THE MULTIPLE, REMARKABLE crises consuming Brazil are now garnering substantial Western media attention. That’s understandable given that Brazil is the world’s fifth most populous country and eighth-largest economy; its second-largest city, Rio de Janeiro, is the host of this year’s Summer Olympics. But much of this Western media coverage mimics the propaganda coming from Brazil’s homogenized, oligarch-owned, anti-democracy media outlets and, as such, is misleading, inaccurate, and incomplete, particularly when coming from those with little familiarity with the country (there are numerous Brazil-based Western reporters doing outstanding work).
It is difficult to overstate the severity of Brazil’s multi-level distress. This short paragraph yesterday from the New York Times’s Brazil bureau chief, Simon Romero, conveys how dire it is:
Brazil is suffering its worst economic crisis in decades. An enormous graft scheme has hobbled the national oil company. The Zika epidemic is causing despair across the northeast. And just before the world heads to Brazil for the Summer Olympics, the government is fighting for survival, with almost every corner of the political system under the cloud of scandal.
Brazil’s extraordinary political upheaval shares some similarities with the Trump-led political chaos in the U.S.: a sui generis, out-of-control circus unleashing instability and some rather dark forces, with a positive ending almost impossible to imagine. The once-remote prospect of President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment now seems likely.
But one significant difference with the U.S. is that Brazil’s turmoil is not confined to one politician. The opposite is true, as Romero notes: “almost every corner of the political system [is] under the cloud of scandal.” That includes not only Rousseff’s moderately left-wing Workers Party, or PT — which is rife with serious corruption — but also the vast majority of the centrist and right-wing political and economic factions working to destroy PT, which are drowning in at least an equal amount of criminality. In other words, PT is indeed deeply corrupt and awash in criminal scandal, but so is virtually every political faction working to undermine it and vying to seize that party’s democratically obtained power.
In reporting on Brazil, Western media outlets have most prominently focused on the increasingly large street protests demanding the impeachment of Rousseff. They have typically depicted those protests in idealized, cartoon terms of adoration: as an inspiring, mass populist uprising against a corrupt regime. Last night, NBC News’s Chuck Todd re-tweeted the Eurasia Group’s Ian Bremmer describing anti-Dilma protests as “The People vs. the President” — a manufactured theme consistent with what is being peddled by Brazil’s anti-government media outlets such as Globo:
That narrative is, at best, a radical oversimplification of what is happening and, more often, crass propaganda designed to undermine a left-wing party long disliked by U.S. foreign policy elites. That depiction completely ignores the historical context of Brazil’s politics and, more importantly, several critical questions: Who is behind these protests, how representative are the protesters of the Brazilian population, and what is their actual agenda?
THE CURRENT VERSION of Brazilian democracy is very young. In 1964, the country’s democratically elected left-wing government was overthrown by a military coup. Both publicly and before Congress, U.S. officials vehemently denied any role, but — needless to say — documents and recordings subsequently emerged proving the U.S. directly supported and helped plot critical aspects of that coup.
The 21-year, right-wing, pro-U.S. military dictatorship that ensued was brutal and tyrannical, specializing in torture techniques used against dissidents that were taught to the dictatorship by the U.S. and U.K. A comprehensive 2014 Truth Commission report documented that both countries “trained Brazilian interrogators in torture techniques.” Among their victims was Rousseff, who was an anti-regime, left-wing guerilla imprisoned and tortured by the military dictators in the 1970s.
The coup itself and the dictatorship that followed were supported by Brazil’s oligarchs and their large media outlets, led by Globo, which — notably — depicted the 1964 coup as a noble defeat of a corrupt left-wing government (sound familiar?). The 1964 coup and dictatorship were also supported by the nation’s extravagantly rich (and overwhelmingly white) upper class and its small middle class. As democracy opponents often do, Brazil’s wealthy factions regarded dictatorship as protection against the impoverished masses comprised largely of non-whites. As The Guardian put it upon release of the Truth Commission report: “As was the case elsewhere in Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s, the elite and middle class aligned themselves with the military to stave off what they saw as a communist threat.”
These severe class and race divisions in Brazil remain the dominant dynamic. As the BBC put it in 2014 based on multiple studies: “Brazil has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world.” The Americas Quarterly editor-in-chief, Brian Winter, reporting on the protests, wrote this week: “The gap between rich and poor remains the central fact of Brazilian life — and these protests are no different.” If you want to understand anything about the current political crisis in Brazil, it’s crucial to understand what Winter means by that.
DILMA’S PARTY, PT, was formed in 1980 as a classic Latin American left-wing socialist party. To improve its national appeal, it moderated its socialist dogma and gradually became a party more akin to Europe’s social democrats. There are now popular parties to its left; indeed, Dilma, voluntarily or otherwise, has advocated austerity measures to cure economic ills and assuage foreign markets, and just this week enacted a draconian “anti-terrorism” law. Still, PT resides on the center-left wing of Brazil’s spectrum and its supporters are overwhelmingly Brazil’s poor and racial minorities. In power, PT has ushered in a series of economic and social reforms that have provided substantial government benefits and opportunities, which have lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty.
PT has held the presidency for 14 years: since 2002. Its popularity has been the byproduct of Dilma’s wildly charismatic predecessor, Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva (universally referred to as Lula). Lula’s ascendency was a potent symbol of the empowerment of Brazil’s poor under democracy: a laborer and union leader from a very poor family who dropped out of school in the second grade, did not read until the age of 10, and was imprisoned by the dictatorship for union activities. He has long been mocked by Brazilian elites in starkly classist tones for his working-class accent and manner of speaking.
Though the nation’s oligarchical class has successfully used the center-right PSDB as a counterweight, it has been largely impotent in defeating PT in four consecutive presidential elections. Voting is compulsory, and the nation’s poor citizens have ensured PT’s victories.
Corruption among Brazil’s political class — including the top levels of the PT — is real and substantial. But Brazil’s plutocrats, their media, and the upper and middle classes are glaringly exploiting this corruption scandal to achieve what they have failed for years to accomplish democratically: the removal of PT from power.
Contrary to Chuck Todd’s and Ian Bremmer’s romanticized, misinformed (at best) depiction of these protests as being carried out by “The People,” they are, in fact, incited by the country’s intensely concentrated, homogenized, and powerful corporate media outlets, and are composed (not exclusively but overwhelmingly) of the nation’s wealthier, white citizens who have long harbored animosity toward PT and anything that smacks of anti-poverty programs.
Brazil’s corporate media outlets are acting as de facto protest organizers and PR arms of opposition parties. The Twitter feeds of some of Globo’s most influential (and very rich) on-air reporters contain non-stop anti-PT agitation. When a recording of a telephone conversation between Dilma and Lula was leaked this week, Globo’s highly influential nightly news program, Jornal Nacional, had its anchors flamboyantly re-enact the dialogue in such a melodramatic and provocatively gossipy fashion that it literally resembled a soap opera far more than a news report, prompting widespread ridicule. For months, Brazil’s top four newsmagazines have devoted cover after cover to inflammatory attacks on Dilma and Lula, usually featuring ominous photos of one or the other and always with a strikingly unified narrative.
To provide some perspective for how central the large corporate media has been in inciting these protests: Recall the key role Fox News played in promoting and encouraging attendance at the early Tea Party protests. Now imagine what those protests would have been if it had not been just Fox, but also ABC, NBC, CBS, Time magazine, the New York Times, and the Huffington Post also supporting and inciting the Tea Party rallies. That is what has been happening in Brazil: The largest outlets are owned and controlled by a tiny number of plutocratic families, virtually all of whom are vehement, class-based opponents of PT and whose media outlets have unified to fuel these protests.
In sum, the business interests owned and represented by those media outlets are almost uniformly pro-impeachment and were linked to the military dictatorship. As Stephanie Nolen, the Rio-based reporter for Canada’s Globe and Mail, noted: “It is clear that most of the country’s institutions are lined up against the president.”
Put simply, this is a campaign to subvert Brazil’s democratic outcomes by monied factions that have long hated the results of democratic elections, deceitfully marching under an anti-corruption banner: quite similar to the 1964 coup. Indeed, much of the Brazilian right longs for restoration of the military dictatorship, and factions at these “anti-corruption” protests have been openly calling for the end of democracy.
None of this is a defense of PT. Both because of genuine widespread corruption in that party and national economic woes, Dilma and PT are intensely unpopular among all classes and groups, even including the party’s working-class base. But the street protests — as undeniably large and energized as they have been — are driven by those who are traditionally hostile to PT. The number of people participating in these protests — while in the millions — is dwarfed by the number (54 million) who voted to re-elect Dilma less than two years ago. In a democracy, governments are chosen by voting, not by displays of street opposition — particularly where, as in Brazil, the protests are drawn from a relatively narrow societal segment.
As Winter reported: “Last Sunday, when more than 1 million people took to the streets, polls indicated that once again the crowd was significantly richer, whiter, and more educated than Brazilians at large.” Nolen similarly reported: “The half-dozen large anti-corruption demonstrations in the past year have been dominated by white and upper-middle-class protesters, who tend to be supporters of the opposition Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), and to have little love for Ms. Rousseff’s left-leaning Workers’ Party.”
As Nolen noted, the photo became the emblem for the true, highly ideological essence of these protests: “Brazilians, who are deft and fast with memes, reposted the picture with a thousand snarky captions, such as ‘Speed it up, there, Maria [the generic ‘maid name’], we have to get out to protest against this government that made us pay you minimum wage.’”
TO BELIEVE THAT the influential figures agitating for Dilma’s impeachment are motivated by an authentic anti-corruption crusade requires extreme naïveté or willful ignorance. To begin with, the factions that would be empowered by Dilma’s impeachment are at least as implicated by corruption scandals as she is: in most cases, more so.
Five of the members of the impeachment commission are themselves being criminally investigated as part of the corruption scandal. That includes Paulo Maluf, who faces an Interpol warrant for his arrest and has not been able to leave the country for years; he has been sentenced in France to three years in prison for money laundering. Of the 65 members of the House impeachment committee, 36 currently face pending legal proceedings.
In the lower house of Congress, the leader of the impeachment movement, the evangelical extremist Eduardo Cunha, was found to have maintained multiple secret Swiss bank accounts, where he stored millions of dollars that prosecutors believe were received as bribes. He is the target of multiple active criminal investigations.
Meanwhile, Senator Aécio Neves, the leader of the Brazilian opposition who Dilma narrowly defeated in the 2014 election, has himself been implicated at least five separate times in the corruption scandal. One of the prosecutors’ newest star witnesses just accused him of accepting bribes. That witness also implicated the country’s vice president, Michel Temer, of the opposition party PMDB, who would replace Dilma if she were impeached.
Then there’s the recent behavior of the chief judge who has been overseeing the corruption investigation and has become a folk hero for his commendably aggressive investigations of some of the country’s richest and most powerful figures. That judge, Sergio Moro, this week effectively leaked to the media a tape-recorded, extremely vague conversation between Dilma and Lula, which Globo and other anti-PT forces immediately depicted as incriminating. Moro disclosed the recording of the conversation within hours of its taking place.
Making Judge Moro into an idol contradicts a virtue he's supposed to represent: the impersonality of institutions. pic.twitter.com/UdZaslh68M
— Alex Cuadros (@alexcuadros) March 4, 2016
But the recorded conversation was released by Judge Moro with no due process and, worse, with clearly political, not judicial, purposes: Namely, he was furious that his investigation of Lula would be terminated by his appointment to Dilma’s cabinet (high officials can be investigated only by the Supreme Court). His leak sought to embarrass Dilma and Lula and trigger street protests, and thus provoked criticisms, even among his previous fans, that he was now abusing his power by becoming a political actor. Worse, the recording itself seems to have been illegally obtained since it was made after the expiration of Judge Moro’s warrant. The head of Rio de Janeiro’s bar association, Felipe Santa Cruz, called Moro’s actions a “nauseating embarrassment.”
All of this raises the very clear danger that the criminal investigation and impeachment process are not a legal exercise to punish criminal leaders, but rather an anti-democratic political weapon wielded by political opponents to remove a democratically elected president. That danger was even more starkly highlighted yesterday when it was revealed that a judge who issued an order blocking Lula’s cabinet appointment by Dilma had days earlier posted to his Facebook page numerous selfies of him marching in the anti-government protest over the weekend. As Winter wrote, “Convincing the public that the Brazilian judiciary is ‘at war’ with the Workers’ Party will be an easier task than it was two weeks ago.”
There is no question that PT is rife with corruption. There are serious questions surrounding Lula that deserve an impartial and fair investigation. And impeachment is a legitimate process in a democracy provided that the targeted official is actually guilty of serious crimes and the law is scrupulously followed in how the impeachment is effectuated.
But the picture currently emerging in Brazil surrounding impeachment and these street protests is far more complicated, and far more ethically ambiguous, than has frequently been depicted. The effort to remove Dilma and her party from power now resembles a nakedly anti-democratic power struggle more than a legally sound process or genuine anti-corruption movement. Worse, it’s being incited, engineered, and fueled by the very factions who are themselves knee-deep in corruption scandals, and who represent the interests of the richest and most powerful societal segments long angry at their inability to defeat PT democratically.
In other words, it all seems historically familiar, particular for Latin America, where democratically elected left-wing governments have been repeatedly removed by non-democratic, extra-legal means. In many ways, PT and Dilma are not sympathetic victims. Large segments of the population are genuinely angry at them for plainly legitimate reasons. But their sins do not justify the sins of their long-standing political enemies, and most certainly do not render subversion of Brazilian democracy something to cheer.
Additional reporting: Cecília Olliveira
Excellent analysis, balanced, sober andwell researched. The kind of journalism we desperately need here in Brazil in these dark days…
Our watch dogs’s got rabbis and it’s been barking and biting viciously.
I hope we’ll make it out of this.
Glen,
I have lived and worked in Brazil, perhaps longer than you (continuously since 2003, and first worked here in 96-98). While I am not a “Pulitzer prize winning author”, I have done a lot of business here during this time. I can only suspect that you are a died-in-the-wool lefty, because you see this whole political crisis as the PT wants the world to see it: as a coup! It is no such thing. While your points concerning the fact that ALL of the Brazilian political class is corrupt (it is culturally entrenched through most of Latin America, except perhaps Chile) is correct, to see this impeachment as some kind of right wing plot to oust the the PT is biased and frankly very poor journalism. They are ALL fighting for their political lives; the various parties are stabbing each other in the back for individual gain, and it is all being driven by a determined prosecutor and the people in the streets. To say that Dilma is being impeached on “totally fictious grounds of pretext” is basically a lie, and at best an extension of PT propaganda. Not only did Dilma fiddle the books (a crime), but she was the the head of Petrobras during the years all the corruption was happening! And then she tried to protect Lula by making him part of her cabinet, which is obstruction of justice. And I am sure when all the dirty laundry is released by S. Moro, she will be found to be right in the thick of it. I am a scientist. I am not right or left. I judge the facts as they are presented, and can assure you after having done business here for over 16 years, that the PT is as bad or worse than the conservative government before them…..and what’s worse, is that they cloak themselves in a false patriotism of defending democracy. Yes, ALL the parties and politicians are guilty of corruption, but Dilma and all those around her were at the top of the heap and have committed serious crimes. They deserve to removed from power and GO TO JAIL. And despite what you say about this not happening in the US (also a bit of leftwing propaganda), politicians when caught (as well as the rich) go to jail (3 Governors of Illinois). I am disappointed that such a distinguished “Pulitzer prize winning author” can espouse such biased views and pretend that he understands what is going on, after living here how many years? Talk to the people in the street Mr. Greenwald. Even the poor uneducated, former PT supporters (I live in a poor northern Brazil city) understand that they are lying to protect themselves and deserve to be turfed out.
@davidmirandario, @AndrewDFish, @ggreenwald: mostly fair assessment of the situation in Brazil, aside from
one blatantly incorrect fact:
“much of the Brazilian right longs for restoration of the military dictatorship, and factions at these “anti-corruption” protests have been openly calling for the end of democracy.”
MUCH of the Brazilian right? This is absurd. They are a very small section.
and two failures to provide a more complete picture:
“The half-dozen large anti-corruption demonstrations in the past year have been dominated by white and upper-middle-class protesters, who tend to be supporters of the opposition Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), and to have little love for Ms. Rousseff’s left-leaning Workers’ Party.”
Why is there no mention that Aecio, the leader of PSDB, was booed out of the last manifestation? You have it right that the oligarchy, the right side of the political spectrum and the media are manipulating the situation to take the power away from PT, but you fail to note that the people are now aware, thanks to the investigation conducted by Judge Moro, that ALL the major parties have been implicated in the scandal.
The people might not have someone to put in power yet. But whoever comes into power next (aside from an interim figure) will have to be much cleaner than the rest of the political figures supposedly behind this movement, as you claim. The impeachment proceedings are being conducted by the rule of law. The country is frozen – the present situation cannot continue.
“a photograph of one of the families participating went viral, a symbol of what these protests actually are. It showed a rich, white couple decked out in anti-Dilma symbols and walking with their pure-breed dog, trailed by their black “weekend nanny” — wearing the all-white uniform many rich Brazilians require their domestic servants to wear — pushing a stroller with their two children.”
Why is there no mention that the son of this maid publicly came out to mention that he could go to college only because his mother had this nanny job? And that his mother mentioned she is glad she can work, even on weekends? Surely there are stark racial contrasts in this photo, but you highlight only this aspect of it. Not the side of the maid herself, the one being portrayed as a victim under your lenses.
Here here! Spot on. Mr. Greenwald is a mouthpiece for the left. He sees right wing conspiracies every where he looks! He probably can’t help it — he obviously grew up with that left wing bias and never grew out of it!
Very shoddy journalism indeed. I don’t know where you hang out Mr. Greenwald, but very very few of the poor, brown skinned people in the city I live in, feel that Dilma and Lula are being unfairly targeted. I think you have spent too much time looking for big bad “rich” evil doers, from your lap top instead of going out into the street and doing genuine journalism.
The PT brought the World Cup and Olympics to Brasil. Two huge sporting events back to back. The people have had their services cut, while the government has spent 50 billion of tax payer money on these events each. The Brasilians were protesting against government waste, service cuts and unmet infrastructure needs to host the World Cup last year. In the meantime the economy has slowed down and they are experiencing the Zika Virus outbreak. When you throw in the number of elected politicians being accused of corruption, the people of Brasil are genuinally angry and have a right to be. Suggesting this is an coup attempt or the protests are simply a product of elites in Brasil or the U.S. ignores the major mistakes made by PT government. The enormous amounts of tax payer money spent on these two sports events alone should make anyone who cares about poor people very angry. Left wing governments can also make mistakes. Brasil tried to do too much in short amount of time, betting that their booming economy would last longer than it did. Tough economic downturns generally turn citizens against whomever is in control at the time. That’s true globally. All governments get credit for the good times and blamed for the bad times. You end up looking hypocritical or paranoid by overlooking PT’s mistakes or ignoring the cyclical nature of politics.
Not all corruption is created equal in Brazil. It is one thing to hide slush money in foreign bank accounts (Cunha) and an altogether different thing to conceive a sophisticated corruption scheme that has siphoned off billions of dollars from state-controlled Petrobras (PT). To equate this as this article is trying to do is to grossly misrepresent key facts. And bear in mind that it is not the first time. The criminal energy of the PT had become apparent in the Mensalao scandal 2003-2005.
On “oligarch-owned” media.: Most (Veja, Folha, Estadao) are struggling and trying to survive. And it is naive to assume that the anti-government protests are sponsored by Globo. Globo was in fact pretty sympathetic to the Lula governments. And reporting anything positive about Dilma’s government is very hard indeed.
By the way, Fox in the U.S. treats Obama much more harshly. Brazilian TV relies on evening news, there are no political talk programs in the main channels and Globo News does not reach a big audience.
This movement is not being ruled by white upper classes, but by regular workers who have been tired of working 4 months of a year to pay taxes, just to find out our money has been evaded to prived bank accounts instead of being reverted to public benefit.
This movement is not after government, but after corruption itself.
This movement is not limited to 10% of our population, and a proof of that is that Lula and Dilma popularity fell to 13% in less than a year.
This movement did not start by Globo, but by isolated groups of people in social networks.
This movement did not start last year, but has been a result of a long process. If you go a little bit farther In history you will find out we had impeachment before, and that time it envolved the opposite side, by then represented by Collor. The reasons were just the same ones we claim now, except for the fact that it envolved smaller numbers.
And, by the way. Lava Jato is not a fake crusade created to crucify leaders of government, but a criminal investigation ruled by our federal investigation police and judged by a career magistrate, who were faced with strong proofs of corruption envolving over 200 politicians from all brazilian parties.
What if Lula had a plan with Castro to remain in power indefinitely through, if necessary, fraudulent elections and populist leaders? What if their ambitious plan was to counter the U.S. with a left leaning Latin America with other Latin American leaders doing the same in their respective countries, imposing decades long left-leaning “democracies” to capitalist countries, doing business and diplomacy exclusively with democratic Russia, human-rights example China and Iran. And, while at that, shunning the U.S. and Europe in the midst of their worst recessions in decades?
Lula and the highest ranking members of his party have been caught, persecuted, arrested since 2005, way before ‘pré-sal’ and decades after the United States’ sponsored coups in Latin America. Dilma is Lula’s plan B, José Dirceu, plan A, is in jail and will stay there. There is a lot of truth in this conspiracy theory when it comes to the U.S. helping Brazilians prosecutors but this article, like many other left leaning ones, is just another attempt to whitewash PT’s staggering incompetence to live up to its megalomaniacal ambitions, not some recent “trumped up charges” by Moro.
If Mr. Greenwald keeps this up, he is going to run low on countries he can live in…
We do not need corrupt politicians ,
we need people who love the country.
(Brazilian people)
Today’s news. Lava Jato now has documents that may implicate all 22 parties and some 288 of the members of congress. Top managers are now negotiating state witness deal.
