The Brazilians themselves still have to get used to it: a quarter of a century ago, their country emerged from a military dictatorship and suffered from inflation and debt. Today, the heart of Brazilian democracy beats as never before. With the organisation of the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games two years later, Brazil, an agricultural and energy giant, is ready to storm the world stage.
The biggest winners are the poor Brazilians, who, under President Lula da Silva, saw their conditions improved. Unlike the fear-stricken Europeans, the Brazilians are optimists. The land of God, carnival and soccer have an infectious faith in themselves and in the new day.
