FRAMINGHAM — Pride in the Rio Olympics is palpable in this Boston suburb, nicknamed “Little Brazil” for its thriving population of Brazilian immigrants and their shops and bakeries flying the nation’s green and yellow flag, often alongside the U.S. flag.
But here and in other major Brazilian-American enclaves, many expats also are striking a cautionary tone, reflecting concern that the celebration of the Rio games may only serve to mask Brazil’s deeper political, economic and environmental problems.
Estimates of how many people with Brazilian roots live in the U.S. vary widely, as the Census Bureau includes South Americans under the umbrella of those of Latino or Hispanic descent. Framingham, a diverse town of nearly 70,000 total residents, first began attracting large numbers of Brazilian immigrants some three decades ago.
At Rosa’s Beauty Salon owner Rosa Barrosa gushes over Brazil’s opportunity to host the Olympics.
Barrosa believes skeptics are focusing too much on the negatives, rather than positives about a country which she boasted, “really knows how to throw a party.”
While preparing for the games, Brazil has endured a recession, a political crisis that led to impeachment proceedings against the country’s president, reports of polluted waterways and a health emergency caused by the Zika virus.
“Right now I think Brazil is not ready for this kind of event,” said Gustavo Mota, a manager at Tropical Cafe.
To many young immigrants like Mota, 27, Brazil’s future is of far more than passing interest because they haven’t ruled out returning someday to live in their native country.