A bit inconvenient for claim that this is all a right wing plot aimed at PT. The real news is that Lava Jato is going after anybody involved and that is a revolution.
Too bad Judge Moro has classified the documents and Globo TV didn’t announced the names on them. It is becoming clearer by the day that the opposition want to impeach Dilma in order to stop the investigations and save themselves.
Moro classified them as he said it was not yet clear if the typed list were bribes or political donations. There were three sets of documents and Moro showed no signs of letting them gather dust. How exactly impeaching Dilma would save the opposition is something inly conspiracy theorists could say with a straight face. If anything leaving Dilma in place with her justice minister threatening to intervene in Lava Jato would seem to be a much better choice if the right wants to shut the case down
There’s no ‘white’ elite or ‘non-white impoverished masses in Brazil. That’s USA racist characteristics. In Brazil everybody is pretty much the same weather you’re black or white. There’s no BET TV or ‘black’ music or ‘white’ manerisms. Nobody tells you if you dance like black or you speak like black. In Brazil negro is a race & black is a color. If you call somebody black you are being racist & you call someone negro you are being politically correct.
You guys obviously don’t know the whole story and/or have informants who are more compromised with a political group than with putting down corruption no matter which political party is involved in it. Actually, that’s what most people want, including many who believed in the the workers party and its representatives and voted for them in more than one election.
Reportagem claramente tendenciosa e fontes de informação obviamente pro Dilma/pro PT.
Glenn, you’re totally off! I have spent most of my adult life living under the military dictatorship in Brazil and hated every minute of it and everyone who put them in power. We waited years and years for Lula to be elected and now feel deeply and sadly betrayed by him and his Party. There’s no political climate in Brazil for another coup; what is happening right now is a legitimate outcry of the Brazilian people against an ocean of corruption that the actual President Dilma makes all effort to cover up, starting with trying to make ex President Lula a Minister after he so sadly betrayed our people.
I highly respect you as a journalist, Glenn but have to disagree with everything you wrote in this article. Thank you, reader Pinheiro, for a very clear and realistic view of what is really happening here.
Congrats for the article. Since the biggest media corporation in Brazil is compromised with the opposition , there’s no much balance in the news neither impartial view. Also, even the international media shows very few about the other side: people who don’t wanna impeachment. We live in a very complex country and we can’t simplify the situation just saying that there’s a fight between good and evil, right and left wings. There’s no communism in Brazil as some people insist to say. This is insane! There’s corruption everywhere, both sides, but we can’t allow that democratic rights, that we struggled to conquer, be taken from us with the name of impeachment. There’s no doubt. It will be a coup.
Glenn’s currently discussing this story with Amy on Democracy Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/
And here is another more balanced review from one of the running dogs of capitalism, even if there call for Dilama to resign is a bit illogical
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21695391-tarnished-president-should-now-resign-time-go
The CAUSE of the problem in Brazil is the STATE MACHINE (huge size, cost, intervention, interference, inefficiency etc). The ruler government party (PT), a kind of pseudocommunist party, kidnapped the STATE MACHINE in order to perpetuate itself at the Power (for 16 years). It is the same in Cuba, Venezuela, Argentina (Kirchner), Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua etc… all them left or pseudosocialist populists and demagogues trying to take the Power forever. Corruption is just 1 negative consequence of the REAL CAUSE: If you have absolute control of the STATE MACHINE, no doubt you are going to steal (and that is the main reason these populists want to stay at Power forever = Steal forever). Their luck was China and the commodities supercicle started in 2002, that for many years pumped billions into the Brazilian economy. It was an external factor, nothing to do with left or socialist policies. However, when this supercicle ended (2011), the ruler government in Brazil reacted growing (even more) the STATE MACHINE size, interference, intervention etc, at the same time growing the national debt. The grand finale was the present chaos in Brazil, a destroyed economy, with a giant an expensive STATE MACHINE, an uncontrollable debt etc. This chaos was planted and created by the present government (similar to Greece). The President (Dilma) deserves to be constitutionally impeached, not because the chaos, the incompetency, the negligence, the present economical, moral and politic crisis, but because the illegal and illicit acts she committed (Petrobras, Violation of Budget Responsibility Law, World Cup FIFA anti-constitutional exemptions, Nomination of Lula as Minister helping him to escape from prison etc). In brief, President Dilma broke the law… many times. The irony is that the big losers of this tragedy, are the most poor people (electors of the present government). After 14 years, the Public Education in Brazil worsened, all the Public Services Health, Security, Infrastructure etc also worsened. Poor people and poor social classes worsened. It is like Brazil went back 50 years… exactly like Cuba, frozen in the time. As this article, you can distort facts by creating conspiracy stories, trying to blame others, network tv or media groups, nonexistent political tea parties groups, right extremist bla bla bla… however, the final point is that the present government ruled along 14 years, kidnapped the STATE MACHINE at levels never saw in the world history… so, it is ridiculous to blame others, for something that the present government is indubitable guilty. Now they must be constitutionally removed from the Power, and they must be judicially processed. Hope to see all of them at prison ASAP.
Congratulations!!
What a terrible article. The writer obviously has no clue about the basis of Brazilian politics, or why PT has stayed in power for so long. Do you really think the impoverished, uneducated classes of Brazil – which consists of well over half of the population (for even most of the Middle Class does not possess standards of life that provide for good infrastructure, education, security, etc) – has the means to understand the political scandal and the robbery that has been going on for well over a decade? No. They only care about who gives them the most food stamps, and their little basic baskets that will barely get them through the month. There hasn’t been any substantial change made for what you call minorities, even though in Brazil they are actually the majority of the population. They stay stuck in poverty, which is better for PT, so that they will continue to easily buy their loyalty and votes.
That this Impeachment is not really based on legality, is by far the most absurd thing I’ve read all my life. Please take this writer from the Latin American section of your newspaper portal. Lula has invested in the “Aparelhagem” (“infiltration”) of Petrobras during the 8 years of his presidency, carefully placing his bribed PT employees into the company, which directly caused the collapse of one of the biggest and richest companies, of not only Brazil ,but of the world. And then he put his little puppet, Dilma, in power so that he could gather what he for so long cultivated. For hose who do not know the proved fact, Lula is the worst robber in Brazilian history. There are more of 20,000 parasites within the company, and to remove them is nothing but an arduous task. It will be a slow process for recovery of Petrobras. And then you say that PT has no direct effect on the collapse of the Brazilian economy? Please go learn a thing or two before you write. I am not even going to go into what went into the world cup. How much money was deviated from our infrastructure. And if you think Lula had nothing to do with it, then just go visit his team Corinthians’ newly built stadium in Itaquera. A team that for many years was a peace of shit and suddenly after PT’s rise to power has become one of the richest better clubs of Brazil. Guess what has happened to the main competition of Lula’s team… the national clubs in Sao Paulo? Don’t need two neurons to figure that one out.
I agree this is a terrible article and with most of your points, but your argument on the legal basis for impeachment is off. The impeachment motion concerns the breaking of the Fiscal Responsibility Law, rather than corruption at Petrobras. The case in the electoral court will rule on this.
Glenn Greenwald contextualizes what is happening in Brazil, and the forces that are seizing this as an opportunity to try to break BRICS. We have already seen the right wing power play bring Argentina back into the neo-liberal fold, and we have yet to see whether this campaign of dismantling the progressive, anti-neo lliberal forces in Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Ecuador and Bolivia will draw the South American economies back into the hegemonic, neo-colonial fold.
The principles that created BRICS, Mercosur and ALBA need to survive if we are to finally escape the bondage of Reagan-era free-marketeering, and embrace a more multi-polar and equitable world.
Very good work, article is pretty good. In need of some much deserved fact checking, but again, almost to the point
The people who go to the streets against the coup in favor of President Dilma
https://www.facebook.com/osmortadelas/photos/pb.848702668500922.-2207520000.1458674471./962893903748464/?type=3&theater
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that first we learn the NSA was reading President Dilma’s emails and spying on Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company involved in LavaJato. Second, the story on Lava Jato broke, and the Brazilian right is using it as an excuse to go after Dilma and Lula. I mean, the US wouldn’t possibly help the rich Brazilian Right get rid of the left would they? Well, what happened the last time the Brazilian left was in power? Oh yeah, that little Coup supported by the US that remove Jango from power. I’m sure it’s all just a coincidence, though.
An even better example of how to write a balanced report that educates and avoids supporting either side.
https://next.ft.com/content/b3ba4d3a-f02d-11e5-a609-e9f2438ee05b?ftcamp=crm/email//nbe/WorldNews/product
You got to be kidding, when you call Financial Times a form of balanced journalism.
FT has been working for the world’s financial system and the 0.1% since the beginnings of time. FT will never support a form of government which prioritize the people, instead of the capital, as the current embattled Brazilian government has been doing.
Sorry to say that, but FT is just another of many heralds of the wealthy.
Two thoughts. First you don’t seem to have read the article since you haven’t commented on what it said. It didn’t dismiss the PT supporters concerns nor support without reservation the judges. It simply laid out far better both sides of the arguments and noted the importance of impartiality as well commenting on the reforms to the judicial system.
Second, you are not very up on the FT which in spite of its business focus is distinctly left of centre in its editorial position. If you looked at its position in recent issues such as budget welfare cuts you would see that it is in fact in favor of the people on many issues. It is regarded with some suspicion by the right, not like the BBC.
Typo: not unlike the BBC
You said it all! Watching Globo is almost a joke nowadays, they clearly want to create fear and anger. And the sad part is that the middle class don’t get it. They still think that what Globo says is unbiased.
How it works in America? The 3 major channels have independent point of views in political subjects or always work together?
There is some diversity of opinion. Fox is right wing and highly opposed to Obama. MSNBC is the exact opposite. Super pro Obama. ABC is more neutral but generally sympathetic to Obama.
Dear Glenn, Andrew and David. I have to say this is one of the best and most balanced articles I have read about this issue in weeks. The picture you have chosen to go with it could in my opinion not be more unlucky. Please realize that most people will never get to reading your peace, all they will see is a tweet or a facebook share, and in that they will only get the headline and the picture of Dilma. Which I feel is exactly the type of coverage your article is trying to discourage.
Is there a portuguese version of this article???
Yes, there is one. Just browse the name of Glen Greewald and Brasil crisis, and google should bring you some links with this article translation into Porguese.
As pointed by Glen Greenwald the situation in Brazil is more complex than anyone could imagine.
Brazilian’s major TV stations are all controlled by half a dozen conservative families, members of a kind of local plutocracy. During the last four years, the TV stations under control of those families have been deprived from government advertisement funds, for their fierce opposition to the government Worker’s Party (PT). Extremely unhappy with the lack of government funds, all stations engaged in a campaign of defamation against the government, seeking to overthrow it by agitating and steering the anger of the population against the president.
In 2014 Brazilian economy suffered a tremendous blow, caused by the crisis on commodities markets due to the slowdown of China’s economy. When Brazil entered a recession at the end of 2014, the TV station controlling groups did not wasted time and blamed the government for all the economic problems the country was passing. The plutocrats gamble apparently worked. Brazil’s unemployment that was insignificant just a few months ago, suddenly soared and the scared population started protesting against the government economic policies.
On the other hand, Brazil’s judiciary system, which is known for their obscure links to the country economic elite, in an apparent plot with conservative sectors, triggered a series of investigations, alleged to fight corruption. The only problem with those investigations was that they only targeted parties and corporations that supported the government, leaving well known corrupts such as the president of Brazilian congress, Eduardo Cunha, and the former governor of province of Minas Gerais, Aecio Neves, free to continue with their traffic of influence.
Since 2014 the government was unable to improve the economic situation of Brazil. That combined with the fierce propaganda bombardment from the local media, plus a judicial system rigged against the Worker’s party produced a scenario that astonished Brazilians are seeing as we speak. The Democratically elected president of Brazil is about to be overthrow by a coup d’etat perpetrated by far right activist judges supported by a plutocracy owned press.
If anything, I think what Brazil is going thru might be a good study case, and perhaps a lesson to be learned on the perils of judicial activism and media consolidation, here in US.
This is a ridiculously biased matter, President Dilma committed crime of fiscal responsibility and so is suffering impeachment. Note that the biased journalists even cite any article in the Brazilian constitution that was being mocked. Journalists sold to the Brazilian left shame this site.
You are entitled to your opinion, but not to your own facts.
Fact is Dilma did not perpetrated any crime, and and impeachment at this point characterizes a coup d’etat.
I challenge you to mention which article of Brazilian law Dilma has broken.
If you are referring to the so called “pedaladas fiscais”. It is a normal procedure that all presidents before her have done. e.g. FHC, Itamar, Collor, Sarney, etc…Also, the governors of all Brazilian states do it frequently.
You are both wrong. She certainly downplayed/ hid the true fiscal and economic situation in the run up to the election. Whether that is illegal is what the impeachment is all about. In most countries it probably wouldn’t be unless she could be proven to have lied or deceived in certain official ways (reporting to Congress in a formal way for example).
Is impeachment a coup? No, otherwise impeachment wouldn’t be allowed. Note that impeachment will only happen if PT’s coalition partner agrees so it is a bit of stretch to say this is a right wing coup.
Greenwald and his partner seem to assume that he is the only journalist living in Brazil and the only crusader capable of discerning facts.
Here is a more balanced update from a paper very much anti-coup
https://next.ft.com/content/dcf30746-eeb6-11e5-a609-e9f2438ee05b?ftcamp=crm/email//nbe/WorldNews/product
Several things leap out of it. First that the Justice minister is now openly threatening to remove entire police teams from Lava Jato. Note that he says he went need proof to intervene just the barest hint of a leak. Replay that in the US or Europe and see how people would react. It is astounding that Justice could threaten to overrule the constitutional independence of the police and judiciary. Perhaps only Nixon has done that and even he did that in private.
As for why this is a popular movement rather than one of the elite – again, the elite is actually all for ending Lava Jato and impeachment for obvious reasons of self preservation. Simple. In 14 years PT (and PMDB) has had a series of scandals that are far larger and more orchestrated than the generalized corruption that ran before (Collor was a personal enterprise for example. BTW he going down again which is a bit inconvenient for the PT apologists). The major ones are Bancoop, 2006 election scandal, mensalao, bingo, and Lava Jato. The numbers are also huge. And those are just the big ones. Add in the host of soft corruption via BNDES, Banobras, and other state entities and it is hardly surprising that in a vicious recession people are angry.
A bonus thought. Much is made about the reduction in poverty in Brazil. Beyond Ao Bolsa there is in fact little that can really be put down to government policy. Most of the lift came from the boom just as it did in several LA countries, Peru being a classic example. That is why that achievement is being quickly unwound as conditions worsen. Lurking out there is much worse: a classic austerity correction of a bloated public sector which will produce a lot of unemployment. People are not so ignorant as to be unable to work that out. You dont need a soft coup to explain 68% in favor of removing Dilma.
That was a lot of garbage. A popular movement? Is that why way more people came out in support of Dilma and Democracy than in protest of the government? Seriously? Please. You think the corruption in Brazil is just on the left (well, all the big ones as you say)? Again, garbage. Corruption has been an institutional norm the entire history of Brazil. A history dominated by the right. The coup was the greatest act of corruption in the history of Brazil, and it was perpetrated by the right. Even your bonus thought is garbage. No mention of Zero Fome, and it stopping the long term problem of the poor dying from hungar? No mention of all the educational opportunities PT brought to the poor people that never had them before? You might want to get out of your little comfort zone and talk to some people in poor communities. People I’ve worked with for years who are now able to learn skills and get job training that was never available to them before. I’ll be the first to admit there is corruption in PT. But any honest person with half a clue will freely admit that PT has done more for the poor in Brazil than any other party in the history of the country.
The figures were 3.5MM against Dilma and Lula, just a tad more than 1MM….And while the press can influence it doesn’t create 70% disapproval all by itself.
As for corruption being endemic across the spectrum indeed it is and no one denies that. PT and PMDB took it to new heights in the amounts and organized scope. (Nothing close to this has been suggested for Cardoso for example.) Lava Jato is bringing down oligarchs across the spectrum. The fact that corruption existed before isn’t a reason to denigrate the current investigation if the scandal. Indeed any rational Brazilian would be proud that his/her country’s investigation is an example to not just LA but much of the world on how you can reform and you can create accountability in spite of oligarchies.
Brazil does indeed have a ling history if corruption and coups. That however is no excuse for whitewashing PT and Lula. If you dont address the obvious how do you expect to stop it. Rule of law is perhaps the most important thing you can give the poor. Lack of it perpetuates exploitation and abuse.
And before you get too teary eyed about PT and poverty take a look at the enormous amount of money handed out by BNDES and other state institutions to the elite. The sum dwarfs the amount spent indirectly and directly on the poor. Sugar plantations were encouraged with little regard to the appalling worker conditions, jungle and indigenous settlements were torn up for big business. Nothing new but hardly the work of the friend of the poor. PT/PMBD squandered the biggest boom Brazil has known so that now the poor are suffering dramatic reversals and will bear the brunt of the “corrective” austerity.
Anyway, Zero Fome, Ao Bolsa, some education reform don’t entitle PT, Lula or anyone else to a get out of jail free card. “Here is how it is in Brazil: if a poor man steals he goes to jail, if a rich man steals he is a made a minister” Lula 1988. You were saying….?
Your first sentence was so off base, I couldn’t even continue. The dishonesty is amazing. Breathtaking really.
The police and all sources except Datafolha put the figure at 3.5 MM and 70% came from Datafolha. If you have trouble with that I suggest you get professional help.
Update on figures. Police put the anti-corruption demos at over 3MM (I stand corrected). They put the March 19 demos at 267,000 while PT insisted it was 1.2MM. Either way it was way less.
Unfortunately there’s a big fat lie in the article that can easily be dismissed. Paulo Maluf, one of the most corrupt politician of all times in Brazil, is pro-Dilma, and not against the impeachment as described in the article.
O artigo diz que Paulo Maluf faz parte da comissão do impeachment e não indica a posição dele quanto a aprovação ou não do processo ou se ele é favor de Dilma.
“… democratically elected left-wing governments have been repeatedly removed by non-democratic, extra-legal means”
What do you know about Brazilian elections? It wasn’t a democratic election since the government never allowed people to see the counting of votes. People even trust in Brazilian election system which uses electronic voting machines – very easily to be manipulated.
Besides that since we are a democratic country, the president was elected democratically and now people are not satisfied about her job, even worst, the court can prove her participation in crimes of corruption and money laundering, we have the right of ask for impeachment. That’s democracy, people elect a president, people inspects her job and people ask for impeachment if the president are involved in crimes.
David Zirin expands on the above article on The Nation:
Do read the whole thing.
yet more attempts to conjure up conspiracy theory and deflect attention. You and Zirin either don’t know, or hope readers don’t, that PMDB – the “centrists” – are the coalition partners of PT since 2002. LOL! So much for the right wing soft coup. Probably part of the reason for the Zirin story is that PT is lashing out at perceived enemies which now include PDMB after it has started to distance itself from Dilma and hinted it will leave the cabinet. PDMB will probably be unable to save itself regardless.
The reason for the focus on Lava Jato is simple: they have the smoking gun, a ton of evidence and have been able to widen the net dramatically as they get more. The Olympics has none of this and is anyway much smaller. Surprised you dont mention the World Cup which is commonly assumed to have involved a lot of bribes but perhaps Dilma’s incompetence is too much on show – she personally insisted on the most expensive fiascos such as the Manaus stadium. A cynical and possibly unfair spin would be that more stadiums meant more contracts which meant more rakeoff (certainly the norm in most of LA and indeed much if EM – when the municipality suddenly renames a bunch of streets and replaces the road signs the usual supposition is that it needed a contract to steal from).
And of course the silliest point about Zirin is that PDMB, a coalition partner is up to its neck in Lava Jato and very much under fire.
This article isn’t telling all the truth. They aren’t commenting about Dilma Rousseff and workers party presidential campaign. All the lies they told about the other candidates, and money that they illegally got from big companies. I don’t think that Dilma was elect in a democrat way at all.
And there we go folks. This is what you get when propaganda is spoon fed day after day and swallowed hook line and sinker. If you get rid of Dilma, who will take over? Someone corrupt. Cunha and Aecio and all the others are just as corrupt, or worse. The difference is that when the wealthy families that have always ruled Brazil benefit from corruption, it remains silent. It’s never reported by Globo or Veja. But when corruption is not supported by the wealthy families, then it becomes a problem. There is a remarkable lack of honesty in Brazil for what the problems really are. Nobody is talking about how the country fails millions by forcing them to live in favelas, many without water, sanitation, or sewer services. Nobody (except those affected by it) is talking about the rampant inequality between white and black, rich and poor. If you can’t be honest about the problems, how can you expect to solve them?
Well, Mr Geenwald is the typical left leaning intellectual columnist who favours the current government to stay, irrespective of the crimes they are being investigated for and to diminish the protests as just white wealthy who feel their current way of life is under threat. I suppose he needs to make a living, keeping his kids in the best schools here or abroad is costly you know.
Not all investigators and prosecutors are corrupt in Brasil and wrong to use them as an excuse for the plutocrats and their supporters, media channels etc to get rid of a left wing government. When most of the politicians and news are corrupt and bias you have at least a legal system that is trying to nail just some of the criminals, it cant be easy. Also, the cynical move by the PT party to shield Lula from prosecution by making him a minister could be perceived as an attempted coup to get into power after Dilma’s impeachment or resignation then his possible bid for the top seat…and deserved a similar response. I think forgivable in the light of the this truly massive corruption scandal, it’s not wrong for people to take sides and this government is not democratic.
The funds used for their last election campaign were stolen from Petrobras and other companies and institutions which allowed them to have a much bigger political machine out there canvassing for votes, also the coalition parties involved in the government gave them much greater media access than any other, albeit insipid, contending parties in the last election, which most countries observers would have regarded as at least, suspicious.
