Beneath the Southern Cross, there watches a Christ with arms outstretched. He welcomes the native and newcomer alike to Rio de Janeiro, jewel of the Republic of Brazil. Prior to the construction of Brasília, it had been the capital of Brazilian republics, empires, juntas and, strangely, the holdings of Portugal.

It is one of the most visited cities in the Southern Hemisphere, with an active, multi-ethnic community engaged in Brazil's foremost literary, musical and theatrical endeavours. Each field annually culminates in the vivid displays of the Rio Carnival, but such events cannot erase Rio's issues. The favelas grow larger still, and the polished facades of Brasília have lured many job opportunities from the old capital. But Rio is venerable. It has survived whole nations before, and to suffer anything less seems trivial.