But in this complex and contradictory country, preparations for the World Cup and Olympics have highlighted both the advances made and the daunting challenges Brazil still faces as it seeks to improve the quality of life of its citizens. For any foreign admirer of the sweeping plans of Oscar Niemeyer and Lúcio Costa for Brasília, the nation's capital, first contact with Brazil's urban centers can come as a shock.
Across this vast nation, cities are plagued by decades of poor design and weak planning. This is the result of a toxic combination of two circumstances: a rapid urbanization—spurred by tens of millions of peasants fleeing drought during the middle of the last century, creating sprawling metropolises such as São Paulo—and a long military dictatorship that seized power 50 years ago, forcing many of the country's best architects into exile and leaving behind a deep economic slump once the generals handed control back to civilians and returned to their barracks in 1985.
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