This party, used to stealing money from various sources, which was first discovered 8 months after Lula came to power with bikes messengers, cars, etc in Rio filled with cash on their way to PT headquarters with only limp comment from Lula saying he was he was unaware and that he was betrayed. Then to now with continued support from their corporate sponsors involved in this corruption. I don’t call this democracy it looks like old left wing socialist party high fiving with Maduro in Venezuela, lying and deceiving the masses doing anything to hold onto power, profoundly mismanaging the economy and calling this investigation of the PT Don, anti-democratic.
Who to replace the government and all the criminals wealthy and the new wealthy, well that is the rub…what ever it is or could be is better than what has be running and controlling the country for the last 14 years and 100 years.
This time should be seen as an opportunity for Brasil the throw of the shackles and march forward…not using old cliches to hammer a point home.
Yeah, it couldn’t have anything to do with the rich oligarch families having to cede power to a man chosen by the people instead of themselves. It couldn’t be that. Look, people on both sides want Brazil to improve. It’s just that on the left improvements are seen as empowering the people, and on the right it’s empowering the rich. As to Dilma shielding Lula being a coup, what a joke that is. Lula isn’t shielded from prosecution. It’s just that the prosecution has to come from the Supreme Court. Big difference and using the word “coup” to describe it is blatantly dishonest. Which goes back to my point about not being honest about the problems. And when you throw around accusations like Lula stealing money from companies without any documentation or proof other than propaganda from the right, you look like you’re supporting the continuation of the problems. Facts matter.
Facts do indeed matter. In the case of the properties the investigators reported that the beach property was decorated and furnished according to the instructions of his wife. They spent 112 days there last year. They clearly weren’t simply occasional houseguests. The charge isn’t that he stole from the company: it’s that he received an illegal payment and hid it – bribing and money laundering. This isn’t propaganda: it’s in the indictment. He has yet to be tried so he might be able to prove innocence but this would be enough to pass muster at a grand jury in the US (i.e. to allow a trial). BTW is found guilty that would seem to put Lula in your bucket of empowering the rich….
This is a ridiculously biased matter, President Dilma committed crime of fiscal responsibility and so is suffering impeachment. Note that the biased journalists even cite any article in the Brazilian constitution that was being mocked. Journalists sold to the Brazilian left shame this site.
While the general background of Brazil’s current political maelstrom is fairly well laid-out, the substance is disappointingly slanted and heavy with charged language, and the authors’ voices or agendas only muddied the picture for readers.
There are no saints in Brazilian politics (or in politics anywhere, really), and this story states as much. However, the authors went out of their way to demonize one of the “sides” of the equation and perpetuate the sad, soccer rivalry-esque “us v. them” we seem to have inherited from American politics.
Brazil needs the help of Interpol for combating political corruption… this is truth..
You sell Brazil short. The reforms of the last 20 years have created a strong independent judiciary that has been able to pursue Lava Jato in spite of huge institutional opposition across the political and business spectrum. What the Greenwald and co dont tell readers is that the “elite” is actually anti-impeachment and would like Lava Jato to be wound down – for obvious reasons. And it’s not just Lava Jato. The system prosecuted previous political scandals fairly well also, hampered by political quasi immunity (the Supreme Court is not well equipped to run these investigations).
Interpol, the FBI, the Swiss and others are helping by coughing up details of secret accounts and handing over suspects. Again Greenwald simply ignores the extent of the investigation which makes cries of coup and fascism simply not credible. Because PT has been in power for 14 years and when Brazil had such a huge boom, it is inevitable that it and its political allies are front and centre of the scandal – they had best access to the honey pot.
Greenwald plays loose with “facts” – a million protestors vs 3.5MM according to the police and nearly every report. Economic “reform” which has in fact been largely handouts. Indeed it is the very fact that PT failed to use the boom to reform and build economic management that has made the current recession so bad. He is silent in the fact that the largest agencies of spending such as BNDES (state development bank) poured money into the economy but almost exclusively to big companies aka the elite – JBS for example funded its huge international spending spree with BNDES loans that were conveniently “renegotiated” on soft terms when the company teetered on insolvency.
Ordem e Progreso is actually starting to mean something rather than being a joke
What kind of fantasy world do you live in? You sound like someone who lives in a gated compound with little contact with the outside world. “The reforms of the last 20 years have created a strong independent judiciary that has been able to pursue Lava Jato in spite of huge institutional opposition across the political and business spectrum.” I almost died laughing when I read that.
You should read up on judicial reform in Brazil. I was surprised. It’s quite well documented and commented on. Lula initially was gave the reforms a big push forward until he got singed with Mensalao and dropped it like a hit brick. You only have to compare Lava Jato with big political corruption cases across LA to see the difference. Brazils not perfect but it is pretty impressive given the level of institutional dysfunctionalism that exists in so much else.
Hmm. Coming up with more than hyperbole is challenging for you ….
This article contains outright inaccuracies, the speculation that Judge Moro released the tapes without due process is outright wrong. It the Judge’s ample prerogative as he is in charge of the trial to do so, and given the circumstances in which there was previous ample evidence that an ex Executive of the Republic who was legally under surveillance was scheming to put the Public Prosecution Office and the Federal Police “under the leash” once obtaining a public office to make it public. How about concealing Nixon vs The Washington Post? Secondly, the street protests are not about only taking PT out of power they are about taking PT and every corrupt official and their party out of power! I guess the big difference between pragmatic and dogmatic folks is that dogmatic folks protest against corruption independently of the party, whereas dogmatic folks favor a party despite the corruption, make no mistake carwash none of the 3 big street protests is embracing any official opposition political group and the carwash investigation will clean up opposition parties too, wait and see. Finally the picture that you show of a family with her nanny heading to a protest, it is this article who is being prejudice. You are stereotyping a worker who makes a living taking care of children, who is earning her salary, gets paid accordingly to the law, makes an honest living, and is dressed with her proper work attire. She is not part of the family, she is a registered worker. She is not a colonial slave, shame on you for the stereotype!
Glenn,
Please stop with the false left wing/right wing dichotomy.
They are both authoritarian/pro government factions.
Neither faction supports liberty.
Its not because all media is saying the same that it becomes an anti democratic coup. Have you considered the possibility that everyone is saying the same because it is true? I wish you were brazilian so you could see reality for what it is instead of dreaming about plutocrat conspiracies. In a pool conducted by Folha (that is traditionally a government supporter) 68% of the whole population wants Dilma to resign or be impeached and more than that wants Lula to face his criminal charges without escaping to hide in government- thats how Brazil thinks and feels. If you care to be less superficial in your analysis you will also notice there is a massive movement of millions against corruption (not against PT!) That will continue to have the thieves exposed and judged regardless of party or political orientation. It is a time of cleaning the garbage and not of picking sides anymore. Please, wake up my friend.
1. One of the three writers on this piece is a native Brazilian, 2. the authors state very clearly that Lula and Dilma have engaged in corruption, 3. the authors are not writing about a “conspiracy,” rather they are detailing the reality of Brazil’s oligarchical major media, and 4. The piece is not “superficial,” rather, it looks behind appearances to examine agendas other than opposition to corruption.
For the benefit of new readers: Mona is the former law partner of Greenwald – and it’s clear that Greenwald (and company) also has an agenda.
https://theintercept.com/2016/03/18/brazil-is-engulfed-by-ruling-class-corruption-and-a-dangerous-subversion-of-democracy/?comments=1#comment-212423
This article is heavily biased and inaccurate. Several omissions to important facts have been made, such as the broad support Lula received from mainstream media in Brazil (including Globo) during his first term, until the emergence in 2005 of the “mensalão” vote buying in congress scandal masterminded by PT. This weekend, independent polls showed that close to 70% of brazil’s population is in favor of the impeachment of the president. Therefore, the statement made by Glenn that only rich “whites” are pushing dilma’d ouster is completely baseless. Facts and hard evidence should base good joutnalism, and this article lacks them all…..
Facts like there being more people taking to the streets in support of democracy than those doing so to call for Dilma’s removal? Those facts and hard evidence?
Thank you so much for this. Although I have lived in Brazil for 17 years, and I follow events closely I have been struggling to explain this to my friends & colleagues in the UK.
“Recall the key role Fox News played in promoting and encouraging attendance at the early Tea Party protests.” Seems that a better analogy would be the lame-stream media worship of the Occupy and BLM farces.
Most amusing.
“In a democracy, governments are chosen by voting, not by displays of street opposition — particularly where, as in Brazil, the protests are drawn from a relatively narrow societal segment.”
I don’t agree with the first clause. Democracy simply means “rule of the people”. It doesn’t mean “rule of the people by voting”. If democracy happens in the streets as opposed to the ballot boxes, then that is as good a place as any.
Disclaimer: I am in no way endorsing the right-wing protesters in Brazil with this statement. I just take exception to the idea that democracy can only legitimately take place through voting rituals.
Just saw this on the net… tried to verify the author but her fbk was deleted (?!) but sounds a good reason for those who knows who…
”To those people overseas who are wondering and really interested in understanding the current conundrum happening right now in Brazil. Please only read this article at your own personal guidance & time (5 A4 pages) and brace yourself for the following facts bellow for what you are about to read is not, let’s say, very easy to digest:
The citizens of the world need to be highly aware of what’s taking place and underlying Brazil’s current political & psychosocial chaos and the core gut level feelings which the Brazilian nation as a whole collective consciousness are going thru right now…. all of us are flipping scared…. both right-wing & left-wing as well the Pilate’s type of ‘neutral’ people… know you the silence of the confused ‘innocents’? Yeap, that type of silence… except that at this stage and hour in Brazil, whomsoever shuts up about the outrageous situation alleging they are acting like that for neutrality sakes are running the risk of creating the same kind of cowardice karma of the soul known in the bible as Pontius Pilate. As a way of beginning my article, let’s now move forward onto undeniable and largely recorded facts.
The Brazilian Spring brought abt by the extreme right-wing is not under anyone’s control any longer, not even by their culprits. Bloodshed violence during street riots are a reality and deep friendship and family ties are being destroyed by and under some sort of maleficent spell. We are talking about blatant disunion and segregation among people who once deeply loved one another.
Fascists mobs (pro-impeachment folks wearing Brazilian soccer T-shirt or Mussolini’s black uniform) are smashing up streets and people’s faces – their own; any left-wing supporter or anyone who ‘dares’ to wear a red t-shirt, doesn’t matter if it simply has a red flower pattern on it or even if the backpack happens to be red. Fanaticism at its worse.
Brazil has about 1 month’s time of sheer battle ahead. Right-wing is desperate to impeach Dilma as soon as possible because of:
1- Pressure from Washington & 7 Sisters to get hold of our pre-salt. The minute they do, mark my words – the petroleum barrel will rise again. Never forget that what is happening in Brazil is related to the current geopolitical petroleum war which include BRICS;
2- Media moguls here need urgently the right-wing taking office again because their companies are going broke and they need Federal Gov to spend millions in governmental advertising, like during the 21 years Dictatorship era and PSDB FHC Gov era.
On the other hand, we from the ideological left-wing point of view are scared about:
1) Famine shadowing the poor again so wealth distribution will be at risk of being lowered to a point that the middle-class (me btw…can’t condone the egoic selfish neoliberal mentality of my own class system) and companies will be able to go back into exploiting the poor by slavery medieval type of salary. Never forget that Lula from PT, our Labour Worker’s Party, basically zeroed child labor slavery rate & infant mortality rate along with making absolutely sure that the once financially vulnerable children of the recent past were able to graduate with an academical diploma thus being entitled to enter into a professional career earning decent and dignified wages for their own livelihood.
Now, just imagine how happy our benevolent (NOT) companies and average neoliberal middle-class folks are thrilled about it. Neoliberal society got simply furious with Lula as along with all these measures to protect the poor against their exploitation, Lula also upgraded worker’s rights bills as Dilma herself carries on implementing it.
2) Lula passed a bill back in early 2000’s that all of our pre-salt revenue should be distributed equally between all states with the legal statutory financial obligation in which 25% of pre-salt royalties received by each state must go into the public educational & health sectors.
Now, the corruption big sharks of this country got highly pissed off about it all as PT Gov has established a “transparency bill” re finances…. thus securing that not 1 single cent of our pre-salt revenue could be channeled into illegal offshore accounts behind the veils along with giving for THE FIRST TIME IN BRAZIL HISTORY the 100% green lights for the FEDs to earnestly start to investigate and punish corruption. Before it wasn’t like that ever. FHC Gov folks, the previous administration before Lula took office, were sickly and freely stealing the nation’s money like you have no idea and have indeed privatized some of our main public sector’s companies. We talking about really big corruption scheme… and guess which country has got hold of major shares under this scheme? Yeap, United States of Darling America…. can you guys understand now why it is very crucial that Bernie takes office? Utopia?? Human beings are at least still allowed to dream big as far as I am concerned.
FHC & Bill Clinton had a real BLA$T together… make no mistake, I like Obama and the Clinton’s quite a lot as they are only merely the CEO of their bosses and I absolutely abhor the Republican party and guys like Trump. If I was an American citizen I would definitely support the Democrats as I am a humanitarian first and foremost. Also as a dual Brazilian/Australian citizen, guys like Tony Abbot saddens my heart. I once lived in South Africa, I arrived landed there in 95, got married, birthed my children in Johannesburg and let me share something – I loved and admired Mandela 100% to bits, there wasn’t any foreign person happier than me about the end of Apartheid era however I am no fool to had any illusions that the guys who took office along with Mr. Mandela – may the divine Creator of Creation continues blessing his soul on the highest celestial spheres – did many corrupt deals.
Having digressed but coming back to my point, can you guys start grasping the desperation of the 7 Sisters and our big sharks here to overthrow Dilma and put Lula into jail??? This battle has now reached its apsis… Right-wing Media Oligarchy Moguls have successfully manipulated half of the nation into believing that a White Coup is the best thing to “save the country” thus any left-wing politician or its supporters are viewed now as a “national threat” to this Land. In other words, we are “fair game”, much the same way along the lines of Dr. Goebbels Nazi propaganda. When you think about our media moguls here, think the same type of extreme right-wing consciousness which supports human-rights abuses of administrations like Benjamin Netanyahu’s towards peaceful Palestinians human beings.
Coming back to the Brazilian outrageous chaos, it’s now common knowledge that along with the dirty work from First Instance Court Judge Sergio Moro, Operation Car Wash key guy, who is currently breaking all legal and constitutional laws persecuting Lula & Dilma in order to bring abt an impeachment and lock Lula into jail. The Attorney General Mr. Janot is involved in this House of Card’s coup plot as at least another 2 of ours Federal Supreme Court Judges are named Minister Gilmar Mendes (a btw self-assumed strong PSDB supporter and political key ally at our supreme court) and Minister Celso de Mello. These guys are kind of openly supporting the bending of juridical and constitutional bills recently impetrated by Moro, who is desperately helping to bring about a white coup, by turning a blind eye to what’s happening (whereas Celso de Mello is concerned) and Gimar Mendes who abused his position (yet again) by cancelling out Lula’s appointment at Gov while offering a highly political bias justification for doing that. This happened last night while Lula was giving a speech to his supporters.
And I kid you not…just for you guys to have an idea, few days ago judge Moro illegally tapped our President Dilma’s official cabinet phone while she was talking to Lula abt his new Civil Cabinet Ministry appointment…
(as little long aside – taking into account the fact that Judge Moro is openly playing dirty to lock Lula in jail asap, if Lula enters into Gov administration again the only court instance legally able to carry on this pathetically made up investigation against him is our Federal Supreme Court composed by 11 judges therefore a mere first instance court judge like Moro cannot biasedly lock him up with any cheap unproved excused as easy as he desires to do so. Dilma, not being a natural born charismatic politician has lost the grip over the current political madness, so Lula, who reluctantly accepted the appointment after so much begging of the left-wing supporters, will be able to assist Dilma in dealing with the havoc our congress currently find itself under. Having said all that, let me share that Dilma is a 100% upright Lady with a major capital L, who was imprisoned and madly tortured during our Dictatorship era because she was fighting for democracy system to be reestablished and upon her release, this brave soul, honest and most wonderful Lady, instead of curling up hiding underneath her bed, went from strength to strength and became Lula’s right-hand key person during his administration for 8 straight years)
… and sent the audio file to Globo Media Organization after a few hours to be broadcasted on their TV News edition… therefore Judge Moro committed a crime against National Security Bill # 7.170/83.
Moro, (as another aside -who mostly wears black like Mussolini and is egoically inspired into copycat Mani Pulite also know as Italy’s “Operation Clean Hands” which resulted in a guy like Berlusconi to take office and the rest is history) felt 100% OK to do that only because he knows he will be legally shield by his mates at Federal Supreme Court and by our own Attorney General PLUS our Media Oligarchy moguls communication machine who has made 100% sure half of the population is absolutely hypnotized into believing that any judge committing a National Security crime has absolutely acted perfectly OK by breaking the law as, after all guys… “any means justifies the so desired end”…. or so the neofascists fanatical hypnotized folks here truly not only wholeheartedly believes it so, swear by it but are currently smashing up to pulp anyone who might happens think a little differently…
Every single major independent journalist of this nation are being financially sued by the media oligarchy moguls who are legally backed up by biased right-wing judges who are sentencing independent honest journalists who now only write thru their own personal blogs into paying absurd penalty fee$ in order to shut them up… now get this: their phones and emails are currently being hacked by the FEDs. Know in your hearts that these guys are real HEROES of this nation too for they refuse to be intimidated and they won’t shut up under any circumstances. Also, any lawyer here who is known to support Dilma and Lula are being hacked too resulting in their confidential conversations with clients being no longer private. Yeap guys, we have reached this abhorrent stage…
Please note that the Catholic Church which have openly supported the implementation of our coup d’état back in 64 which resulted in 21 of dictatorship regime under which many left-wing people were tortured (Dilma, for instance) and lives were lost inside military medieval dungeons. Few days ago, Pope Francis chastised a Brazilian Bishop called Dom Darci José Nicioli who during Mass was inciting his audience to kill Lula by their own hands, I kid you not. May God continue blessing and protecting Pope Francis who is a 100% upright guy who has also bravely lived thru Argentina’s dictatorship darkness era along with Brazil… so Pope Francis knows exactly the current danger Brazil is going thru again.
Also bear in mind that the right-wing media moguls of this country are basically comprised by few families in which the key guys to watch out are Globo, Abril, Folha e Estadão. These guys supported Jango coup d’état back in 64 and are supporting the coup right now to uproot PT from Gov.
FIESP – São Paulo Industrial Federation – not only supported but financed Jango’s coup (and are supporting this attempt at Dilma’s white coup as I type) much the very same way President Kennedy did it and Kennedy did it due to US greediness to get hold of Petrobras, our national company responsible for the extraction and distribution of our petroleum.
These old group of pals are doing the exactly very same thing right now, same intention, same goals, same everything, period no commas allowed on this paragraph.
Bearing now all of the above in mind, please also note that our pre-salt natural reserves are estimated at about R$20 trillion. The stakes are literally BLOODY high.
In a nutshell this is Brazil’s conundrum”
Hold the presses! Dave Spart has been found alive and well in deepest darkest Brazil!
The LA Times reported in 2013 on the Brazilian media, coverage that strongly supports the reporting here at The Intercept about that same media establishment:
Rest here.
The LA Times has some credibility because they are “objective” – but you are linking to the story because it supports Greenwald’s argument (not because you realize objectivity is important). Greenwald is highly critical of the Brazilian media which practices what he preaches – adversarial journalism (which is obviously politically-motivated). The irony is clearly Greenwald thinks this is unfair and undemocratic (Greenwald even has his own oligarch).
If the shoe was on the other foot and a right wing government was under attack from a left wing press, Greenwald would be attacking the government as corrupt. He would be supporting the media because Greenwald is first and foremost a leftist (not a journalist). Adversarial journalism is just a vehicle Greenwald uses to press a far left agenda – mostly anti-American. As soon as someone else uses the same method, it’s undemocratic (dangerously so). If he could show that the right wing media in Brazil was lying, that would be entirely different. But Greenwald actually agrees that the Workers Party is corrupt. In my opinion, Greenwald, in many ways, shows a disdain for journalism. He hides behind the label journalist to promote an ideological agenda.
In this article, despite the obvious corruption in the current government, Greenwald objects to Brazil’s media which promotes a politically-motivated, one-sided coverage of the government obviously because they are opposed to that government. This is exactly what the intercept has been doing since its inception – and what he openly supports – adversarial journalism. In reality, this article has nothing to do with “journalism” and everything to do with supporting the current corrupt government in power (because Greenwald opposes the alternative) – something Greenwald (amusingly) denies in the article.
Partially true, except the bit about why the LAT has “some credibility.” They have an agenda and biases as all journalists do, but often nevertheless get the facts right — and can be egregiously and harmfully wrong when the facts conflict with that agenda.
You are , however, entirely correct that I linked to the story because it reflects the same facts recited in Glenn, Andrew and David’s article. You are further correct that I do not link the piece “because I realize objectivity is important.”
But that is not the case, and whataboutery, snarling at Glenn etc., do not deflect from the facts about the Brazilian media.
(Offered for the benefit of new readers.)
Picking a point or two from my post does not constitute a rebuttal, Mona – or that Greenwald is a leftist with a leftist agenda. Jose probably summed it up best with this superbly honest and correct statement:
“…..If you’re only adversarial when you’re defending your own interests, that’s not really being adversarial on principle…..”
That sums up Greenwald perfectly. He is NOT adversarial on principle – but agenda. After all, it is only when the current Brazil President is threatened with impeachment and Da Silva was given protection by the corrupt government that Greenwald even bothered with the story. This article was written to protect the Workers Party; to hypocritically criticize the media for “adversarial journalism”; and to criticize the street protests as simply rich white people with Hispanic maids and pure bred dogs (class driven).
This was an extremely revealing article – about Greenwald. You cannot rebut the truth, Mona.
(Offered for the benefit of new readers.)
https://theintercept.com/2016/03/18/brazil-is-engulfed-by-ruling-class-corruption-and-a-dangerous-subversion-of-democracy/?comments=1#comment-212423
Great reporting, as always. If you are reading this David,Andrew, and Glenn, tell me, how do you manage to report so much corruption, so much lies’ and madness around the world without getting depressed?
