The mood in Greece is one of discouragement, says the Brazilian ambassador.

 – Amid an intense political and economic crisis due to the lack of consensus among Greek leaders, Greeks are experiencing a climate of "disillusionment," according to the Brazilian ambassador in Athens, Oto Agripino Maia.

The ambassador told Agência Brasil that the new parliamentary elections, on June 17, in search of a coalition government, are surrounded by unpredictability, as the behavior of the Greek electorate is marked by "surprise".

According to him, the effects of the crisis on the 3 Brazilians who are in the country are different, since most of them are linked to Greece by emotional ties, not economic ones.

Below are the main excerpts from Maia's interview with Agência Brasil.

Agência Brasil: Is the situation in Greece as serious as the information coming from Brazil suggests?
Otto Agripino MaiaEveryone has a different perspective on the crisis and makes their own assessment. But it is, indeed, a serious crisis. It's a deep, structural crisis that is reflected in certain economic difficulties, including the Greek economy's inability to generate jobs and income. The country has been in recession for more than five years. Greece is having difficulty getting the economic recovery it needs. That's one aspect.

ABr: Why do you say that this is only one aspect of the economic problem?
MaiaI say this because, while we see many, many shops closing their doors and owners putting up "for rent" signs, cafes, a common occurrence here, are always packed. But in conversations, in the news, and in daily life among Greeks, a climate of discouragement prevails. There are also reports of immigrants [not necessarily Brazilian] working in the hotel and tourism industry who are returning to their countries.

ABr: Do you believe that the elections on June 17th will change this situation?
MaiaThe elections on the 6th showed that the results were surprising. Therefore, predicting what might happen in the Greek political landscape is very difficult. Voters may mostly opt for the reunification of political parties [unlike what happened earlier this month] or they may do the opposite [maintaining the dispersed vote of the last elections], thus creating a stalemate [regarding the formation of a coalition government].

ABr: Has the Brazilian community been contacting the embassy or asking you and your team for guidance?
MaiaThe community of about 3 Brazilians living here has very distinct characteristics. In general, the majority are Brazilian women married to Greeks, therefore, their ties to Greece are not economic. They are affective. But, in the last ten years, the number of Brazilians in the country to play on football teams and work as capoeira practitioners has increased.

ABr: On the other hand, do you believe that the number of Greeks wanting to immigrate to Brazil has increased due to the crisis?
MaiaCurrently, it's not possible to make that assessment because Greeks can go to Brazil to observe the situation in the country without necessarily informing the embassy. Greeks can stay in Brazil for up to 90 days with a tourist visa, which is legal. But it's possible that this movement is actually happening.