Brazil's crusade against tourism?

thestonesfan

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U.S. Pilot Fined for Gesture in Brazil

Thu Jan 15, 9:18 AM ET

By STAN LEHMAN, Associated Press Writer

SAO PAULO, Brazil - An American Airlines pilot was fined nearly $13,000 Wednesday on accusations he made an obscene gesture when being photographed at the airport as part of entry requirements for U.S. citizens, officials said.

Brazil imposed the new rules that Americans be fingerprinted and photographed at entry points in response the similar rules in the United States for citizens of Brazil and other countries whose citizens need visas to enter.

The pilot, Dale Robin Hersh, lifted his middle finger while undergoing the new security process at Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport, said federal prosecutor Matheus Baraldi Magnani.

Police accused the Miami-based pilot of showing contempt to authorities, a crime in Brazil, and escorted him to a nearby federal courthouse for possible formal charges.

However, Hersh agreed to pay a fine before he leaves Brazil in exchange for no charges being filed, the prosecutor said.

"Since this was a minor crime I proposed that he be fined 36,000 reals ($12,750), which will later be donated to a home for the elderly," Magnani told reporters.

Hersh was freed on his own recognizance. The prosecutor said Hersh expected to pay the fine on Thursday. It wasn't immediately clear where Hersh was staying Wednesday night.

The prosecutor said Hersh could have faced charges punishable by up to two years in jail.

Hersh's 10-member crew was detained inside the airport when the incident began Wednesday morning and was not allowed to enter Brazil. Police said the crew was not charged with anything and was returning to the United States on an evening flight.

American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin said the incident was the result of a misunderstanding.

"The company apologizes to the Brazilian (news - web sites) government, the airport authorities, the police or anyone else who may have perceived anything they believe to have been disrespectful," Pantin said.

Late Wednesday, when asked if the airline was paying the fine, Patin said: "We are taking care of any Brazilian government levies at this time."

The incident is the latest flap in growing diplomatic spat between Brazil and the United States.

The Brazilian requirement was first imposed at the order of the federal judge but on Monday it became the government's official policy, citing the diplomatic concept of "reciprocity."

On Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked President Bush (news - web sites) to drop the visa requirement for Brazilians entering the United States, while Brazil's Foreign Ministry said the requirement could lead to a souring between the two nations.

"Recent episodes, such as the new system of identification of travelers, create a negative climate in public opinion with inevitable political implications, which is not in the interest of the two countries," the ministry said.

But in Rio de Janeiro, tourism officials are trying to console American tourists arriving at the airport by treating them to samba music and dancers and giving them flowers, jewelry and T-shirts.

Brazil currently requires Americans to have visas to enter Brazil because of reciprocity.


Can't we all be adults here?

Mr. Pilot, please refrain from rude gestures.

Mr. Brazil Official, lighten up. $12,750 bucks for flipping the camera off?? Good lord!
 
Mr. Uncle Sam, drop that ridiculous policy
 
This whole idea of fingerprinting americans was stupid in the first place. Some of them are having to wait up to seven hours in the airport. The american policy isn't helping either.

However, as a piolot, I thinnk this guy should know that airport authorities don't have a good mood.

And the gesture in question:

 
I wonder what kind of fine you would get if you gave a US official the finger ? Maybe someone can try it out for comparison :mischief:.
 
Originally posted by jack merchant
I wonder what kind of fine you would get if you gave a US official the finger ? Maybe someone can try it out for comparison :mischief:.

I don't think there's a law against showing contempt for authorities here. But I could be wrong. If there is, I can guarantee the fine wouldn't approach that figure.

If you flipped off a judge in court, the penalty could be pretty stiff.
 
way to go brazil.

i think every nation in the world should institute this "reciprocity" or whatever policy. show those dam american politicians that they arent the only ones that can pretend to be afraid of terrorists.

heck i'd go one step further. every US POLITICIAN that enters another country should be given a VERY thourough search (you know, with the rubber gloves and the shoving......).
lets see how much Bush cares about his terrorism war after he's "inspected" a couple times.
 
I'm sure Brazil would have done it a long time ago if they had over 3,000 people killed in a terrorist attack.
 
Just another example of how the world is resorting to whatever measures they can to spite America. Thank you Bush for alienating us from the rest of the world!
 
you realy think that all this airport harrassement is worth the paper it uses up for its fake reports?

i recently went throught the airport system (granted it was within the US, not going outside or comming in) and teh security is as useless as its ever been.

just this morning read something about a guy getting arrested in england because they found bullets on him on his screen on the way off the plane from the US. this means that he got on a plane in the US with bullets in his pockets.

if anyone CARES to get something onto an airport, no amount of fingerprinting is gonna prevent it.
9/11 was a tragedy, and i find it sickening that the US government is doing the same thing for YEARS that the US Media did for weeks afterward. They're using that horrific day to make themselves more popular.
Those kind of things can not be prevented the way the government is going about it.(you can prevent 9 of them, but the 10th attempt will succeed, just cause you cant think of EVERY possible attempt and then its the only one that matters). the only way to prevent it is by taking away the REASON it is done. If so much of the rest of the world didnt hate the US so much (or atleast think that they do) then there would be much less to protect yourself from.

The US government needs to:
stop invading countries for no reason.
stop holding its wealth over the heads of every other nation in the world (ie "dont do what we say and we'll take away our trade and/or foreign aid")
stop agravating people who've got nothing to loose.
stop imposing its views of "right and wrong" (culture) on the rest of the world.

the list just goes on. the worst part of it is the built in arrogance that US goverment seems to have in dealing with anyone. they get "experts" on other countries and then think they'll be able to solve millenia old rivalries/wars in a couple years.

....

wow. didnt think i had all that in me. guess this stuff bothers me more then i thought. And even after all that, i'd proly consider myself an American anyway.
EDIT: realized that a LOT of this is WAY off topic in this thread. should proly appologize for that, something about TheStonesFan's comment got to me.
 
What did I say? I just said I thought the penalty was stiff!
 
Originally posted by thestonesfan
I'm sure Brazil would have done it a long time ago if they had over 3,000 people killed in a terrorist attack.

this is the one i was talking about. now that i've calmed down, i'm not even sure that you meant it the way i understood, but i've heard that phrase used to often to justify things that have nothing to do with it (in this case airport security).
 
Originally posted by RoddyVR


this is the one i was talking about. now that i've calmed down, i'm not even sure that you meant it the way i understood, but i've heard that phrase used to often to justify things that have nothing to do with it (in this case airport security).

The 9/11 attacks had nothing to do with airport security?!?
 
I think it's great how Brazil kicks US ass :D What goes around, comes around, what goes up, must come down. That's how it is. :D
 
well, what I understood USA is actively trying to acquire the Amazone, and you really cannot complain about the photo thingy. He shouldn't have disobeyed the law, and his money is going to a good cause, so all is good.
 
Originally posted by thestonesfan


I don't think there's a law against showing contempt for authorities here. But I could be wrong. If there is, I can guarantee the fine wouldn't approach that figure.

If you flipped off a judge in court, the penalty could be pretty stiff.

You just go ahead and try to give a us customs guy the finger, maybe you as a US citizen wouldn't get that much, but a foreigner would probably just be put in jail, like in Brazil, or put on the next plane out of the US, selfpayed.

My cousin lives in Chicago now, and every now and then he comes back, but he cancelled his return in April cause some costumsofficer had a bad day, and he's afraid he can't get back in! The US are really paranoia, he has to do an interview every time he goes in, why, how long, who's he staying with...
BS!
 
Trying to acquire the amazon? :lol: Are we sending in troops?
 
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