Too many comments to read them all. So I’m just going to say what I have to say :
1/ You’re stating the corruption scandal is much more complex than what’s depicted in the mainstream press. I want to believe you, but you’d make it easier for me if you at least detailed that complexity a little : your angle is purely party-political…
2/ Is this scandal in any way related to the NSA’s hacking of PetroBras revealed last year ?
3/ If I’m not mistaken, the Brazilian AG is totally independent from the government. Is there any reason to believe it has, at least in part, be subdued by “a foreign power” to orchestrate this political scandal ?
4/ “In a democracy, governments are chosen by voting, not by displays of street opposition — particularly where, as in Brazil, the protests are drawn from a relatively narrow societal segment.”
In Western Europe, this is usually a right-wing argument…
5/ The Brazilian people directly elect their president. So, it would seem logical that they alone should be able to remove him/her, as is the case in Venezuela, through a ‘referendum revocatorio’. Does the Brazilian Constitution say anything about this possibility ? And, if it’s possible, wouldn’t that be a better option for Roussef than simply awaiting the Congress’ verdict ?
6/ What could have motivated a majority of said (left-leaning) Congress to initiate this very far-reaching new “anti-terrorism” law ? The reason laid out in the article is of course pure BS. So, are the upcoming Olympic games an alternative explanation (= to avoid the same kind of protests that erupted during the World Cup), or is there something else ? Obviously, there’s no direct IS-threat in Brazil at the moment, is there ?
7/ Has the army expressed its standpoint on the corruption scandal ? Is it divided, and could an extremist phalanx take advantage of the situation ? if so, would the people accept it ? The article you’re referring to is talking about a few hundred pro-military demonstrators in Brasilia…
If any of you has the time, I’d appreciate an answer, since the MSM is not likely to give it to me…
Thank you for helping some of us in the US get some perspective of what is really happening to Brazil’s citizens. As a cornfed, oblivious highschool graduate, I passed through Brazil in the seventies. I was horrified by the poverty exisisting beside extreme wealth- this was before “trickle down Reaganomics” brought the vision of the homeless on heating grates in our own country, and later, champaign sipping leeches viewing occupy wall street proters marching below their balcony…..May there please be an end to greed in every country!
Very poor analysis. These leftist people think that the means justifies the ends. So, in order to maintain a sovereignty of Brazil, do you think the government can steal huge amounts of money? By the way, you should know that the corruption is largely supported by the biggest construction companies, Petrobras and others that, I’m shamed in having to mention the obvious fact, are the represented by the elites. These left-wing point of view is, as usual, superficial and always tries to put poors against rich people. The last, were carefully selected by PT to support their corruption scheme, giving to the poors very little and saving a lot for themselves. I try to read these articles to understand something I’m not getting, but once again I think the stupidity of these arguments were reinforced.
To new readers: To skip to some of the more intelligent discussion this article inspired, skip below to this comment by one of the authors, Glenn Greenwald, and keep reading down.
Which just happens to include a comment by you Mona. You are so funny – but an authoritarian at heart.
Not just that sub-thread. I mean Glenn’s initial comment and below. Much commentary by diverse Brazilians is lower in the thread; roughly the best is below that Glenn comment.
But please also see this Hank Green 10-minute video explaining the political situation in Brazil. Glenn Greenwald recommended it on Twitter.
Here is some interesting information about Dilma Rousseff. Not only did she sit on the board of Petrobras when the bribery and corruption took place involving the oil giant (during the tenure of da Silva), but she has supported the construction of a series of hydroelectric dams opposed by native people, Greenpeace and human rights organizations. In addition workers went on strike for low wages and long working hours (Wikipedia):
“…….Rousseff’s presidency has seen a concerted push to complete a number of hydroelectric dam projects in the Amazon River Basin, despite appeals from residents of areas that would be flooded, drained or otherwise adversely affected, including indigenous tribes, and pressure from both domestic and international groups to abandon such projects. Opposition to the dam projects, especially the Belo Monte Dam project, is driven by environmental, economic and human rights concerns, the latter concerning both the people to be displaced by the projects and the workers brought in from other parts of Brazil to build the dams. Xingu (Kayapo) Chief Raoni Metuktire, along with members of other tribes that will be affected by hydroelectric dam projects proposed or already under construction;[138] NGOs based both in Brazil[139] and internationally, including Greenpeace,[140]Amazon Watch[141] and International Rivers;[142] and international celebrities including director James Cameron, actress Sigourney Weaver, and musician Sting[143] are all calling for the Amazon Basin hydroelectric projects to be halted…..”
“……….Working conditions for laborers involved in these projects (which Rousseff has insisted should continue, and even be accelerated, with some sites seeing multiple work shifts so that construction can continue more than twenty hours per day) are harsh, while pay is low despite high cost of living at the remote construction sites. This has led to strikes and other worker actions at the sites of several hydroelectric projects. In spring of 2012, 17,000 workers at the Jirau Dam site went on strike for over three weeks, and later some began setting fire to dam structures and looting company stores, and even destroying some worker housing. Military troops were eventually deployed to quell the rioting and end the labor strike.[144]…………”
Of course this might a part of the plutocratic media’s misinformation campaign, but she seems to be closer to Hillary Clinton than a typical left winger. Worker’s Party or the Petrobras Party? Why does the right vehemently oppose her?
According to Mona:
“…..Alert to readers: Greenwald has never argued that “objectivity” in reporting is important. Craig Summers is a deeply authoritarian, torture-promoting, right-wing Republican who is hostile to this sites’s perspective. He often just makes shit up…..”
Alert to readers: Mona is the site hall monitor. She is deeply antisemitic Mona is one of the sites worst crap flooders who – ironically enough – has people deleted for crap flooding.
“…..Greenwald has never argued that “objectivity” in reporting is important……”
No shit Mona?
And to Underscore:
“……You’ve been blocked under many account names, after multiple commenters in Greenwald’s space begged him to end your crapflooding the comments with your insane obsessions…..”
Notice how certain political viewpoints are deleted because multiple (radical) left wing commentators beg to have that person removed i.e., Mona.
https://theintercept.com/2016/03/18/brazil-is-engulfed-by-ruling-class-corruption-and-a-dangerous-subversion-of-democracy/?comments=1#comment-212423
This is a really well-done, 10 minute Hank Green video-explainer of the political situation in Brazil. Glenn Greenwald enthusiastically tweeted it.
Great video – I now understand much more about the situation in Brazil thanks to this article and the subsequent discussion in the comment section.
One phrase (explained in the video) may be something that Brazilians and Americans both get to experience soon:
“The days of things ending in pizza appear to be over.”
Yes, that saying also captured my imagination. Things have been ending in pizza for U.S. elites, banksters, mortgage defrauders for a long time, while for the average or poor Jane and Joe things end up in rancid meat.
partial and corrupt article: praised by ” dirty blogs ” PT supporters
larchmont was I name I used 2 or 3 years ago until it was blocked by the Intercept. Even lower case.
I see it’s been resurrected by someone other than myself (and who seems to know quite a bit about the internal workings of a country where I’ve never been).
Talk about corruption.
You’ve been blocked under many account names, after multiple commenters in Greenwald’s space begged him to end your crapflooding the comments with your insane obsessions — your comments reach as much as 15% of the total with nonsense about the Illuminati, mind-controlled “sex slaves,” rantings from an ersatz Russian Orthodox (Jewish) monk, the “far-left” politics of Adolph Hitler, and all manner of other crank material, such as from your favorite author, Frtiz Springmeier.
You do not respect the wishes of the writers here that you not return. Here you are, back again, polluting one of the otherwise most intelligent discussions this site has seen.
What’s typical is this thread, where you have 26 posts so far to my 17 (including this one). The time you recite also had you at the same % as mine (we counted them up if you’ll recall).
Aside from that, stay on topic: the comments page is insecure at the most basic levels.
Mona is one of the site’s worst crapflooders – bar none.
Neither of us has the most comments in this thread; I and the rest are not crapflooders. Volume is only one prong i.e., flooding — the other is the “crap.” You post tons of insane crap about mind-controlled sex slaves & etc. from people like this. Glenn has kicked multiple of your accounts to the curb, and here you are back again. Because you are an obsessive loon who does not respect the property rights of this site.
YOU posted a whinge about your “larchmont” account having been banned. I merely alerted new readers as to why. Viewpoint banning does not occur here; if it did, Craig Summers wouldn’t be participating.
But crapflooding is banned, and you are a king of crapflooding, that is, insane, off-topic voluminous bilge that undermines intelligent discussion.
It was important to let new arrivals know there is very little moderation at this site. That you have been banned is justified by your repeated and egregious abuse of the space.
It’s not the same person. Sort of proves the point about conspiracy theory obsession. You are more interested in exchanging rather puerile diatribes instead of actually commenting on content.
” underscore” did use your moniker. And he’s been banned multiple times under various handles. However, upon reviewing your comments in this section you can’t be him — your text is far too lucid.
My apologies, but it was an honest error after he noted your use of “his” handle.
But if you read my comments in the first half of this thread, and the contributions I’ve given even on top — a video about politics in Brazil, as well as an LA Times story regarding the Brazilian media — you will find a good deal of substance.
Actually you seem to have studiously avoided commenting on what I and several others have written which could be best summed up as saying that: the PT and its partner PMBD have a history of orchestrated corruption in part because they have been running Brazil for 14 years which also explains why they are most at risk in Lava Jato; only a devout follower could say that Lula’s appointment had nothing to do with his indictment and that he doesn’t have a prima facie was to answer; Lava Jato is taking down the political and business elite across the spectrum; the elite is if anything opposed to impeachment and would like Lava Jato would down, for obvious reasons of self preservation; ironically Lula and Dilma are complaining about an independent judiciary that is the product of reforms that Lula played a role in.
As for the media, it has benefited in the past from close ties to the PT government so it is hard to say it is simply a fascist tool. Far more realistic is to recognize that while it is definitely not left wing it is above all concerned in making money and jumps on the bandwagon of popular sentiment. Dilma and Lula have been slipping for years, especially Dilma. After the World Cup it was open season on Dilma from the streets up. Anyway if you look at the press in much of the OECD it plays the same game. The UK is a classic case where even the right has openly campaigned against the conservatives only to switch a few years later the other way as sentiment changed The media has never been “balanced”. That is a nostalgic misreading of history. But with so much social media and access the ability of a media block to institute the sort of soft coup Greenwald dreams up is pretty limited even in Brazil. It is precisely the willingness of Brazilians to go out onto the streets that limits that ability. Your rights are only as strong as your defence of them.
Mr. Greenwald
“……But much of this Western media coverage mimics the propaganda coming from Brazil’s homogenized, oligarch-owned, anti-democracy media outlets and, as such, is misleading, inaccurate, and incomplete, particularly when coming from those with little familiarity with the country…..”
One interesting aspect of this article is how you suddenly decide that “objectivity” is important in media coverage. Last week, you were the greatest supporter of adversarial journalism – now when it’s politically expedient – you criticize it because the Brazilian press is politically motivated. What a surprise – and now it is even anti-democratic. Those right wing media conglomerates are using the scandal for political gain. Wow, what a shocker. Bill Kelly correctly summarized:
“……The thing is, once you have publicly declared your “subjective assumptions and political values,” it’s human nature to want to defend them, and it becomes tempting to omit or minimize facts, or frame the argument, in ways that support your declared viewpoint. And some readers, knowing that you write from the left or right, will view your reporting with justified suspicion……”
If omitting facts is good for the goose, then it is good for the gander.
Alert to readers: Greenwald has never argued that “objectivity” in reporting is important. Craig Summers is a deeply authoritarian, torture-promoting, right-wing Republican who is hostile to this sites’s perspective. He often just makes shit up.
That — on the surface — is a fair point. I bet Globo would claim it’s simply engaging in adversarial journalism, speaking truth to power, and so forth. But that misses some historical context. The equivalent would be CNN claiming it’s engaging in adversarial journalism. That would normally be laughable, but it would be entirely plausible in, say, a Sanders administration or even a Trump administration. They would highlight any misstep a lot more than they usually would.
If you’re only adversarial when you’re defending your own interests, that’s not really being adversarial on principle.
Globo and the rest of the establishment Brazilian media claim to be objective and fair. They do not claim to be “adversarial.” Moreover, as the LA Times article I linked to above reports — — here it is again — the same wealthy families own almost all the major media, and all detest the PT party. They’ve done some really scandalous things to disadvantage PT.
“…….They’ve done some really scandalous things to disadvantage PT…..”
You mean like take kickbacks from Petrobras? Or bring the former President into the government so he cannot be prosecuted?
I’m not sure about the former, as to the latter, Brazilian media is not positioned to do that. Their corruption inheres in those areas where they can behave corruptly. Such as severely editing a broadcast of a candidate debate to make the PT candidate look weak and the rightwing one they support look good.
“……If you’re only adversarial when you’re defending your own interests, that’s not really being adversarial on principle…..”
I think that sums up the Intercept as well as Greenwald perfectly. As I stated to Mona above:
“If the shoe was on the other foot and a right wing government was under attack from a left wing press, Greenwald would be attacking the government as corrupt. He would be supporting the media because Greenwald is first and foremost a leftist (not a journalist). Adversarial journalism is just a vehicle Greenwald uses to press a far left agenda – mostly anti-American. As soon as someone else uses the same method, it’s undemocratic (dangerously so). If he could show that the right wing media in Brazil was lying, that would be entirely different. But Greenwald actually agrees that the Workers Party is corrupt. In my opinion, Greenwald, in many ways, shows a disdain for journalism. He hides behind the label journalist to promote an ideological agenda.
In this article, despite the obvious corruption in the current government, Greenwald objects to Brazil’s media which promotes a politically-motivated, one-sided coverage of the government obviously because they are opposed to that government. This is exactly what the intercept has been doing since its inception – and what he openly supports – adversarial journalism. In reality, this article has nothing to do with “journalism” and everything to do with supporting the current corrupt government in power (because Greenwald opposes the alternative) – something Greenwald (amusingly) denies in the article.”
Let’s clarify something: What should adversarial journalism be adversarial to? The right answer to that is “the powerful.” In a country like Brazil, “the powerful” is not just the government. Indeed, in countries where the government does represent the people (and I’m not necessarily saying PT plays that role) there can be powerful forces outside of government trying to recover power away from the people.
I like your previous statement which I will quote in the future because it is true:
“……..If you’re only adversarial when you’re defending your own interests, that’s not really being adversarial on principle……”
I think that is really an honest assessment of the situation on both sides – the Brazil media and Greenwald et al. Both have a political agenda which supersedes journalistic integrity.
That’s as much of an effective truism as saying: “If you’re only eating when you’re hungry, that’s not really being against hunger on principle.”
I am brasilian. Thank you for the text. Hard to get a complicated picture like this into a clear text. It would be complete if it mentioned that Lula, who was never indicted, and is merely being investigated, was judicially kidnapped, in an abusive ‘coercitive displacement’, for hours, while Globo TV captions announced – misleadingly – his arrest.
Thank you for giving a clear overal picture of the current situation in Brazil. I hope that documentary like this one may help the international and national democrats to join the movement against ‘Rede Globo’ and the right wing politics which represent the values of the rich minority class of Brasilans.
Why do you not mention the indication of Lula from Dilma to the ministery? It is an important thing of this process.
I lived in Sao Paulo from 1957 to 1966. Even then Brazil was always in the throes of Political corruption.( Janio Quadros). Friends (who still live there) tell me that crime is rampant with kidnappings, murder, extortion, robbery, etc..One cannot travel without a gun and bodyguards. This was once a beautiful and pleasant country. It seems a violent revolution will now be forthcoming and destruction will be the result.
Quick question and forgive my ignorance if it’s a Portuguese language thing, but in the article, and generally, why is the President referred to as ‘Dilma’ rather than ‘Rousseff’?
In Brazil, very often you name the people by their first name, mainly when they are close to you or when they are well known by lots of people (for example politicians).
Because that is how she is known in Brazil, just as Lula is not “Mr DaSilva”, Pelé is not “Mr DoNascimento” and, um, Gisele is not “Ms Bündchen”.
Perfect! Besides NY Times, that wrote an article pratically agreeing with what is happenning, this article brought the real truth. Yes, the Worker’s Party committed corruption, a lot! But what is happenning here is much more complex than Globo is showing. The left wing and the right wing are involved in corruption, but only the government is being accused. The high classes demonstrate a hateful to the another people that don’t have the same opinion. It created a fascism that who uses red t-shirts in the streets (PT color) are being battered. We are worried about our young democracy, and we only we want all politicians who have robbed the same treatment, but we will see an absurd coup at any time. I ask that all foreigners who read this text share it in your social networks, the world needs to know the truth as soon as possible. What is happenning here is very serious and we are worried about our democracy.
Lucas de Oliveira Morais
Well done! It has been a challenge to sort through the biased media storm this week and I am thankful for the research and clear writing published here. Brazilians (particularly well educated, upper middle class Paulistanas) must deeply consider, in this moment of upheaval, if the ends justify the means. It is vital to protect the integrity of the democracy, especially in the face of an economic recession that has not yet reached its rock bottom. And maybe what Brazilians need, more than anything, is a crash course in media literacy.
Here you see a foreigner trying to influence public opinion in a country he gives zero fucks about and does not belong to. All because of his political leanings. Mr Greenwald, Before you preach from your high tower try living and running a small business in Brazil on a low income. This government has done nothing to improve the economy other than raise taxes and milking every cent they can from its population and use it in order to gain popularity to keep her party in power. All while filling their own pockets.
Many people could see the inevitable downfall of our country from miles away but out great leaders were either too stupid to see it or didn’t want to. Well, it has finally happened and it may get a lot worse. But even then you still get people like you who would rather see everything collapse around you than vote against against the left… Even when they’re as corrupt and incompetent as they could possibly be. Dilma has done absolutely nothing to this country and the only reason she’s in power is because of her predecessor and you damn well know it.
Next time you write about Brasil better do more than just copy and paste of a bunch of clichés sold by political propaganda of PT. The guy who articulate PT’s fiction (‘marketing ‘) is now in jail with his wife, better think for yourself than repeat this propaganda made by a well known thieve.
There’s no such thing like “which are drowning in at least an equal amount of criminality”. PT even for Brazilian standards of corruption is a unique case, our traditional cleptocracy never been caught in this tremendous level of parallel state. PT made his own parallel institutions and still believes that can run the country in it’s world of fiction for masses and money for high classes. Globo always have been a enthusiasts of moderate leftists and praises PT all the time since Lula apparently abandoned the idea of a revolution in Chaves or Fidel style. Nixon resigned for far less crimes that PT tooks part.
The fact that Glenn Greenwald lives in Brazil does not automatically make him knowledgeable as to the problems of the country today, and it certainly doesn’t make him knowledgeable as to the country’s history. And what’s more: his proximity to PSOL, a political party in Brazil, is dangerous. In this article, it is clear that Greenwald’s sources were the “ex-PT supporters” from PSOL. For those still thinking that there is an “ideological” battle happening in the country among the corrupt politicians of ALL political parties, I recommend you watch and read these interviews by Jose Padilha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHMssJZ0i0 http://veja.abril.com.br/noticia/brasil/jose-padilha-a-lava-jato-nao-tem-vies-politico-nenhum
Thank you again for enlightening me with true insight on what’s going on with the Brazilian political turmoil. so much deeper than face value.
Congratulation! This is the best article I have read in English (and in Portuguese) about the current situation in Brazil. You perfectly summarize what’s going on with all interest groups and key political players, including a politically motivated judicial system that is breaking all the laws, the media outlets misinforming the population, and a historical culture of corruption dominating the political system, including the president’s political party. As a friend of mine recently said, all political forces in Brazil these days are on the wrong side of history with no possible positive solution in sight.
Another huge difference is that Trump has not seen a single day in office and has not done anything yet, so the protest against Trump are less credible than what’s going on in Brazil where real corruption has occurred. The protest against Trump are organized and funded by neoliberal globalists like George Soros who is helping to promote Hillary’s campaign for president. You have Glenn Greenwald who claims the mainstream media is being neutral on Trump when in reality all they do is attack him. The real issue is that the media has lost so much credibility in the past years that it’s not working and Trump is able to get large supporters despite the media attacks and organized protests.
The left just can’t understand why people would not like them and so explain away any dissatisfaction with them as being the fault of wealthy right-wing conspirators who are trying to stage a coup. In the case of Trump leftists try to paint every Trump supporter as an evil white racist and constantly compare Trump to Hitler. Meanwhile Hillary has actually murdered thousands of muslims and caused death and destruction in many middle eastern countries and no one bothers to protest her. The left cares more about rhetoric than actions and that’s why they are a joke.
I don’t know what’s really going on in Brazil. But one thing I do know is that you can’t trust this site.
Never. Greenwald has never claimed the media is “neutral” on Donald Trump. Rather, Greenwald has denounced the “sham neutrality” that has led to this:
As Greenwald wrote, journalist Edward R. Murrow sounded alarm over Joseph McCarthy. Walter Cronkite did so vis-a-vis the Vietnam War. But today’s establishment journalists are acting as if Donald Trump is just another politician running for president.
They are never “objective” in their treatment of politics, but the sham neutrality corporate journalists adopt tells them they cannot overtly issue warnings, much less denunciations.
I’m a European citizen, working as a family doctor for some time in little town of Brasil. Im watching these political games and I can agree largely with what the article say. I find many comments really interesting, especially because of the historico-political insight.
HOWEVER, in my opinion, the situation is far more complicated. In my country it is said that what type is the people, that type is the politician. The corruption scandals of federal government is talking about large numbers. But the corruption problem and stealing public money is not any better in lower levels of the system. Corruption exists everywhere, but in Brasil the corruption is disturbingly high. And the stealing goes all the way to the cleaning lady, that snatches here and there a cleaning product or some medication from the Health Center, but the farmaceutist doesnt say a thing because she does the same anyway and eeepa, the coordenator of the Center is not going to make no cocnlusions from that, because of her highly dicussable possition growth. And the Municipal Health Secretary, who could settle this down could do … but actually he would have to show up to work, and he is a frend of the Mayor and you could loose your job if you complain about a wrong person for a wrong rason… so just let it be and lets forget about it.
