This thought does come to mind when I visit, too. We go to many of these places to vacation and then I feel bad that they live in poverty.

All while I love it in the places I've been in South America, there is also a dark side. I think that pretty much goes anywhere, obviously some are worse than others. This was an interesting take on it and I do agree with you in some parts. It's just hard to look past my own feelings of privaledge when I do see them struggling. The border control and policia, I haven't been fond of!