From My Notebooks In 1974: An Ex President In Rio

Still enjoying the luxuries of Rio de Janeiro, making the most of my very highly connected friends. I have been waiting for a chance to talk to an Ex President.

August 2nd

Finally had meeting with Kubitschek. Mild mannered man, surprisingly un-monstruous. In fawn suit. Flat featured, grey-eyed, a faded tan colour. With him was a stocky fellow in casual academic disarray suitable to middle-aged professor of economics at Rutgers University, N.J. His calling card smelled strongly of pipe tobacco and announced him as Robert Alexander. K and I spoke French, which Alexander, it later transpired, hardly understood.

I said I had not been able to locate the “centre of gravity” of Brazil. Of course I meant by that an area of consensus on what values the country as a whole should be guided by, and a debate on what methods were mot suitable. He chose to take me more literally and retold history since the Vargas dictatorship (1930-45). Described his own accession, as Governor of Minas Gerais, in the face of great pressure from three separate military bodies, Army, Air Force, Navy, which he resisted with his own loyal police force (30,000 men?) The story of the founding of Brasilia was more picturesque, according to Marcia. At a meeting in Goias he was posed the question: “If you insist on following the constitution to the letter, then you are presumably going to build Brasilia. His response was an immediate and intuitive YES.”

His successor, he says, was a fool and a disaster who was committed to Communists. The military intervention was welcomed by the people, who didn’t realise it was there to stay. Now, he says, there is no foreseeable end to it, and it is a terrible police state.

SUDENI – organisation begun in K’s time to generate some prosperity in the interior, with roads and dams.

Alexander says one thing. Before K Brazil was a nation of pessimists. After K they believed in Brazil and it’s future. K is the most important Brazilian of the Twentieth Century.

August 11th

During past week:

Visited Jill at her home [who was Jill?]

Saw Bloch’s production of “Pippin”. [A musical. Bloch owned major newspaper “O Globo.”]

Dined with Kubitschek, Bloch, ex-Governor of Rio, etc.

Wrote and posted 1st half of Brazil article.

Spent afternoon on beach with Baby, Dalal, and Lulu.

First researches into route through South America:

IGUAÇU described in guide as greater than either Victoria Falls or Niagara. Perhaps best to go into Argentina there and miss Paraguay. See falls from Argentina.

Take road to Posadas through Missiones Province and see remains of early Jesuit missions – San Ignacio, – Corrientes across Parana to Resistencia – via Santa Fé, Rosario to Buenos Aires.

Across Pampa to Bahia Blanca – Neuquen – Bariloche. Lake district, glaciers, mountains, etc. Lake Nahuel Huapi.

Across Andes to Osorno (mostly paved) Up Highway to Santiago. Back into Argentina to Cordoba. North through Salta to Bolivia. Road from Bolivian border at La Quiaca to La Paz is rough but passable in dry weather (up to November.)

From La Paz round Lake Titicaca into Peru to Puno. Then on Central Andean Highway to Cuzco – and Macchu Picchu. From Cuzco there’s a road S.W. down to PanAmerican Highway at Nazcar, but no information about it. The Andian route to Lima is described as very bad and with the precipices on the wrong side.

Rough estimate of times:

1 month from Rio to B. A (including stays.) 1 month from B.A. to Salta. 1 month from Salta to Panama.

August 12th

Began my efforts to release the wheel from customs. [The front wheel was damaged by my various falls. Meriden offered to replace it. I don’t recall why in Rio where customs were notoriously difficult.]

Marcia asks Geraldo who sends me to the despachante Ivan. He passes me off to a ‘convalescent’ who appears to understand that it must be done quickly and that I must know what it will cost. The whole week went by without my knowing anything at all and finally on Friday I was asked to sign forms and pay a ridiculous 2000 cruzeiros. I refused and called Brasilia.

[After my detention in Fortaleza the Foreign Ministry tried to make amends, inviting me to Brasilia. and offering assistance if I needed it.]

Next Monday the whole process will have to begin again, and hopefully Ivan and his merry men won’t feel obliged to obstruct it out of spite. The money story also continued – since I went to the bank without my passport and although the dollars are now available, I couldn’t have them. Eventually collected on Friday.

Nixon’s resignation has sent the dollar up from 6.5 to 7 and it may go higher.

Next week: The Saga of Andrade.