PT, scandals or not, gave a value to the poor people, let anyone tell whatever want. The fact is that minimum wages increased during their governemnt several times to the value of 2002 (https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sal%C3%A1rio_m%C3%ADnimo#Brasil). On the other hand, whereas in Euro-American region we are used to see that someone has a basic salary (BS), someone with low quallification can have lets say 2xBS, other, better quallification lets say 5-10xBS and so one, the differences in Brasil grows rather logaritmically.
PT is behind a great investments in the area of education and health care, but it is far more than sufficient. The beautiful numbers of growth of educational level are from a significant part artificially “manufactured”. I know kids I attend that are in 4th or 5th grade that dont know how to read and write and calculate at the basic level, so they just in fact continue present in the classes but usually by the 3rd year completely loose the notion of what is going on in the class. This is the main problem of the country – it has a huge, uneducated, easily manipulatable mass of sheep that bheee whatever you tell them to bheee about.
The middle and high class hates PT, all the buzz about the corruption scandals made a good part of the low class population reconsider their preferences.
However, all these specullations about who is at the power and why doesnt solve the basic question – what is the best choice in the elections where you can, actually not can, you HAVE TO, since voting is obligatory (what a democratic aproach) choose between the ugly guy, stinky guy and an useless guy …?
Just to add, I dont believe in some military turnover or dictatorship up-coming. That would need a lot of energy and effort to happen. The system here is constructed well enough to allow stealing the public money without causing too much disturbance for outside overlokers. In my point of view all that many political parties want is their turn to get a hand on the main tap of the public money … The same is the impeachment. Its nice to talk about it, throw some dirt at your oponent, but actualy realizing the notion would mean too much extra work …
You make some very valid statements here that are highly relevant when talking about corruption in Brazil and the possibility or not of substantially reducing it.
I too am European and have been living and working on and off in Brazil for the last 20 years (more on than off).
One of the first things I noticed when I got to Brazil was that dishonesty is not treated with the same public opprobrium as it is in North America and Europe (and I’ve lived and worked in both for substantial periods).
Indeed, the so-called Jeitinho Brasileiro, which is essentially a means to get something that is undeserved with little or no regard to the honesty or morality of the transaction, is generally seen a personal characteristic to be admired and applauded.
This coupled with a legal system which is little better than a joke, almost invites widespread corruption.
So, while a handful of politicians and business leaders may end up behind bars (largely, I suspect, para gringo ver) as a result of the current crisis, I doubt if this will be sufficient to eliminate, or even meaningfully reduce, the rampant corruption that is an integral part of political activity not just in Brazil, but in much of South and Central America.
Wow! I am so glad you wrote this. I teach Brazilian elite corporate people and this will be our reading for the next month. Fora Globo! Fora Cunha! Nao vai ter golpe!
Brazilian journalist here. I want to congratulate you for the clear perspective and knowledge of what is really going on here in Brazil. It saddens me that practically all my expat friends are blinding themselves to that outrageous behavior by the media. They all fell for the inaccurate and tendentious message the biggest communications companies are broadcasting, just like a great part of Brazilian people. I don’t blame the part of our people that are being influenced by the media, because Brazilians are tired of so much wrongdoing and are desperate to lean on something, failing to perceive the real consequences of an impeachment for our country right now, specially for the people in need….But expats, well they should perceive things for what they are…
Mona
“…….2. That you [Eduardo] argue the site’s most authoritarian commenter, who advocates vile things, has “captured” anything properly, I doubt your judgment…..” my insertion in brackets
Since you have not even attempted to rebut my post, you have no business telling anyone they don’t have good judgement. I could be Hitler reincarnated, but you have provided absolutely no challenge to what I wrote Mona. As someone who agrees with Greenwald 99% of the time, you should be able to find some point of disagreement, right??
I’m waiting.
https://theintercept.com/2016/03/18/brazil-is-engulfed-by-ruling-class-corruption-and-a-dangerous-subversion-of-democracy/?comments=1#comment-212423
Mona
“…….For the last time in this comment section: I will rebut you, or answer you, or in any manner substantively reply to you, when doing so serves the readers. And not any more than that. Having replied to you somewhat frequently in the past only encouraged your many, often endlessly long, and almost always irrelevant, comments; this pisses off the regulars. So, no more……”
But you think the “regulars” want to hear you respond to a post of mine by saying (as the official Intercept site hall monitor):
“…..To alert new readers to Craig Summers worldview in order to better understand his comment: Craig says he will vote for Donald Trump. Craig doesn’t only advocate that torture should be legal, he thinks it is a positively good thing. Moreover, Craig believes police shouldn’t be constrained by the Fourth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, which requires judicial warrants for searches and seizures of persons and their things. Finally, Craig is a hardcore Zionist who defends almost every crime committed by the State of Israel…….
……..Craig is a far-right authoritarian of the highest order……”
Do you really believe that is substantive? That doesn’t speak well for the regulars, Mona. Previously, you said you would respond when my posts needed to be rebutted – so you were lying. In reality, it’s because you really have no response. By the way, here is what Eduardo said about my post – after you warned him:
“…..In that case, then, Craig Summers have captured the current sentiment in Brazil – where I am following and engaging the political and economic situation – better than those entrusted to shed light on what’s happening in the country…..”
Thanks to Mona and Eduardo
Obviously, another Brazilian who went to a school pago passo. Are you a moron?
“This is how it is in Brazil: if a poor man steals he goes to jail, if a rich man steals he is made a minister”. Lula 1988
Greenwald is sadly touting the plot against democracy line of Dilma and Lula. He makes makes light of PT corruption by saying “they all do it” without bothering to mention that corruption has been a major problem of the PT starting in Lula’s first administration (Dirceu and Mensalao among others). Lula’s popularity allows him ride above it by the time he left the halo was distinctly tarnish.
Greenwald trots out the line of forces fighting democracy. He ignores completely that Brazil has undergone a massive, largely unsung reform in justice and police over about 20 years. Ironically Lula in his first term picked an ardent reformed as justice minister but dropped the effort once he came close to being burnt by Mensalao. But by then the process had become self sustaining and has produced a stunningly qualified and independent set of institutions which nowhere else in LA except Chile. So when he and Dilma rail against the judges, police and prosecutors they are ironically railing against their own creation. Shades of Nixon.
Greenwald also glosses over the last elections. The manipulating of the figures so that the recession was hidden and the stunning denigration of the openly socialist candidate who looked like beating Dilma. There was nothing noble or charismatic about that. Indeed one of the wiretaps revealed Lula’s willingness to call out the heavies on his opponents including the justice system. As for the corruption charges, you would have to be very naive – this from the writer who touted the cynicism and evil revealed in wikileaks – to accept Lula’s protestations that just because an apartment was furnished to order and he used it for 112 days in one year it didnt mean he owned it or was receiving anything. Indeed if he is so confident if that why don’t he and Dilma welcome the chance to clear him in court? BTW , Dilma has been running a constant commentary against the Lava Jato case almost since it began, complete with clumsy attempts to wrap herself in a freedom fighter past (which not a few compare to Patty Hearst).
And there is something truly pathetic about saying that it is largely conjecture that Lula was appointed to protect him. There was no talk in the usually accurate Brazilian rumor mill about Lula joining the government until he was charged. At that point PT leaders openly called for him to be protected. Moro (the wiretap one) has probably overstepped the line in participating in the demonstration and subsequent comments but he has also been stalwart in pursuing corruption without regard to party affiliation, something Greenwald downplays. Releasing the wiretaps is a grey area. Given what Dilma was doing it was probably fair game and was true to how he and others have kept Lava Jato lie (note how the authors are mute in just what an achievement that is).
Greenwald has spent a lot of time in Brazil. It is a shame that instead f a balanced piece looking how Brazil got here and putting that into a historical and regional perspective he runs a clumsy apologia. Brazil deserves much better.
PS I dont remember him saying that the demonstration and riot tactics used by Corea and Evo were not how democracies work.
Amen!
Working title: the American neoliberal foreign policy establishment’s Tonya Harding vision on economic competition, as seen in Brazil.
Recall Olympic hopeful Tonya Harding, who, when facing a threatening competitor (Nancy Kerrigan), had her boyfriend hire some thug to kneecap her?
Does anyone believe that the neoliberal/neoconservative gang in Washington, or their Wall Street masters, want another economic powerhouse like China as a competitor, particularly in South America, which they view as being part of the U.S. ‘sphere of influence?’
Does anyone believe that NSA surveillance of Petrobras (revealed by Edward Snowden) had anything to do with “fighting terrorism” or “military threats to national security”? No, it was clearly political-economic espionage, which Washington routinely accuses China of, while claiming to never engage in itself. So, why were they doing it? What did they hope to gain?
Sure, Brazil made a big mistake in over-reliance on commodity prices and in taking on too much U.S. debt – but the domestic political corruption scandal? You know, if the NSA ran comprehensive wiretaps on just one political party in the USA, and leaked the material to cooperative media and prosecutors, that party – either one, doesn’t matter – would also be in the midst of “a major political corruption scandal”.
Consider that if the educational and economic reforms in Brazil were to continue, Brazil would indeed be able to break the manufacturing barrier, become technologically advanced, and be as much of an economic power as China is. This is not the neoliberal Washington plan for Brazil; Brazil is to remain a commodity exporter with large U.S. dollar debt, taking its orders from Wall Street – and the Brazilian elite class is to help enforce this program, and will be relatively well-rewarded for doing so.
The neoliberals have destroyed the American domestic manufacturing system in their promotion of free trade deals that outsourced all the jobs to sweatshop nations – but now, countries like China, having absorbed the technology and put it under their own control, are the world leaders in manufacturing.
The neoliberal wealth-concentration program, that is steadily destroying the American middle class, relies entirely on the Tonya Harding model for keeping potential competitors from doing what China has done – and the effort to destabilize Brazil and return it to obedient client state status is central to that agenda. And you know, doesn’t Tonya Harding look a lot like Hillary Clinton?
The American corporate media, firmly in the grip of the neoliberal-Wall Street establishment, is also serving as a cheerleader for this agenda, just as the Brazilian media is.
What’s “neo” about big-media articles every day of the week celebrating Affordable Care Act, Climate Change laws, Equality, Planned Parenthood, immigration reform, gun control, gender plasticity, vulnerable refugees,….?
Sounds liberal to anyone who isn’t trying to dodge progressives’ unpopularity with the public.
As we can hear at the beginning of the recording, the conversation between Dilma and Lula has beem done on side of president Dilma which seems to be illegal.
Look at those pictures and vids of protesting? Who are those people? Most of them are returned expats from the US and all over the world, many not even speaking Portuguese well, who were attached to the western speculative capital that flew uninvited into Brazilian economy mostly due to QE instigated dollar devaluations over last 8 years, called world currency war.
Those are people who were fed by western interests in Brasil and courtiers of oligarchic elites and they practically turned into agents of foreign government acting against working people and indigenous population.
Now they are raging blindly against anyone in fear of being unable to pay they US denominated mortgages and cars and maintain “western life style” while conveniently shielding true culprit namely US financial system, lead by FED who pulled the plug and collapsed EM currencies including Real. While I am not fan of Rouseff this is Wall Street who sold those people down the drain not the government that was trying to soften the blow.
This particular US imperial attack of Brazilian Spring, a part of overall military and economic assault on BRICS is clear and obvious but response of the some leaders of those countries is not as great or even stately but rather a characteristic of political weasels. First they do not call this aggression openly by its name, as US imperialism, even Putin calls, spewing war venom western politicians his partners.
Rousseff pilgrimage to Washington last years to be insulted, backpedal and apologize for being spied upon by NSA did not bode well for her and for her country. Allowing Brazilian security apparatus and courts to be infiltrated by CIA/FBI is nothing short of unforgivable betrayal which is behind this judicial political US funded activism.
This tells me that most of those “people” leaders are being heavily influenced by western money and money is power and they succumb to greed betraying working people who trusted them with power. Too many friends of Lula revolution have bank accounts in New York to respond to this blatant aggression in a revolutionary manner, as they should.
Those South American springs we are witnessing in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador etc., is not due to lack of cooperation between popular South American leaders and US gov. and Wall Street but that they cooperate to little to win approval of Washington hegemons, namely they do not exploit and betray their people enough. It is a world oligarch’s quarrel and those who do not heed the warnings are expelled from the cushy club, and that’s why they are so polite. But there is deeper reason for it.
Former radicals, communists, maoists, worker trade unionists or native populists and other leftist such as Lula-Rouseff, Chavez, Corea, Morales after being brought to power, via peoples movements not on their own merits as a true leftists since they betrayed the true left, but on the wave of Wall Street instigated booms of commodity demand from China itself stimulated to the brink of orgasm via Wall Street money changers and now is awaiting eruption anytime and following it long secular economic flaccidity which will turn this mockery of workers’ led Chinese government into openly fascistic/regional imperial regime as it already is.
Those recent South American leftist revolutions were underwritten by Wall Street bubbles, one might have asserted wrongly, that they were being skillfully exploited by leftist leaders while in truth they fell into a trap that intimately doomed and condemned truly leftist political movement in South America into political oblivion for decades now. And hence sweeping counterrevolutionary wind of Washington doing, blowing across the continent.
And that was the plan to discredit any political left as a vital and even viable or effective political force in South America, Europe and elsewhere.
Obama Mission Accomplished.
Lula was a left-wing and very competent president. His party did help the Brazilian poor enormously, without placing too many burdens on the upper classes (outside of heavy European-level taxes that everyone paid). But his party, like the others, became incredibly corrupt. Nothing works here – neither public health or education, the roads are pitiful….I could go on.
In the end, the oligarchy won, as it almost always does. Lula became addicted to the good life, with high-rolling friends, lots and lots of perks, power, influence, greed, and privilege. He de-evolved, slowly, probably without even realizing it, and he became the oligarchy he always opposed – ready to live in a million dollar apartment and rich country house, “gifts” from companies that gained enormously over-priced government contacts. His sons went from humble jobs to run well-paid “consultant” firms. He met the enemy, and became them.
It was not a coup d’etat to impeach Nixon, who was elected by a clear majority of Americans, and the folks who replaced him you all know all-to-well. But he was corrupt and corrupting to the rule of law. He had to go.
So with the PT party.
That is a better way to ‘settle’ this. Those willing to understand what is really happening in Brazil should read Eurasia’s reports. They assess risk and process information better than most journalists. They are not willing to create impact by taking sides, have no hidden agenda.
Thank you Glenn, Andrew and David for a thought provoking article:
I hope that it gets wide circulation both inside and outside of Brazil. As an American living in Brazil since 1980 I have accompanied the Brazilian economic/political/cultural life first hand during these years. I mostly agree with the main themes and insights of your article and compliment you for bringing it to the attention of people outside of Brazil via The Intercept and also in Brazil via the Portuguese translation.
However, many of points are debatable or a matter of opinion. Some are plain wrong. These points are being brought to YOUR attention via comments on The Intercept web page. I am pleased to see evidence that you are reading them. Most comments seem to be constructive and I trust you are giving them full consideration.
My overall view of the current situation is the following: Corruption IS widespread in Brazil and I personally believe that it is much more prevalent inside the government and state owned enterprises at all levels as compared to private enterprise.
Over time, a situation analogous the MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction) nuclear impasse of the cold war years has come about in Brazil [Fortunately the Nuclear Impasse was mostly defused by the economic/political collapse of the Soviet Union instead of a Nuclear Exchange] In Brazil, a Mutual Assured Blackmail (MAB), stand-off has worked for many years because the corruption was/is widespread and well known by all players. Corrupt individuals refrained from attacking the corruption of another because there was the certainty that there would be a counter-attack revealing the attacker’s corruption in retaliation. A lose-lose situation to be avoided.
However, with the increased competence and confidence of the Independent Prosecutor’s Office the successful prosecution of major political corruption gained momentum a few years ago with the mensalão (monthly allowance) scandal involving advertising contracts via the Post Office and other agencies of Lula’s administration, the first cracks in the MAB structure began to appear. More than 40 high level individuals, mostly in the government or party organizations are now in jail. (Compare that to the US experience where virtually no corrupt politicians or banksters are prosecuted, let alone go to jail). Many of those jailed here in Brazil, were put there based on evidence and testimony provided by some of the accused that plea bargained for reduced sentences or immunity. This (mensalão) scandal wound down and the players were able to contain the damage, for the time being.
Then came Dilma’s administration and the Petrobras (Lava Jato/car wash) scandal. Because of the HUGE amounts involved in comparison to any pervious scandal, and because of practical necessity many more individuals, organizations and political parties are involved. As the Independent Prosecutor began to have successful prosecutions during the last year or so, many very important people have received large fines and long jail terms. As this goes on, a stampede of defendants is now talking to avoid jail. The MAB/Mutual Assured Blackmail Structure has almost completely collapsed. Just like the SAMARCO dam failures last November. Everyone is denouncing everyone else. And no politician is immune or safe. Using the MAD analogy, a Mutually Destructive Blackmail Exchange is underway and the final political/economic/cultural outcome is not clear.
The media stimulation of demonstrations is an important issue to analyzed and discussed, especially in the context of potential violent outcomes. But this is a side issue IMHO.
São Paulo, Brazil.
“Compare that to the US experience where virtually no corrupt politicians or banksters are prosecuted, let alone go to jail”
Ah, I believe the prosecution in Brazil has been somewhat selective, going only after political allies of the party that came into power in 2002? And that party was not affiliated with the elite banksters, was it?
The reason there were no prosecutions of banksters from Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, HSBC, etc. is that they had bought all the leading politicians in both the Republican and Democratic Parties, and had also – via the revolving door system between corporations and government – ensured that prosecutors would not be targeting them.
A case example is FBI director James Comey, who was previously a board member at HSBC, a bank that – despite laundering $2 billion in South American cocaine cartel money – was never targeted for any criminal prosecutions.
So, it’s hard to believe that Sergio Moro is anything other than a political operative acting on the behalf of wealthy elites in Brazil as well as on the behalf of the American neoliberal foreign policy establishment, and he doubtless expects to be well rewarded for his hard work.
This will be a long-term economic disaster for Brazil, as the reforms implemented by the party that came into power in 2002 have done much to raise educational standards in Brazil, and if kept up, might eventually turn the country into a technological manufacturing powerhouse like China.
Ah, yes, China – which runs a trade surplus with the United States, which is now viewed by the neoliberal establishment as the central threat to “American global economic dominance”, whatever that means, hence the “pivot to China” – no, some elements in Washington doesn’t want another economic powerhouse in South America, they would prefer to keep Brazil as a commodity supplier and client-slave state – and the dumb Brazilian elites are going right along with the program.
All the Brazilian elites are doing by cooperating is helping to tie their own rope – but I think I understand, some would rather be the tin-pot dictator of a third world country, as opposed to being just another ordinary citizen in the first world.
Don’t believe it? Go find this:
How President Lula changed Brazil
By Steve Kingstone BBC News, Sao Paulo, 2 October 2010
At one point you can’t really believe what you are writing. Can you really?
I could explain Lula’s actual legacy and how his government benefitted from an unprecedented period of growth worldwide. I’d rather simply ask: why can’t this Demi-God president also be a corrupt one? Is he entitled to destroy and accumulate wealth that belongs to the Brazilian people if he has created wealth in the past? It’s a very simple concept.
One more thing: the idea of an American foreign policy apparatus behind Federal Judge Moro is retrograde. How can you claim selective prosecution when the billionaire CEO of the largest construction company in the country gets 19 years in jail in connection with the corruption scandal? A company, by the way, that has been profiting from the Brazilian State since the 1970s.
Well, if I was the head of the State Department program on this, with close ties to Wall Street, I’d say to the NSA:
“Get as much dirt on business executives in Brazil as you can – we need a few big fish in the business world. Go get ’em!”
Then, in conference with my Wall Street masters, who would be giving me a VERY lucrative board position after I leave government, I’d lay out the strategy:
“Once we have some business tycoons in prison, with long sentences, we we can link them to these uppity politicians, one way or the other. For this, however, we’re going to need the cooperation of prosecutors in Brazil. Of course the aristocrats down there will go along with this, we’ll offer them some sweetheart deals – so who do you know? How about this Sergio Moro guy? He seems ambitious, he’s been in the U.S. quite a bit – let’s reach out.”
Wow, you figured it out! Some of us are just too close to the subject to understand the intricacies of power. But we thank you for explaining it so eloquently. And the fact that Moro has been to the US plenty of times (I don’t know that for a fact, but I trust you do) is clear proof of his ties to the Empire!
Just realized the point to be made – that this article on Brazil is erroneous and biased – has already been made by many of the readers.
Naturally, the US keeps a very close watch on all developments in Brazil. If nothing else simply because of its size. But to infer that that US is some how pulling the strings here these days has no basis. Proof please.
BTW there were no “reforms” by the PT when it took office in 2002. Just gross incompetence and an expansion of existing corruption to new unheard of levels. Some crumbs were passed out to the “povo” to keep them quiet but the “povo” has caught on. As for raising education standards: give me a break. Lula flouts his lack of education as a role model.
Furthermore, Brazil has already established itself as technological and manufacturing powerhouse; that ship has long since sailed. Of course mineral and agricultural commodities continue to be important as Brazil is simply taking advantage of what it has as a country of continental dimensions with with abundant natural resources.
You should reconsider your slanderous comment about Sergio Moro. He may well have a personal agenda which is influencing some of his actions in the Lava Jato investigations (who doesn’t have an agenda these days – what is yours). But having a personal agenda is a very long way from being in the pocket of elites much less having foreign masters as you imply.
As for selective prosecution see Eduardo’s comment below. There are many more than the one billionaire he mentions doing hard time in not so comfy Brazilian jails.
