Hola Arturo! (I've noticed you're from México :)

Yes, the people definitly feel it. Of course everybody has to work a lot, but now they (we) feel that we can buy stuff, which didn't happen 20 years ago because of the inflation. However, my only concern is just about that. I'm afraid we turn out like USA, with high debts...

Hope I helped ;)

Brazil is as bad as it ever was. Economy numbers alone do not represent quality of life. Despite that, most brazilians I know seem to think the country is getting better, because, as they say "my maid now has a cell phone which is better than my own and she can even spend her vacations on the beach" and so on. About violence and poverty, it's very common to hear things such as: "they should just kill them all", "poor people should be sterilized" etc. Some examples of how Brazil is not getting any better:

Poor people being kicked out from their homes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBjjtc9BXXY

Government way of defining middle class: http://www.sae.gov.br/site/?p=12055

A journalist had to hide abroad with his family because they were threatened due to the following article: http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/1120133-ex-chefe-da-rota-vira-politico-e-prega-a-violencia-no-facebook.shtml

Slums are being burned: http://www.rollingstone.com.br/edicao/56/arquitetura-da-destruicao

Kassab (ex São Paulo mayor) prohibited an NGO from distributing books for free on the street: http://www.em.com.br/app/noticia/nacional/2012/09/11/interna_nacional,316791/ong-e-proibida-de-dar-livro-em-viaduto-de-sao-paulo.shtml He also created the anti-homeless sidewalk, anti-homeless bench etc: http://cuidandodacidadania.blogspot.com.br/2012/04/calcadao-antimendigo.html http://kassabproibiu.tumblr.com/

Traffic in São Paulo: http://g1.globo.com/sao-paulo/noticia/2012/06/com-295-km-lentidao-em-sp-supera-recorde-historico-de-2009.html

Public opinion about death penalty, drugs etc: http://fernandorodrigues.blogosfera.uol.com.br/2012/10/23/89-querem-reduzir-maioridade-penal-no-pais/

I could go on and on..