It's been a tough couple of years for Brazil, the eighth largest GDP in the world.

First, the World Cup 2014 was greeted by huge protests, lavish spending on infrastructure, and then the national team got humiliated 7-1 by Germany.  That's tough!

Today, the political class is caught up in corruption scandals, and its organizers are cutting back on the carnival.

Humiliating soccer loss plus downsized carnival.  It's enough to drive a Brazilian crazy, as we read from Sabrina Martin:

There’s probably nothing that says “Brazil” more than carnival, but cities across the country are being forced to cancel the traditional parade of scantily clad women and picturesque floats.

The reason: its worst economic depression in decades.

Cities that are home to millions of Brazilians like Campinas, Macapá, Lavras do Sul, and Porto Ferreiro have announced they will not devote funds this year to celebrate the event which usually takes place between February and March.

The authorities claim that a drop in fiscal revenues and a shortage of federal funding have forced them to call off the official celebration of Brazil’s most important holiday.

Can you blame Brazilians for feeling a little down these days?

Add to all of this a big toxic gas explosion in Santos.  Plus the official unemployment rate is 9%.  The same report concluded that Brazil's GDP shrank 3.7% last year, or the largest drop in 25 years.

Last, but not least, Fausta's Blog reported that a doctors union in Rio is warning that visitors to the 2016 Olympics may not get treatment if they get sick.  This is because of funding problems at hospitals.

Just a bad time down in the largest country of Latin America.

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