The Brazilian prosecutors have been steadily building their campaign with no holds barred. The reason the scandals were PT is simple. They have been in power since 2002 and while corruption is endemic in Brazil, Cardoso was surpassingly clean. PT for whatever reason produced larger and more public scandals. Ironically Lula selected a real reformer at Justice who pushed the work of Cardoso further. So it was Lula’s own work that produced the prosecutions, not some selective process.
Lava Jato has caught leading business men and politicians in all parties. Sure PT features front and centre – it ran the place for 14 years.
As for reforms, one of the reasons Brazil is in a mess is because so little was achieved that made a lasting difference. Ao Bolsa matters to the poor but it is hardly more than a stop gap. University aid helps some but since basic education is so bad most cant benefit. Infrastructure? A stunning deficit for a country that has had the biggest boom in its history. What stands out? The shambles and waste of the World Cup (the corruption behind that is still to come out), the fact that most of the infrastructure promised never happened, a $300MM stadium in Manuas which doesn’t have even a minor league football team. Lula succeeded largely by sticking to Cardoso economics until he started to change and Dilma showed she had no clue.
3MM in the streets is not just an elite. Indeed the elite would far rather close ranks around PT and stop Java Lato since it threatens there whole way of existence. It may have escaped you that the elite has been very against impeaching Dilma.
If Greenwald and company could get beyond student union thrills with conspiracy theory they might find there is a much better story about how Brazil evolved into an example for all LA about how to change the judicial system and start to clean up. The real story here is how this is threatening to shake up so many countries, not just Brazil.
For the record, I am dual-citizen (Brazil, USA) liberal, will vote democrat in the next elections, and I also believe Trump must be stopped. Yet, this thread in the comments section is about the article on Brazil and how biased the authors have been in writing and supporting their views.
In that case, then, Craig Summers have captured the current sentiment in Brazil – where I am following and engaging the political and economic situation – better than those entrusted to shed light on what’s happening in the country.
Once again, dismissing a reader’s opinion because he or she votes this or that way, or they are wealthy or middle class, foreigner or local, is just old. Most readers of HuffPost, where I first read the article, are smart people who can tell right from wrong in an intelligent discussion. And that is why I suggested all readers get their information from the comments and not from the original article.
Suggested edit: “In that case, then, Craig Summers have captured the current sentiment [of the wealthy elite class] in Brazil [and of the neoliberal American foreign policy establishment]”
and as far as this: “I also believe Trump must be stopped.”
Many people believe [including myself] that Hillary Clinton would be a bigger disaster than Donald Trump if elected, and so, while currently supporting Bernie Sanders, we will switch that support to Donald Trump if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y1PGb_F5ao
Faber: “[Trump] may only destroy the U.S. economy. But Hillary Clinton will destroy the whole world. That’s the difference.”
Bloomberg News: “Why will Hillary Clinton destroy the whole world? What’s the evidence?”
Faber: “Ha ha ha – look at her nation-building in the Middle East. How successful that has been!”
You missed the point completely. I was referring to a previous comment from Mona. We could argue many issues here. But that makes for a very convoluted discussion.
In my case I am only interested in discussing current situation in Brazil. The only comment you have made regarding the subject was saying this is the current sentiment of the wealthy elite class. It couldn’t be farther from the truth. Who in the forum has been to the popular protests in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro? Well, I have. I am here, and I can tell you all the growing discontent is coming from everyone.
Additionally, President Dilma’s electoral base was in the Northeast Region, where she had an overwhelming win in 2014. New polls – and before anyone cries foul, these are polls from what one considers neutral, the same that have shown her support in the past – show over 50% of those who voted for her in the region now are for her impeachment.
“In my case I am only interested in discussing current situation in Brazil.”
What, not this from Oct 2010, BBC?
“Number-crunchers say rising incomes have catapulted more than 29 million Brazilians into the middle class during the eight-year presidency of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former trade unionist elected in 2002.”
So now, let’s talk ‘current situation.’ Brazil’s big mistake was over-reliance on high commodity prices as well as taking on too much U.S. dollar debt.
“Brazil’s economy had been hit hard by a collapse in commodity and oil prices in the past two years, said Mihir Kapadia, head of Sun Global Investments, an emerging markets wealth management company in London. The situation has been made worse by the high debt levels, especially in foreign currency – essentially in US dollars. ” – Guardian UK 3 Mar 2016 (business section)
The elites of the old aristocratic Latin American social structure, leftover from the European colonial era, see this economic collapse as an opportunity to reverse the reforms of the past decade, secure their elite privileges for another generation, and prevent more poor people from entering the middle class. Sergio Moro is their ace in the hole, and is working with the Brazilian media (controlled by the elites, right?) to push this agenda.
Please, you know how many spoiled aristocratic elites from Latin and South America cycle through American universities? I’ve met dozens of them, I know how they think, by and large. Their world is divided into aristocrats and servants, they have a hard time with the concept of a ‘middle class.’
For the second time:
Now you claim:
Craig is a long-time commenter in Greenwald’s columns, and well-known as a deeply authoritarian torture enthusiast. Given that: 1. You cannot back up your vague claims with specifics, and 2. That you argue the site’s most authoritarian commenter, who advocates vile things, has “captured” anything properly, I doubt your judgment.
This article couldn’t possibly be any further from the truth about what is going on in Brazil if the authors tried.
The elite in Brazil is a minority. The millions of people in the streets are middle class and poor. They aren’t anti-social causes. What they are is against the huge amount of taxes they pay without any return for it. The infrastructure is pretty much non existent in the entire country and what does exist in the big cities is usually in precarious conditions.
They claim they need to raise taxes to be able to improve the infrastructure, but the mony only gets embezzled into the politicians pockets and Swiss bank accounts.
Meanwhile the poor people that PT claims to have pulled out of poverty still can’t afford schools, health insurance and other basic services. If they get sick they wait for days in public hospitals before they are attended by anyone and most often when the finally get attended to, there is nothing that can be done because the hospitals lack basic supplies, and doctors, nevermind medicine. And if you go to a private hospital, unless you have health insurance, mostly paid out of your own pockets and cibvers almost nothing, they will not let you in the front door.
If you want to write an article about what is going on in Brazil, write about what really is going on: the people that work to finance the country are tired of being robbed by the politicians without getting anything worthwhile in return. It is not about keeping PT from building schools and hospitals for the poor. If only they did do that, the situation would not have boiled over so many times in the last few years.
In many ways, Glenn’s article reminds me of the second term of the Clinton presidency and its sex scandal peccadillo and the subsequent fiasco of our equally corrupt (as in Brazil), rabid right and corporate-controlled, U.S. Congress, then and now. They impeached Bill, but he managed to squeak through the Senate trial that allowed him to remain in office. That trial w(in, in my opinion, must have taken much “horse trading” – Drastic, behind closed doors deals, I’m guessing, that made a mockery of our Democracy: OUT OF CONTROL OLIGARCHS running for the highest offices in order to plunder yet more.
“In many ways, PT and Dilma are not sympathetic victims. Large segments of the population are genuinely angry at them for plainly legitimate reasons. But their sins do not justify the sins of their long-standing political enemies, and most certainly do not render subversion of Brazilian democracy something to cheer.”
I’d prefer to say that “The sins commited by their opposition should not be used to forgive their own”. We want all the people involved to be arrested.
Gentlemen,
Excellent journalism and assessment of what’s happening in Brasil.
Thank you.
Bad journalism.. I live in Brazil and 95% population is bad and poor
There is no coup being staged. These demonstrations are simply what should occur against any government that is proved to use corruption as a mean to hold on to power. It is just a shame that it took so long for people to take to the streets in larger numbers, and that the opposition is only supporting impeaching the president out of self interest.
Thanks for the well-written article. It depicts Brazil’s chaotic scenery perfectly.
lol what a bunch of lies… more than 65% of the population is IN FAVOR of the president’s impeachment.
If 65% of the population are “rich oligarchs” then I guess Brazil must be the richest country in the world, right?
For those willing to understand what is truly going on in Brazil, you are better off reading the comments section. As mention by myself, another reader called Eduardo and many more, this article is incredibly biased. In an attempt to defend their point-of-view, the authors dig an even deeper hole when replying to comments, committing the same ‘mistakes’ they claim readers do when depicting half-truths in order to explain Brazil’s complex political and social landscape.
It is scary to see misinformed writers have such a platform to disseminate their opinions when they believe they know better simply because, well, they are the ones with the medium exposure.
Good comment Eduardo.
I don’t know, craigsummers – Eduardo’s comment seems rather devoid of any factual content, doesn’t it?
I suppose people like Eduardo are worried that even the limited education reforms that Lulu and Rouseff introduced will eventually force them to compete with the rising middle class for jobs, leading to a fall in their elite status, perhaps they will even (horrors!) end up having to push their own baby carriages down the street?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11458409
2 Oct 2010
“Number-crunchers say rising incomes have catapulted more than 29 million Brazilians into the middle class during the eight-year presidency of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former trade unionist elected in 2002.”
“Some of these people are beneficiaries of government handouts and others of a steadily improving education system. Brazilians are staying in school longer, which secures them higher wages, which drives consumption, which in turn fuels a booming domestic economy.”
Seems like what happened is that the global collapse in the oil price has led to economic difficulties and now the elites are attempting to manipulate the situation in an effort to preserve their privileged lifestyles from encroachment by the unwashed masses.
It’s true that millions of brazilians entered middle-class during Lula’s presidency, but consider that this was achieved and sustained through measures like increased taxation, artificially low basic interest rate, loose fiscal and inflation control policies, stimulus of specific economic sectors (like automotive and construction) and freezing of state controlled prices (fuel, energy and others), in the disastrous national economic policy well known as “Nova Matriz Econômica” (New Economic Matrix, a direct translation).
There was indeed a belief that stimulating consumption would lead to economic growth (as it should) but that didnt happen as expected. The reasons why are subject to debate but I can assure you one of them is that the country’s generators of jobs are sufocating for a long time and unable and/or willing to meet the the increased demand with the required increased production.
I think there has been a confusion with names and statements…
Mr. Photosymbiois, you should check your sources. lula and dilma roussef never introduced any education reform…and i would dare you name one…
As for the increasing income “catapulting” 29 millions into the middle class, that was a result of good infraestructure reforms done primarily in the Itamar and FHC governments…
As of today, Brasil’s GDP is back to before the real plan…
Inflation rate is the highest in the last 25 years…unemployment rate is soaring…
Check your sources…and I suggest you switch your number crunchers…
What specific mistakes and “half-truths” have any of the authors stated in comments? The resident rightwing authoritarian and torture promoter, Craig Summers, likes your comment, which is not helpful to your vague accusations.
Mona is the former law partner of Greenwald, but she really has no interests in Brazil – only in protecting Greenwald. As Eduardo states, Greenwald’s article is incredibly biased. Greenwald protects the left wing government by shifting attention to “corporate” media bias and class warfare – yet admits that the current government is intensely unpopular with all segments of Brazilian society. He blames the “oligarch owned, anti-democratic media outlets” for incomplete coverage yet agrees that the economy is in the tank and the government is corrupt!
The current President brought Da Silva into the government to protect him from prosecution. In itself, that should bring criminal charges against the government. At the very least, this shows how cronyism has infected the Workers Party.
The fact that the
Factors partially beyond the control of the ruling party have undermined Brazil’s economic progress – mainly the collapse in oil and commodity prices, but also the huge U.S. dollar debt held by Brazilian companies.
For example, let’s say you own $100,000 in student loans. Your debt gets downgraded by the same amount Brazil’s debt has been. Your monthly loan payment almost doubles. At the same time your wages are cut by 50%. Are you happy or dissatisfied?
So, the U.S. foreign policy establishment and the Brazilian aristocrat class sees this as an opportunity to kick the elected political party out of power, roll back their reforms, and return Brazil to client state status with more treats for the elite, who didn’t like the new middle class proles anyway.
And please stop trolling the other commentators, craigsummers, it’s tedious and repetitive.
“…….Factors partially beyond the control of the ruling party have undermined Brazil’s economic progress…..”
Some economic factors are indeed out of their control, but corruption is not. So if the right wing parties want to gain power, they certainly can fairly use the economy (which is in a huge downturn), but they would be completely moronic to not use the charges of corruption against the Workers Party to remove the left wing government from power. That is what opposition parties do you know.
“……And please stop trolling the other commentators, craigsummers, it’s tedious and repetitive…..”
Yea, like that’s going to influence who I respond to – but thanks for the advice.
Exactly. The writers have done this movement a major disservice. It’s unclear why. Do they really mean to protect the corrupt status quo of the Brazilian government? Whether right or left, corrupt is corrupt. C’mon guys. Do better.
Hello Mr. Greenwald,
It’s a very complex story and you’ve been able to summarize it almost accurately.
However, there are some missing points in there.
Well, there’s one in particular that I want to shine some light on. Worker’s party is currently been investigated for using “dirty” money to run their campaign (so as well as opposition and almost all parties). Therefore, with any given poll result, how can you say that it was a democratic election? And that’s the underlying main point people usually can’t see. Some Brazilians (you name it…) have lost their faith in the currently elected politicians and will run after all of them until someone trustworthy arise.
The other thing is, the nanny depicted in the photograph later said in a video interview she would be protesting for Dilma’s impeachment if she wasn’t working and also said that the time she takes to come from her place to downtown would prevent her from coming to protest – and, yes, you got it: the transportation system is poorly manage by governors and still worst in poor areas of most cities. Doesn’t it sound exactly the contrary of what sometimes we listen from Workers Party? I’m sure there must be a reason for that.
And always remember: people tend to be with one side or another. It is sometimes good, sometimes bad. Only time will tell. Some of us – Brazilians – just want the our currently two years recession to end up, something the actual governors (from ALL parties) have not been able to accomplish.
Kindly regards,
Gustavo.
@gust4vor4mos
A very enlightening and well-balanced article. Thank you.
Given their penchant for assisting in the toppling of left-leaning governments in South and Central America (and everywhere else, for that matter), is there any indication that the USA has a hand in the present crisis?
Mr. Greenwald, Mr. Fishman and Mr. Miranda
“……None of this is a defense of PT. Both because of genuine widespread corruption in that party and national economic woes, Dilma and PT are intensely unpopular among all classes and groups, even including the party’s working-class base. But the street protests — as undeniably large and energized as they have been — are driven by those who are traditionally hostile to PT…….”
Despite your denial, this article is written in defense of the PT – the so called Workers Party. It’s clear that the charges against the Workers Party are painful for the writers of this article – so you are lashing out at anyone and everyone to protect a corrupt left wing government. The attacks on the “plutocrats, their media, and the upper and middle classes”, the associations of the rich with US actions during the cold war and even the picture of the two white people and the maid with the stroller are meant to provide an image that the protests against a corrupt government are class driven – even though you indicate the current government is deeply unpopular with all segments of Brazilian society. Despite the claim that millions have been lifted out of poverty, that does not excuse a corrupt government or the protection of the former President da Silva by bringing him into the government. This article attempts to deflect attention from the corrupt Workers Party with classic whataboutery and class warfare – and your primary reason is to protect the left wing government (exactly what you deny).
“……In a democracy, governments are chosen by voting, not by displays of street opposition — particularly where, as in Brazil, the protests are drawn from a relatively narrow societal segment……”
Nothing you write could be further from the truth. Street protests are fundamental to a democracy and democratic change. Numerous times in the past, street protests have toppled governments – like Egypt, Tunisia and Poland to name just a few. People have a basic right to protest – especially against a corrupt government. It is largely irrelevant if charges of corruption against a corrupt government are leveled by corrupt politicians from the opposition parties. That doesn’t make the government any less corrupt. It just ensures job security for the prosecutors.
Finally, your constant use of the word “incited” stirs the imagination. Have the protests in Brazil been largely violent or unlawful? Did Democracy Now! incite the occupy protests or was it Wall Street and the banks? Is it not possible that it’s the corruption in the left wing government that is the inciting the protests rather than your designated scapegoat, the “plutocratic” corporate media? And if the current government is “intensely unpopular” with all segments of Brazilian society, how are the protests “incited” by the media?
A very revealing article.
To alert new readers to Craig Summers worldview in order to better understand his comment: Craig says he will vote for Donald Trump. Craig doesn’t only advocate that torture should be legal, he thinks it is a positively good thing. Moreover, Craig believes police shouldn’t be constrained by the Fourth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, which requires judicial warrants for searches and seizures of persons and their things. Finally, Craig is a hardcore Zionist who defends almost every crime committed by the State of Israel.
Craig is a far-right authoritarian of the highest order.
attack the author instead of the facts is typical attitude of the workers’ party supporters
Attention new readers: Mona is the designated hall monitor of the Intercept. She is the former law partner of Greenwald. She is an anti-Jewish bigot who has said that all Zionists are racist. She defends the stabbing and killing of Israeli civilians (pregnant or not) as legitimate resistance. Here was her comment from a thread the other day:
“…………Ten years ago, a Jewish friend told me that neoconservatives and the Israel Lobby were the most dangerous thing to arise for Jews in many decades. He noted that once Americans realize the U.S. is sending their sons and daughters into Middle Eastern wars desired by Israel and promoted by neoconservatives and the Israel Lobby at home, there will be rage. There will be fury about the billions we send Israel and the way our foreign policy and politics are warped by the Lobby. And it has come to pass — we are seeing that with the antisemitic Trumpites. They realize it all, and they are furious…….”
This comment suggests that Jews control our foreign policy, bilk us out of billions and send our sons and daughters to war on their behalf. These same kinds of comments can be read at Stormfront, or by David Duke. She is a far left wing bigot.
OK Mona, we have gotten that off our chests. Any response to my comment?
Here’s a response you fucking Zionazi Punk: Israel is the tail that wags the US Dog and it will all end very soon, since Hillary Clinton will never be elected President. Next week we will all see her prostrate herself and genuflect to the assembled Zionazis of AIPAC, which will seal her fate with a lot of people who are sick of that crappy little Criminal State.
My guess is that Trump will not be warmly received and if he’s smart he’ll dress these WAR CRIME LOVING assholes down publicly and come away with another 3 million general election votes.
If you love Israel, get the fuck out of the country, join the IDF and become a war criminal yourself. Otherwise shut the fuck up.
Mona
Here you go – right out of Stormfront. It is getting more difficult every day to differentiate far left wing fascist from far right wing fascists. It’s nice to see your comments attract other bigots Mona.
Thanks for the comment Brad
My comment is true. And is precisely why my Jewish friends was prescient and very right. The comments sections at this site have lately been inundated by antisemites who write as they do about Jews at Stormfront.
The Israel Lobby manipulates American politics for the State of Israel , the self-declared “Jewish State.” The fodder this reality gives to actual antisemites is among the risks that so concerned my Jewish friend.
“…..The Israel Lobby manipulates American politics for the State of Israel , the self-declared “Jewish State.” The fodder this reality gives to actual antisemites is among the risks that so concerned my Jewish friend….”
Sorry Mona, but your comment was totally ignorant and indicts you as an anti-Jewish bigot. YOU are responsible for spreading the worst antisemitic canards about Jews imaginable. The funny thing is that you call anyone else antisemitic.
I’ve seen this little punk’s trash before. You are correct Mona. He’s another right wing, War Crime Loving, Zionazi . He should never be censored, since his pieces are educational in regard to how the insane Fascist Mindset functions.
Since you are not posting under any recognizable moniker, I assume you are a coward. Any response to my first comment – or even Mona’s comment that “antisemitic” Trumpites are right to be furious that Jews are sending our sons and daughters to war on their behalf? Or that Jews are the cause of antisemitism?
Oh, I’ve never advocated that Craig should be banned from the site; I’ve said the opposite. He seems to think my views on the criminal State of Israel will make me look bad among intelligent and knowledgeable readers who are not as authoritarian as he is. Rather, I’m glad he quoted me — I wish for those points to be broadcast again.
Tail that wags the dog; zionazis – right up your alley Mona.
Still any response to my comment?
The U.S. Israel Lobby conducts itself similarly to that in the UK. I suggest, Craig, that you and other readers watch this Bristish TV news magazine episode: Dispatches: Inside Britain’s Israel Lobby 2009.
This reality is to antisemitism what a warm moist environment is to mold.
Mona
You continue to avoid answering my first post. Do you have any rebuttal that you would care to share with new readers?
I “avoid” engaging you much less these days because many have complained about the endless, repetitive threads generated when I do so. There are some new readers here lately, and so I’ve engaged you a bit more — they would be unaware of your enthusiastic support for torture, your defense of Israel’s crimes, and your general deep authoritarianism.
Generally, I will reply to you only when I have information I consider enlightening for new readers.
“……I “avoid” engaging you much less these days because many have complained about the endless, repetitive threads generated when I do so…..”
That is a lie Mona. You said so yourself that you engage me when I need rebutting. Where is the rebuttal from my first post?
For the last time in this comment section: I will rebut you, or answer you, or in any manner substantively reply to you, when doing so serves the readers. And not any more than that. Having replied to you somewhat frequently in the past only encouraged your many, often endlessly long, and almost always irrelevant, comments; this pisses off the regulars. So, no more.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clean_Break:_A_New_Strategy_for_Securing_the_Realm
This is a policy paper prepared for Netanyahoo by Zionist neocons, detailing a plan on how the US and Israel should run Mid East policy. That plan gave a starring role to the US military.
The “Project for a New American Century” grew out of the Clean Break doctrine. Again, many of the same neocon Zionists were involved. The Project for a New American Century became the blueprint for Iraq and subsequent US adventures in the Middle East.
Mona’s comment re America sending its sons and daughters to fight Israel’s wars is entirely correct. And reading Craven Clinton’s speech to AIPAC, it’s déjà vue all over again.
P.S. I don’t much read Craven Craig either. Why bother.
He’s voting for HRC, not Trump. Obviously.
For the record, I am dual-citizen (Brazil, USA) liberal, will vote democrat in the next elections, and I also believe Trump must be stopped. Yet, this thread in the comments section is about the article on Brazil and how biased the authors have been in writing and supporting their views.
