The social divide in Rio

This story of Sergio Martins, a resident of favela Pantanal who works as a security guard in luxurious Leblon, in Rio de Janeiro, ran in the Guardian (thanks to Edesio for spying it and sending it my way.) While it's misguided to describe the favelas as "a sea of ramshackle shanty housing," Sergio's take on Brazilian society is devastating: "The currency of the rich in Brazil is indifference and humiliation," he says. "They wish you a good morning, but they pay to keep you and your service at a convenient distance."