VZCZCXRO5934
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHRI #0334 2811728
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081728Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5124
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1405
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 5302
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 3542

UNCLAS RIO DE JANEIRO 000334 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ENRG EPET PHUM SOCI SNAR PGOV BR
SUBJECT: Rio Radar - Weeks of September 25 and October 2, 2009 
 
REF: RIO DE JANEIRO 329 
 
¶1. (U) Rio Radar is a weekly compilation of key economic, political, 
commercial, and other developments in the states of Rio de Janeiro, 
Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo, and Sergipe.  This week's 
subjects: 
 
U.S. DRAWS THOUSANDS AT BRAZIL'S PREMIER BOOK FAIR 
 
¶2. (U) The United States was the featured country at the bi-annual 
Rio Book Fair that took place September 10-20.  The Bienal fair is 
the third largest public event in Rio, after New Year's Eve on 
Copacabana Beach and Carnaval, and arguably Brazil's most important 
literary/publishing event.  More than 640,000 people visited the 
Bienal, including over 120,000 students who attended as part of 
official class trips.  As part of its participation in the Bienal, 
the Consulate helped bring a dozen prominent American authors to 
take part in panel discussions, debates and book signing events.  In 
addition, the Consulate constructed a stand where Consulate staff 
distributed information materials on the United States and organized 
a number of events for the visiting public.  Among the highlights 
were mini-lessons in English with the local IBEU bi-national center, 
briefings by Consulate staff from Public Affairs, Foreign Commercial 
Service and the Library of Congress, presentations by former Youth 
Ambassadors and staff from Fulbright/Education USA about exchanges 
and US studies opportunities, quiz shows with prizes, and evening 
musical performances by a Brazilian jazz musician.  An estimated 
70,000 people visited the U.S. stand during the 11-day event. 
 
BAHIA: NEXT BIG PRE-SALT FIND? 
 
¶3. (U) President of Petrobras Jose Sergio Gabrielli confirmed on 
September 25 that the company is conducting studies on possible 
pre-salt oil reserves off the coast of Bahia state, in the Northeast 
and could soon begin exploration drilling.  Bahia Governor Jaques 
Wagner said on September 23 the chances of finding pre-salt oil in 
the region are "very high."  Geologists have in the past argued that 
oil deposits in the Santos Basin pre-salt reserves off the coasts of 
Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo, and Sao Paulo could extend along 
then entire Brazilian coast.  Pedro Paulo Lobo, an economist in 
Petrobras' Business Development unit told us that the company did 
not have precise size estimates of any oil reserves in the area, but 
explained the reservoir could extend all the way to Rio Grande do 
Norte state, which would span the coastlines of an additional five 
states. 
VIOLENCE GRIPS MAJOR FAVELA, POLICE CORRUPTION ALLEGED 
¶4. (U) Since May, competing narco-trafficking gangs have been 
fighting for control for the Complexo da Mare, one of Rio de 
Janeiro's largest favelas.  According to Global Justice, a 
prestigious human rights group, the Mare violence has resulted in 
more than fifty killings, forcing the closure of eight schools and 
five nurseries.  Global Justice also reported allegations from Mare 
residents that military police officers from the 22nd Battalion 
supported one of the gangs during the occupation by renting out 
three armored personnel carriers (APCs) to gang members. 
ARMED ASSAULTS ON RIO'S AFFLUENT APARTMENT BUILDINGS 
¶5. (SBU) On September 21, armed assailants forced their way into a 
residential apartment in Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro's most affluent 
area, taking twenty three hostages and stealing high value goods, 
such as jewelry and electronics, from the apartments (Note: Many 
Consulate direct hires reside in Zona Sul neighborhoods. End Note). 
The incident marked the fourth time over the past month that armed 
robbers attacked apartments, involving hostages, in the Zona Sul 
area.  Some security experts see a link between the uptick in 
residential attacks and the police force's increasing "pacification" 
of neighboring favelas, by forcing drug-trafficking gangs into other 
areas of operation and criminal activities (Reftel). 
 
HEARNE