In that case, then, Craig Summers have captured the current sentiment in Brazil- where I am right now following and engaging the political and economic situation, by the way – better than those entrusted to shed light on what’s happening in the country.
Your views on Craig are as irrelevant as are his revelations about your background. What instilling is that you seem to think that they are more important than answering the points he makes.
Thanks Intercept for that unique reliable voice on the subject I could find on the Internet. Thanks so much.
It’s refreshing to read an article like yours with sound arguments that don’t try to spin everything to make it all look like a big “class struggle.” Personally, I could not care less what your background is since you’ve made some valid points that at least are worth considering. It’s a shame that people on this thread are more interested in personal attacks instead of engaging you in order to make this a productive conversation. (Or maybe they have nothing to rebut? … )
Thanks Luke.
I would add a growing intolerance regarding any political point of view not aligned with mainstream media, to the point of people being assaulted for wearing the color red or, as happened to myself, on making a remark about “political trial based on incited commotion x due trial processes” being accused of “defend corrupts because I don’t have good values”.
Eristic arguments are the only form of dialogue happening on the streets now.
Glenn,
(For the record, I don’t support any party or politician in Brazil)
I understand that your article is basically saying that (1) the PT party has indeed been corrupt, but (2) what matters more is that removing the corrupt PT party constitutes a coup on democracy, and (3) one orchestrated by corporations and the upper class.
I am troubled by the fact that you present that (largely political) view built only partly on facts.
What your article left out, and is utmost important for those unfamiliar with the current political scene in Brazil to consider, is that what really is at stake is that the Brazilian population as a whole, rich and poor, gained immense purchase power and increased well-being during the 2003 – 2011 (give or take a couple of years depending on your analysis)… and here’s the crux: then, given both a worsened scenario for global trade and appalling mismanagement of domestic economy, Brazilian tax payers and voters lost it all… now 40% of Brazilian adults are insolvent and listed as bad payers (Serasa credit list), 100,000 formal jobs are being lost every month, and the GDP will be negative *at least* in both 2015 and 2016 with an inflation of around 10% per year.
THAT is the real reason Brazilians are angry… the corruption, which indeed has always existed, and will not cease in the foreseeable future, is but the scapegoat.
Time and again, the people, especially those who are uneducated (and Brazilians mostly are, with a whopping 75% of them being functionally illiterate), will settle for bread and circus. Take it away, and in due time out comes the guillotine. It’s not complicated.
Similar events have happened or happen in Romania as we speak, with the difference that Romania is part of the European Union (the grand paragon of justice, deffender of human rights etc sarcasm intended). Latest, the currently unelected, non-representative Ciolos government (which came in power via “anti-corruption” street protests against the legitimate, democratically elected government) gave through, via its Justice minister, Raluca Pruna, a governmental order that gave Romania’s most powerful intelligence agency (SRI), prosecuting power with no supervision and declared that “human rights are a theoretical luxury”. This type of anti-democratic strategy by neoliberal oligarchy keeps showing up across the globe, wherever there are large uninformed masses, easy to manipulate via social media. In Romania, this strategy is supported mainly by US Embassy.
“But the recorded conversation was released by Judge Moro with no due process and, worse, with clearly political, not judicial, purposes: Namely, he was furious that his investigation of Lula would be terminated by his appointment to Dilma’s cabinet ”
I don’t see how you separate the political from judicial here. Dilma’s act was an political effort to subvert the courts. This isn’t a sign of a right wing conspiracy. It’s a sign that the anti-corruption forces aren’t going to give up easily.
I appreciate your discussion of the complications in this disaster, but it’s this kind of bias towards conspiracy that makes the rest of your conclusions harder to take at face value.
Wildcat democracy is as unhelpful as cowboy capitalism. Capitalism is wonderful up to a point, as the world found out in 2008. Brazil must understand that too much democracy also leads to chaos and ruin.
The pursuit of happiness must unfold serially for each class. The left has had its day; now it’s the turn of another class. One thing is clear: the pursuit of happiness cannot move ahead for any class when the streets are jammed with all classes screaming at once and waving bright colors.
Order––the Brazilian democracy needs order. Just as in other democracies, a dictator will have to step in once in a while to help democracy run smoothly. History is full of that lesson. George Washington, Oliver Cromwell, Napoleon Bonaparte: these generals held the fractured pieces together until an orderly democracy might be reestablished.
In the barracks outside of Rio privates are now putting a spit shine on their boots. Generals sigh and reach for their fancy hats once again. Will Brazilians never learn?
A military takeover must be welcomed. Let roses be tossed in the path of tanks rumbling down the avenues. The generals will assure everyone that they have only taken over until Brazil is finished with hosting the Olympics. Big sports is a godsend to the coup. The streets will empty as Brazilians settle in before the TV. After which the military will supervise the steps leading up to the next constitutional convention. At most, only a year’s suspension of democracy. Maybe two.
There are very important infos missing in this analysis. Which makes it at the same time suspicious. Is Mr. Greenwald part of “controlled” journalism now?
The criticism on O Globo is correct, but obvious. Suspicious is the lack of information about the involvement of the USA in this attack on Brazil’s democracy. And why the western mainstream media seems to copy/paste Globo’s version.
Which brings me to the next point that might be connected to the lack of criticism in western mainstream media: there is no information whatsoever on the relationship of Lula’s main opponent Aecio Neves with George Soros and the CIA.
And who got appointed as US ambassador in Brazil by the Obama administration? Yes, Liliana Ayalde about whom wikileaks revealed her memos and significant role in the juridical-mediatic “coup” of Paraguay 2012, also by a so-called impeachment procedure.
In other words the US ambassador is a specialist in this matter. And not only Paraguay but also the juridical-mediatic “coup” in Honduras seem to have served as a laboratory for this coup in Brazil.
And finally, Dilma also makes very powerful enemies. She refused the Israeli ambassador to Brazil over settler ties. In today’s controlled world such a strong stance doesn’t come without consequences.
The coup may be served in Brazil but a big part of the cooking is happening outside Brazil. But real investigative journalism seems to have died when certain powerful elements are involved.
I searched “Paraguay” on the page, you are the only one mentioning the impeachment coup in Paraguay,started July 2012, completed in Januari 2013. Greenwald & co act if rumors of a possible coup in Brazil are from yesterday, while Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Venezuela all moved populist right, while wasting time tweeting Buzzfeed links. Press and TV stations play important role in masses on the streets. Think Greenwald knows all this stuff, but he ain’t exactly a model leftist, Brazil
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/paraguay-archives-44/3758-a-coup-over-land-the-resource-war-behind-paraguays-crisis
93% X 7%
93% of the population is against the government. People started the movement way before the “midia controled by the olirgarquies” start to pay attention.
Check your source! This articles is manipulative and contain lies.
Terrible article
News corportations oligopoly = Evil Empire.
It’s simple as that.
It’s an incredible thing to be witnessing the power and unbelieveable influence that a news corporation oligopoly can have over a country and its people. Never thought I’d see it to such an extension, and in my own country. They made an outlaw judge a hero, and a president that left office with 80% approval
I’m an American who’s lived in Brazil since 2009. My Brazilian wife voted for Lula and we both were encouraged when social welfare programs were initiated. Giving the lower classes means and opportunity to enter the middle class is the only true way to grow a country’s economy and strengthen its democracy.
Too bad PT completely fucked it up. They paid no attention to Brazil’s systemic problems, deciding instead to enrich themselves by stealing the people’s money.
What are Brazil’s systemic problems?
A reliance on commodity exports.
High taxes and a tax system that is impossible to follow and expensive to comply with.
Huge barriers to entrepreneurs to start and grow new businesses.
Lack of adequate public safety.
Disgraceful health care.
Even more disgraceful education system.
A neglected infrastructure.
And last but not least:
Massive corruption and impunity — which are endemic across all classes in Brazil.
The Petrobras scandal ignited the protests. Regardless of what Mr. Greenwald thinks, the working classes do not need Globo TV to tell them to protest when unemployment is high, inflation is skyrocketing, and workers will now have to decide between food or rent. They are seriously facing a slide back into poverty.
As I said, corruption is endemic across all classes. The graft a businessman pays to speed the ungodly slow process of forming a business, the tax revenue that is lost when the richest hide their wealth offshore due to increasingly higher taxes (seriously, since when in the history of economics has increasing taxes led to decreasing tax avoidance?), to the bribes paid to traffic cops, to the kickbacks film producers pay to film sponsors (from public tax incentive money), to more common forms of thievery, petty crime and embezzlement by the lower classes on each other and on their employers.
Impunity is both a function of the law, and of enforcement. Just one example:
A few years back Brazil instituted a zero-tolerance law to combat drunk driving. “Zero” in this bar-and-beer-centric culture is a joke. “Designated drivers” do not exist here. So the law does not get obeyed. And because the law is not obeyed — on a massive scale –, it does get enforced. Because the law does not get enforced, it is a meaningless law.
This is the same pattern for criminal law. Judges are given a lot of leeway in ruling on criminal cases. A Brazilian friend tells me of how her older brother was shot and killed on the streets of São Paulo. He was an innocent bystander during a routine robbery. The killer was caught, arrested and found guilty. However, the judge did not sentence him to jail, citing that his impoverished background was more to blame.
In Brazil about 30% of violent crimes are committed by adolescents. But sending them to adult prison will only give them a graduate degree in crime. Rehabilitation is not only expensive and difficult; it may ultimately fail if the drug trade is the only employer in the favelas.
Also, criminal law allows eligible inmates to spend up to five holidays with their family. While most voluntarily return (whose family do they feel closer to?) thousands never do.
Meanwhile, the police have some of the worse records in the world for brutality and outright murder with virtually no consequences!
Oh, and don’t believe that Brazil is the multi-cultural center of the world. Black Brazilians ages 12 to 18 are almost three times more likely to get killed than their white counterparts. 58 percent of all people killed in the state of São Paulo by the military police were black.
And as commodity prices continue to plummet and unemployment rises, the government has done little to grow new jobs. Instead of focusing on job creation, they turned to unfettered stimulus spending — mostly to non-competitive protected businesses with strong personal ties to those in government (who could have guessed?). And the supposedly autonomous central bank began to allow higher inflation as a way of boosting growth.
The bureaucracy for new and existing businesses here is staggering. It takes an average of three months to open a new company. And don’t think you will be able to close a company, it will never happen.
The social costs of employing workers is almost insupportable. The unit labor cost in Brazil is the highest in Latin America and increased faster in the last 5 years than the wages and the productivity of labor in its competitors.
Here are the condensed stats on Brazil’s economy:
The overall tax burden amounts to 33.4 percent of GDP. Public spending equals over ONE-THIRD of GDP, and fiscal stimulus efforts have increased chronic deficits. Public debt equals about 65 percent of GDP.
In 2015 the country realized a negative growth of 3.8% The forecast of GDP this year is also negative growth of 4%. During the last 3 years, the economy shrunk more than 10%. There were more than 9 million unemployed Brazilians in 2015. This year there will be over 10 million.
Oh yeah, don’t forget that PT brazenly stole from Petrobras resulting in a loss of R $ 88 billion and pocketed R $ 30 billion to finance a pet power project.
So, how does PT deal with this? Give Lula a Minister post to make him almost entirely immune from prosecution. Then, PT hands out money to the unemployed to join in the pro-PT demonstrations in support of the ruling party.
And yes, all of the politicians are corrupt, from every party. So just eliminating PT will only partially solve the problem.
What should be done:
I am quoting from Roberto B. Motta: “Impeach the president, dissolve Congress and write a new Constitution, a new penal law, a new labor law and new tax law.
“Dissolve all courts and start from scratch with a new legal process code and strict external controls.
“Abolish mandatory vote and implement voting districts and one-term limits.
“Cancel mandatory union contributions and union monopoly.
“Revamp school curriculums from scratch.” (I would add make the curriculum as political neutral as possible — by not spinning how great Communism was.)
“Prohibit the State from spending money with anything other than education, health services and public security.
“Privatize all 300+ state companies.
“Reduce the number of federal government appointees by 80%.
“Require candidates for legislative and executive branch offices to have at least a university degree and a few years of work experience.” (I would add reduce the bureaucracy especially for small and new businesses and provide tax incentives to employers instead of penalizing them for starting and running a business.)
It is very important not to reward corruption with impunity, ie: don’t let Lulu off the hook. That would be a bad example to set to all Brazilians: you can be corrupt and rob with no consequences.
How can it be done:
Time and Youth.
The younger generations realize the problems. They have the energy, the enthusiasm and idealism to make the changes needed.
Brazil is a very young democracy and has a lot to learn. What we are seeing these days is real proof that the country we can survive (hopefully!) These are moments of revolt against the ruling systems, and they prove that Democracy can make change happen.
By far, this is THE BEST description of current day Brazil I have read in ages. Nicely, OBJECTIVELY and concisely written, congrats! I would add, for the reader’s benefit, that in 2010 Lula ended his second term with an 83% all-time record satisfaction rate. In turn, after being reelected by a 3.68-point difference against her opponent, Dilma has been facing a drastically low 9% satisfaction rate for her administration. So the three million (or six million) protesters on the streets of 326 cities throughout Brazil last Sunday were genuinely voicing the dissatisfaction of 91% of the country’s voters.
Yes, the Workers Party totally fucked up by promising and not delivering, or yet by delivering something they knew would not be sustainable in the long run. And yes, they royally fucked up by joining AND substantially expanding a preexisting corruption ring instead of putting an end to it.
After voting for the Workers Party from 1989 (Erundina, for São Paulo mayor) through 2002 (Lula’s first presidential election), I felt betrayed when observing Lula’s effort to detach himself from the “mensalão” electoral fraud in 2005-2006. Most certainly, impunity played a key role in facilitating the wrongdoings of mensalão members. Then, during Dilma’s first presidential term, I saw Brazilians from across the socioeconomic spectrum complaining more and more about inflation, job loss, rising food prices, housing, fuel and cost of transportation, tax burden, poor public health services, and a number of other things that once integrated the Workers Party’s campaign platform. At the same time, corruption scandals began to pop up. In the latter part of 2015 there were no less than 100 major cases being handled at the Federal Prosecutor’s Office — of which the Petrobras scandal is by far the largest — with more than 26,000 people under investigation.
Today a small part of the population that still supports Lula, Dilma and the Workers Party tries to find culprits for everything that has gone wrong in their administration. For example, they blame the media for inciting demonstrations. They have even adopted a motto: “Coup d état no more!” In their minds, people + news media + establishment are engendering a ‘soft coup’. Little do these people know… an overturn was already taking place, and quite brazenly, the moment Brazil became a world champion of lack of morals and ethics.
Ahh and about the people agains government being PSDB side, you must read a lil bit more, because Aecio Neves one of the candidates of president of PSDB tried to go to the manifestation and he was kicked out by people, we use the brazilian flag, we don’t use partidos or sindicatos flags as the one who are “pro” government does. I live in a city that the major is from PT, he give a free day for the government employees that want to go to Avenida Paulista, they used public money to pay the transportation. Im sick on being stoled every fu**** day
54 million who elected her? JOKE, here they use eletronical vote, the same company that was investigate by corruption. And if she were elected correctly that doesn’t give her the right to FU** with the brazilian people. I think u must come here, don’t receive government money, try to work hard and honestly then u will be able to comment better about this!
Talking about media, part of the investigation showed the world that Carta Capital, a brazilian “magazine”, receive themes of their posts from Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT. And yes its true, the own EX president Lula told this. Im ashamed to be brazilian right now. The Act pro government that they did here led to the streets municipal employees that are working there because the KNOW somebody, here they are called as “comissionados”. These “left” politicians doesn’t care about the poor people, they care about their wallets. Im brazilian, I wake up everyday at 5am to work, I ride bus every single day, I work hard to try to pay my bills and I am against this current government!
The issue of why such chaos is being promoted in Brazil cannot be sought merely within the confines of the country. The argument that the issue is an internal quest for real democracy is therefore a fallacy of composition. One must look to the larger geopolitical strategy of the crumbling empire of international finance (which emphatically includes “pro-democracy” billionaire financier and looter George Soros.) Brazil is one link in a new BRICS financial system emerging to replace the thoroughly bankrupt Wall Street City of London axis.
Very well written article, with a good grasp of the media in Brazil and the dirty hands of those trying to take Dilma down. However, you omitted much mention of the fact that Dilma was attempting to put Lula in her cabinet so as to (not literally, but effectively) grant him immunity from the Operation Car Wash investigations. If she had done this some time ago in response to, say, the economic crisis, it would have been more legitimate than after Lula was placed into custody for interrogation by the authorities. Judge Moro overstepped by releasing the recordings, but both sides are now in “by any means necessary” territory, reducing the legitimacy of Brazil’s democratic institutions. I am sure you didn’t swallow “everybody does it” after Nixon’s hi-jinks.
The authors are affiliated with the PT party for sure. I cannot believe I’ve read such an inaccurate text comparing one of the largest polo all scandals in the planet with the other political parties in Brazil. PT party did not made anything better not to the poor nor to the rich but to themselves. I’m not affiliated to any political party at this time but what Brazil has on power at the moment is just unacceptable, they’re not only corrupt but real criminals. The president Dilma has won only because almost 20% of the population did not vote, did the author actually checked on that? Does the authors actually have lived or has family in Brazil to speak such bs like I heard to understand the reality of the country?? The economy of the country was at its best when the PT party gained its power 15 years ago and what did they do? Broke Brazil with their unprepared leaders and corruption. This manifestations are not about the history or saving what has been done, (would the people money be taken back? I don’t think so.) but about changing this shitty government so the economy can get straighten up once again in few years. Ohh about Mr. Molo the Brazil’s hero, he is a man who represents the whole nation, if the authors doesn’t understand the call he released to the public in order to non believers understand how criminal those governants are, I’m sorry, go learn some Portuguese and please don’t be silly. No actual president call an ex president to offer an official position in the government in order to save the ex president from going to jail by any good reasons. It is a crime what the actual president did and that is why the Supreme Court denied such appointment to the ex president and enabled the country hero to be one taking care of their criminal faction and getting them to pay for their deeds. Terrible information here, your text sucks according to your left wing like hood of giving credits to a criminal corrupt party like PT. #shutup #dontwritebs #yousuck #foradilma #forapt #acordabrasil #learnthefacts #mortadela
I’m Brazilian born and live in the country, but spent many years in the US. Thank you for writing an evenhanded and careful article that contextualizes the highly complex scenario in Brazil. I’ve followed closely US media’s coverage of this story and much like in the 2003 preamble to the Iraq War, they’re really out to lunch on this one, choosing to parrot the Folha de São Paulo editorial line, which panders to its conservative readers. US journalists, step out of the white, elite São Paulo/Rio de Janeiro bubble, and interview a wider range of sources. Then you”ll be able to provide a more accurate story for your readership/viewers.
Hi. Im brazilian, I’m poor, brown and I Do not vote PT. Because of them I’m unployed, my children’s education is a shit cause they steal our money and give nothing to education and health, the taxes don’t allow us to survive. I can’t stand live here anymore. These PT power ir like a dictadure, nothing of democracy here. I once voted on PT, but I will never vote again, NEVER. Please… the government is friend of venezuela and cuba, they want to install socialism and chaos on the latino america. We are trying to get out of this calamity, we are going to the streets to try start a new life. I felt really offended with this post… Please, they are not a democracy. They don’t took people from misery, they just reduced the model salary’s of the medium classe, so everyone became medium class. Its true, everyone is corrupt, i dont defend any party, everyone has to go to jail, but PT is our cancer… we are in the worst crisis off all time. Come here and see with your eyes. Please, we need help. Dont defend them.
Ridiculous. The authors are clearly painting a left-leaning narrative for english speaking readers who don’t know what’s really going on in Brazil. Just a few points that most english readers are probably unaware of that completely show how biased and innacurate this article is:
1. The article mentions “right-wing political and economical factions”, but there is no significant political right-wing in Brazil now, and there hasn’t been for at least 20 years. Lula himself celebrated the fact that in the 2002 elections there was no right-wing candidate. The simple fact is that the conservative and liberal right have no representatives in Brazil, and the left keep saying it’s a democracy. The parties commonly labeled right-wing, mainly PSDB, which the articles calls “center-right”, are leftist parties modeled after Fabian socialism, and they are simply playing the role of opposition in a scenario where the left has complete hegemony.
2. Blaming corporate media outlets for the political crisis is typical of the brazilian left, who used this narrative since the 1960’s. In fact, since PT came into power, the major media outlets became more and more dependent on federal money, and signed billionary contracts for government propaganda.
3. The article says PT, was formed in 1980 as a classic Latin American left-wing socialist party and to improve its national appeal, it moderated its socialist dogma and gradually became a party more akin to Europe’s social democrats. Wrong. PSDB fits that description, but in order to say that the article would contradict itself on its claim that PSDB is “center-right”. There was nothing classic about PT before, and there was no “moderation”. PT was formed by dissidents of the Brazilian Communist Party who wanted to focus on union politics, leftist intellectuals heavily influenced by Marcuse and Hobsbawn, and the liberation theology.
4. The article says PT has “ushered a series of economic and social reforms … which have lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty”. PT made absolutely no reforms. They merely used the commodities boom in the early-mid 2000’s to create cash handouts and welfare programs with an obvious populist goal among the poorest, and to give cheap credit and encourage consumption among the lower to middle class. After the boom was over, the country couldn’t afford maintaining the same programs, which led to the insatisfaction that’s behind the protests and the political crisis going on right now. Claiming PT lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty is proof that someone isn’t thinking or is being deceptive, because a person who depends on welfare and cash handouts is in poverty. In fact, PT wasted the only chance Brazil will probably ever have to improve its infrastructure. What they did was the equivalent of borrowing money to throw a party, and the party is over, and someone has to pay.
