his team, dressed as clowns, perform an act in Crackland, aiming to engage addicts in activities such as karaoke and friendly competitions. Successful participants are referred to healthcare professionals.

THE DRUG USERS

During a recent event, many addicts, including Maria Creuza, participated enthusiastically, while some were seen hallucinating or shouting at walls. Alessandra Bueno Barros, another addict, praised such initiatives but voiced her pessimism about the future.

An incident during the act, where an addict was stabbed by another, highlighted the difficulty of the rehabilitation effort.

THE LAW ENFORCEMENT

Eduardo, a municipal police officer, finds his duty in downtown challenging due to violent resistance from addicts and drug traffickers during drug seizures.

Drug-related issues, or “Crackland”, are predicted to be a central theme in the upcoming mayoral elections. Despite low approval rates, incumbent

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More about Sao Paulo downtown drug crisis

• Drug problem in Sao Paulo
• Crackland, Sao Paulo
• Downtown Sao Paulo’s decline
• Drug rehabilitation in Brazil