This week Jan talks to George Powell, a journalist and film maker who has lived and worked in Rio de Janeiro for the past 6 years.  He's chosen to live in one of Rio's smaller favelas, and has some interesting insights into life as the only gringo in the village, how to survive preferring rugby to football in the land that worships the Beautiful Game, and why the country's president, Jair Bolsonaro  is hitting an all-time popularity level despite the rampant spread of Coronavirus, and the devastating lack of quality healthcare for the poor.  Brazil  is now second in  the Coronavirus stakes to the United States with over 100,000  deaths and over 3 million cases,  and Rio is  one of the country's hotspots. But as COVID fatigue sets in, there's little sign of the pandemic coming under control.

If you'd like to know more about ONERIO, the project George talks about, that helps young favela children through rugby, then check out
www.umrio.org  and   www.facebook.com/UMRioONERio