5. Saying the judge Sergio Moro leaked a vague conversation to the media with no due process is, again, proof of malice or ignorance, more likely malice. Nobody leaked anything. The prosecutor on the case asked the judge to lift the veil of secrecy on all evidence in the case, and he approved. There was nothing vague about the recording, and saying the “anti-PT forces depiced it as incriminating puts you between a rock and a hard place”. Regardless of the interpretation, the president committed a crime. Under the accepted interpretation — and by accepted, I mean, the one the supreme court justice used to suspend Lula’s nomination –, the president used the nomination to shield a friend. Under her interpretation, she committed fraud and falsified a federal document. There’s no way out.
And this is just a few points I could catch on a glance. I could go on and on, but why waste the time when it’s very likely the authors will delete this comment?
I am Brazilian and I am very much ashamed of the government and opposition we have in our Country. The article is very well written and shows exactly what Brazil situation is all about. I really wish that Dilma is impeached and all those who committed crimes, including LuLa go to prison, and I dont need to be brained washed by any media to think like that. Lula had a great opportunity to become the greatest president of all time in Brazil, but he didnt resist to Power and corruption, he is just another corrupted politician in Brazil. Please make a follow up of this article and explain how Lula and his sons got so wealthy. There is overwhelming clues of criminal activities, LULA today is a very, very rich man, and you dont get so rich by being Brazils president.
This ia a good reflection although the text neglets some historical contexts especially on 1964 where the cold war was on fire ( sorry for the pun) and the military dictatorship. Also, and most important it neglects what type of economy Lula ran during his government, and also the massive scandals of billions of dollars taken out of our reserves.
I do believe that the media is benefitting on it, however, the population is fed up, both sides, that’s why you’ve seen loads of people on the demonstrations of 2013.
Bear in mind that populism also exists and you can draw a parallel to what getulio Vargas or even Hugo Chavez did…. Lula helped many poor people, but without a well established plan ( people may go to the schools but the quality has dropped drastically, I work with education for 8 years) and as a result, I guess you can figure it out.
The situation bis quite difficult, but let’s see..
Looks like Brazil is no different than the rest of the world where the rich don’t give a fuck about anybody but themselves. They certainly don’t care about the planet, even though they and their kids will eventually be destroyed in the process.
As for the American national media, it’s been a disgrace for decades. Our citizens have been dumbed down to the point where they know nothing and they like it that way.
Flouridating the water in America made much of it stupid. Most of the world doesn’t inject sodium flouride or (fluorosalicylic acid–which eats pipes) into their potable water. Here’s a table of the ones that don’t:
fluoridealert.org/studies/caries01/
Contrary to the domestic propaganda, it’s also a recent phenomenon here. E.g., Massachusetts’s MWRA only began in 1978.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/
Mr. Gleen Greenwald, I am a Brazilian living in São Paulo and yesterday I was at Paulista Avenue fighting for our democracy. Your article couldn’t be more clear about the cruelty that is happening here. Fascism has raised in this country in a very dangerous level. Thank you for helping us with your voice!
Even if all in this post regarding right-wing motivation is true, the naked truth remains: Dilma’s government is corrupt, needs to be removed from power, and an impeachment is a constitutional and political act.
The government committed crimes to protect Lula from legal repercussions and they need to be stopped. Saying that “the other side does it, too” is not an argument.
Even if judge Moro’s actions were illegal, it would also be illegal to give Lula prime-ministry to protect him. We have courts of appeal for a reason.
Lula himself said once that the people that votes for a president can also remove a president. He also said that the person that releases incriminating information is not to blame – the person that said the incriminating thing is (and that was the much worse case of Assange’s illegal document acquiral and leakage – not a judge-sanctioned one).
Dilma’s support is below 10% of the population and its detractors surpass 60% – it would take A LOT of rich, white guys to fill THAT elite.
Following your logic that ONLY the wealthy white elite is protesting against the current Brazilian president and the ruling parties: Brazil just the largest group of rich people in the world, all 4 million coming together to protest! Nice lack of understanding guys! Real great job of taking side! Do you really think you are better than Globo? I don’t watch Globo, so which midia is misleading me?
I came away after reading this article, that there are quite a few parallels between what has happened in Brazil and what could happen in the US.
The ‘free press’ that we have in the United States is not really free. Journalists have been ‘dumbed down’ by the corporations that now run the Press in our country.
Nobody reads anymore, it is a sound bite press driven by ratings. I see the media elites in Brazil who own this ‘revolution’ very similarly to the corporate elites who own the rise of Trump.
How far a step is it that Trump’s brand of pandering to the growing minority ‘white class’ and having the open class divisions by color that are the norm in Brazil be the same in America?
Having traveled extensively in Brazil I was looking forward to reading this article. But when the second paragraph badmouthed Mr Trump for absolutely no reason or connection to this story, I stopped. I’ll look for some unbiased analysis of Brazil without the Trump is Hitler meme thank you very much.
“extremely vague [phone] conversation”!!!?? I am sorry, but in one of the conversations Lula says the Superior Court are a ‘bunch of wimps’ because they won´t work in his favor. Do you believe an ex-president who says something similar to that understand how the three powers should balance themselves in a democracy? – executive, legislative and judiciary. Another ‘detail’: Do you understand Mr. Lula is being investigated of serious crimes and that there is evidence he could have orchestrated bribery schemes that have emerged in Brazil last year? And what is your view on Mrs. Dilma having appointed him (as the investigations starts to show stronger evidence of wrong doing) as a Minister of State? Very appropriate don´t you think?
So everyone in Brazilian politics is corrupt? Still, when one rat is caught, do we release let it go saying, “Well, there’s a lot more rats so better not do anything to this one?”
Sorry but this article is full of grave mistakes:
– the PT is not a central left wing party. It is a bolivarian ally of Morales, Castro, etc.
– the elections in 2014 that you mention were a goof. Dilma’s popularity was at the lowest level and everyone except PT supporters admit there was fraud
– the effort to knock out PT is an effort to clean the house, not create further divide. PT has been the biggest divider of hatred amongst classes and even colors ever to exist in Brazil
– the phone taps were perfectly legal. Lula was (and is again) under criminal investigation and Dilma called his house and exposed her maneuver to make him minister with the sole purpose of granting him criminal immunity.
– the opposition is not right wing. The opposition wan’t a clean house. In fact, in the protests they booed right wing leaders that showed up. They also held banners that said: “we don ‘t care if you imprison leaders from right wing parties. If they are corrupt, they belong in jail. Unlike PT, we do ‘t believe in having thieves as domestic pets”.
– the judge “moro”, is alone with the people. He has no political party to suppkrt the work he is doing. He has the federal police and the people and is requesting that people stand up for their rights
– the protests on Sunday gathered 1.5 million people in Sao Paulo alone pro impeachment, though the PT influenced poling company says 500k. Yesterday’s pro Lula/Dilma potesta gathered 80k people in Sao Paulo, though the same poll company (Datafolha) says 95k
– furthermore, the supporters who showed up on Sunday pro impeachment were from all races, genders and financial conditions (the pic of the family with the Nanny is subjective journalism). Many (if not most) supporters in yesterday’s protests were bribed to protest with R$35 and brought over on buses by unions and paid with tax payer money
– we should focus on the content of the phone taps instead of the process which was perfectly legal. The content divulged the Lula is the godfather to this whole mafia. People even called him Mr. President! The content, scheming, manipulation, and language is disgraceful and he will be canned.
– last, a lot has been said about how Lula woke up the sleeping giant duging his 8 yrs in power. Truth be said, that was a decade where every Emerging Market was growing at 5-10%, yet Brasil grew at 3-4% )and with a reformulation of the GDP calculation if you recall). Imagine what Brazil would be without corruPT.
The people want Brazil back!
After reading some comments I should add that:
– I would never vote Lula
– I would never vote Trump
I live in northeast Brazil. Glenn, I generally respect you very much as a journalist, but with this article you seem to have an agenda that is not inline with truth.
I know plenty of people from the lower economic classes who have been PT supporters, but are now disgusted with this government. Sure, corruption is endemic throughout the system, but at least rule of law is asserting itself. You seem to be trying to draw attention away from that fact.
I personally think Lula was an effective president who did good things for Brazil. But the best you can say about Dilma is that she is incompetent. Six years into her term, this former director of Petrobras owns the situation the country is in.
Corruption is the pervading issue in Brazilian politics. It sucks the energy out of the economy. You complain about inequality? Well who exactly is robbing from the poor? Answer: those who are corrupt, the thieves who operate on every level of the government and economy.
Dilma promised to tackle corruption. She has done nothing.
Let the judiciary assert itself. Let candidates rise from the left and the right who run on an anti-corruption platform. Let this issue become the defining issue in Brazilian politics. How about you get behind that instead of writing some backhanded misdirection that excuses the PT’s crimes.
I really believe that the author does not know Brazil and PT govern. He only reapeted the speech that every Brazilian is tired to hear to defend the corrupt PT leadership. Dilma has a rejection index of 82%. If the author says that manifestants are guided only by the media, he don’t know what is talking about.
I bet that this article was written by a PT defender posing as a neutral position. There are so many in Brazil….
Excellent analysis, by all criteria the best one I ever read in English or Portuguese! At the end of the day, this is not about defending Lula or the Workers Party (PT, Parti des Travailleurs), but responding to a critical, concrete state of affairs, namely, the corruption schemes that plague and dominate our society for decades. Anyone with a modicum of critical sense already realized that changing the PT for PMDB or PSDB threatens the democratic rule of law. If you prefer an American example, imagine if Al Gore had insisted he was cheated in Florida, then ruled by George W Bush’s little brother Jed, and W ended up being re-elected (as you know, Gore did not pursue it any further). Since Aécio lost to Dilma in the last presidential elections, he started the next day a campaign to depose Dilma by all means and now, with the explicit support of Globo networks, the mainstream media and several members of the judiciary, he is about achieve an impeachment coup, as if this were an acceptable democratic solution to the political crisis of our young democracy.
PT rose to power with the promise to fight and prosecute corruption. It’s been in power for 3.5 mandates, and instead of even attempting to follow through, we now have to swallow their corruption as well. The vast majority of globo audience is the “poor” PT electorate that elected and reelected PT four times. PT has betrayed the population twice. Once by not punishing the corrupt as promised and twice by becoming so corrupt themselves.
So the plan surely is – tie Lula up in a judicial process for a few years while muddying his name, and Dilma’s with it. Then he can’t run for president again and with perceived reputations in tatters it’s likely that another party will take control in 2018 (come on – if there was evidence they’d be shouting about it!!!). In the meantime there will be no answer to the corruption that pervades Brasilian politics and media.
The other possibility is the dangerous parallels with Thailand – accusations of bought votes from the uneducated poor who clearly don’t know what they’re doing, red and yellow camps (yellow and green for Brasil), a stalemate that leads to violence that leads to a military coup and everything that goes along with that.
Jeff is right about the Amazon though – that’s under attack from all sides.
*continued
checks and balances are working.
The real questions are :
1. Is there a centrist canadite who can combine helping the poor help themselves with sound economic policies.
2. What can be done to stop corruption? I think open government is the only solution both in Brasil and every other country. If every dollar spent is available online for all to see, the people and the press will be the guardians of the republic.
glenn…..A fan, but one angle is missing from the story…i have spent a significant time in brasil over the past 25 years and through a school friend have been an outside insider to the comings and goings of Brasilia…….Brasil is corrupt. Easier to just say it bluntly. The issue this article misses is the books have been cooked. So widespread and deep is the theft that it is shocking. The books at BNDE have yet to be opened.
While I agree that PT did not act alone, now that people are aware how much money was stolen and how bad the government has cooked the books it has really turned into a fight to keep the country solvent.
Judge Moro’s decision to release the tapes will be subject to decades of legal analysis, but in the end open government should always prevail. The people should be just as aware of a coup by Dilma and Lula against them as the public coup Dilma is complaining about. (I would be curious what Mr. Snowden’s opinion on this release would be (#1 fan here))
The President (Dilma) has crossed the line between political and criminal and the checks and balances of the judicial process is working whether you agre
The
Meanwhile the UK Government is facing a crisis of its own as the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has just resigned, stating that he was pressured to make spending cuts which were “not defensible”
The Guardian “Iain Duncan Smith resigns from cabinet over disability cuts”
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/18/iain-duncan-smith-resigns-from-cabinet-over-disability-cuts
and :
Sky News “Cameron’s ‘Extraordinary’ Exchange With IDS”
http://news.sky.com/story/1662829/camerons-extraordinary-exchange-with-ids
Your header is being misused by the people you spoke of. I found myself reading your article because it implied on the post that the country had had already slipped off the cliff. Awesome article, nicely written, easy to read, very punctual, very poignant, very clarifying if it got to the people you targeted it to. Glad to see you in a different outfit since TG also is reporting canned news as everyone else. I read the article you mention from NYT and agree with you, there are powers behind for it to have gotten this far. AJ has unrelently beaten the situation as you said, misleading their audience and of all, BBC is too doing the same thing. Yesterday they had a call on the situation every ten minutes as if they did not have a Brexit to worry about. Again, glad to see you here, will be following.
If the Tea Party had its way, the United States would be identical to Brazil. The United States already more closely resembles Brazil than it does Denmark.
With all due respect, this “article” is absurd. It states at least three times that Dilma, Lula, and the PT Party are rife with corruption, but then goes on to say that the protests against them are being masterminded by some evil conspiracy of right wing media? Huh? I live in Curitiba, Parana, in the South of Brazil, and I can assure everyone that the protests against the government are made up of ordinary middle class Brazilians who are fed up with the political class picking their pockets for their own personal gain. It has nothing to do with the so called “oligarchy.” Very sloppy hack job.
You may disregard this non-sequitur article because it has nothing to do with the current situation in Brazil. Mr. Greenwald knows only how to tow the line of the left with the old American Imperialism rhetoric. To suggest that the elite is exploiting the corruption coming from the government to remove the government is an appalling cynicism. And to throw race into the mix is even more perverse. We are trowing out this criminals because this is our country, which includes all races. The poor and minorities have been used as pawns by this populist criminals.
Mr. Greenwald doesn’t even see how the biggest environmental disaster Brazil ever had, was no accident at all. To him it *was just another river that will never live again. The destruction of the largest company in Latin America, Petrobras, has no importance either. To him is just another ‘corporation’. The Zika epidemic, the obscene stadiums for the Worldcup and Olympics, the shame we’ll face with the sewage waters in Rio, the Belo Monte damn and other major infrastructure works that were never completed but totally scammed. School lunches are being robbed. People are dying in hospital lines. The biggest corruption scandal in modern history. Brazilians pay Norway taxes and get Botswana services. None of this matters to the author, not even as a footnote.
Let me tell you Mr. Greenwald, all of the above and much, much more, is all due because a criminal organization has taken a hold of our government. * That’s what people are fed up with Mr. Greenwald. So stop misguiding your readers. There is a civil war about to break out and you are part of the problem.
Understand that the game is over for this gang. We are not going to tolerate one more month of this outrageous attacks against good law abiding citizens by this ideological nuts. Attacks, insults and threats to Judges, prosecutors, and to our constitution. Give us your real opinion about real events that happened in Brazil in the last year. How about the financing of the elections with the money stollen from American investors, who are now in a multi-state class action suit that names our current president (the one you say is being unfairly targeted). Why can you go there? I tell you why: Because there is an incredible degree of ideological brain washing, that prevents some educated people to see what’s is real, and instead believe in false utopians. I tell one more thing: they will all be in jail by the time you start writing about Russia.
On a higher level this is how the developed world keep colonialism alive.
This article is poorly written. It would have been much more coherent & convincing if it had been set aside & edited after a good night’s sleep. Someone hit “publish” too quickly.
How can I “explain” to the american people? Oh, protesters = tea party and Globo = Fox. Also, let me use a bit of the racial issue. If I portrait anti-PT as racists, americans will know who to side with – by Glenn
Just learning about brazil i see….its been like this for 500 years….
While everything in this post is true and I strongly favor the left over the right, the biggest issue in Brazil by far is protecting the Amazon rainforest (which, BTW, includes the traditional indigenous people who live there). And on this issue, the left has been about as bad as the right. The rainforest has been and is being destroyed by the left and right, rich and poor, equally.
The vast majority of the World’s population “favor the left over the right” and your preference is the same as mine.
Protecting the Amazon rainforest and respecting, and not destroying the lives of traditional indigenous people is indeed very important. A lot can be learnt from indigenous communities, and their way of life. The dangers of Globalisation,and capitalist greedy consumerism are responsible for so much of the turmoil in the World today. A World that only concentrates and focuses on productivity and manufacturing is not sustainable. Since the World will one day run out of natural resources, and new countries/markets for capitalism/consumerism to exploit.Not sure if you have already read these books but I would highly recommend them :
The Wisdom of Sustainability by SulakSivaraksa
Small is beautiful, a study of economics as if people mattered by E F Schumacher
If more people chose to make changes in their lives, and to simplify and reject consumerism then the World would soon start to become a much better and fairer place.
The Fabian Society, https://www.google.com/search?q=fabian+society&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbp_mmhs3LAhVCYiYKHcfVBR0Q_AUICCgC&biw=1258&bih=771, would be happy to hear that from you.
After all, who has used a wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing emblem, as well as a turtle (the speed of an insidious movement) logo to self describe a campaign for world socialism.
Fine if you think of yourself simply as a tooth in a state cog, or a serf on a communal field, rather than as an individual with natural-law rights.
The article starts with, “The multiple, remarkable crises subsuming Brazil….”
Don’t you mean “consuming Brazil”? Where’s your editor?
Check a dictionary.
Greenwald got seriously smacked because of this article. He probably thought Brazilians were also members of his American cult. Brazilian commentators here and on Twitter are giving him a lesson in journalism. Now he needs to move to the tribal areas of Pakistan and start writing about drone strikes.
Smacked by who ? Trolls like yourself maybe ? The far right neocons, and Trump supporters maybe ? Several haters in the mass corporate media ? Most that appear to disagree, are probably false – lets remind ourselves how destroying reputations and manipulating/ manufacturing opposition works :
https://theintercept.com/2014/02/24/jtrig-manipulation/
Multiple commentators can be set up in minutes using intelligence agency software so nobody can believe that numbers commentating against a point of view refects the true view of the majority anyway.
Long may Glenn continue to write about the drone strikes – neither The Intercept or Glenn are going anywhere so go fuck yourself !
Mister, “far right neocons” is an oxymoron.
Neoconservatism is “neo” (i.e., ‘new-,’ ‘improved-,’ ‘leftie anodyne-‘) for a reason: it is literally Trotskyism, on record, brought into the U.S. by Bill Kristol’s father, Irving Kristol, via Mexico City in the 1950s. Neocons are simply leftist Repubs:
“Memoirs of a Trotskyist,” by Irving Kristol
http://www.pbs.org/arguing/nyintellectuals_krystol_2.html
Neocons deride Reaganomics as “voodoo economics” (and if as a leftist you agree with that assessment, it only proves this point). They’re about family planning, population reduction, the technocrat, the elite, World Government (Trilateral means NAU + EU + APU), federalism. (Kristol recently proposed “New Federalist” as the name of a follow up party for themselves should Trump win, and they have to scurry off the ship down the anchorage rope.)
By contrast the far right is called “paleo”–as in the diametric opposite of “neo.” It means old school, Goldwateresque, conservative, the individual, liberty, non-intervention.
You will see who is going to get a “smacking” once the report on the US bombing of the MSF hospital in Kunduz is finally released.You will be wishing and begging for the focus to be back on drone strikes then troll.
The hilarious part of this comment is that we have literally received more positive feedback from this article than any published in quite some time. And 90% of that has been from Brazilians, including – especially – on social media. Just search for the headline on Twitter or Facebook to see how much this commenter is lying.
Beyond that: we don’t measure our journalism by who it pleases. The political crisis in Brazil is polarizing and divisive and so of course there are people who are so vehemently opposed to the government that they endorse any means to get rid of it. That fact doesn’t negate our article; it is the primary point of the article.
Just FYI Glenn — and tho that one is a useful foil to make your important point — it’s that “lenk” who’s been swept out of your comments multiple times under various monikers. He’s a crapflooding troll, usually best ignored. (Among other inanities, he seriously argued that Obama’s Somalia bombing was “authorized” by a bill that died in congressional committee.)
Around Twitter I see huge praise from Brazilians and others for this article. Thanks again to you, Andrew and David. Now I and others have a fuller set of facts, and context, with which to read the U.S. press on the upheaval in Brazil.
Mona,
I’ve never argued, as you put it, “that Obama’s Somalia bombing was ‘authorized’ by a bill that died in congressional committee.” You’ll have to point to where I ever remotely made such a point.
Aside from that, there’s a certain amount of basic growing up you need do where it relates to this site and your former relationship as a partner in Glenn’s firm; you so often come off sounding like a tween regulating schoolyard cliques. People can’t believe that a late middle-aged woman resorts to the kinds of groupie antics you devolve into.
Last year or the year before, he remarked on something I’d written–as he’s done at Salon, and at the Guardian (often disagreements but occasional common ground)–and all of a sudden this Mona leaps into it and squeals Glennn!!, Glennn!!, it’s him, it’s that commenterrrr!
Where are your brains?
Not unusually, you are very confused. Glenn was replying to the troll Truth&Freedom, and is who I was referring to. That troll, one of whose incarnations went by “lenk,” has cited as controlling legal authority a congressional bill that died in committee.
You are a different sort of troll altogether. Your obsessions include the socialists you see everywhere, including in Hitler, and in Hillary Clinton. Your other inanities concern Illuminati plots and their mind-controlled sex slaves in the form of celebrity women such as Britney Spears.
The only thing you have in common with lenk is that you crapflood and so have also had your account blocked numerous times.
And he wasn’t even speaking to me, and you start in like that now.
And “crapflooder”? Is that like “whataboutery!”?
Nobody is on this site even half as much as you are. You and your hypergraphia have made this a shrine to the object of your name-dropping. You’re zealous, territorial, garrulous.
Take up a hobby. Read Gail Sheehy’s Passages or something.
I am a Brazilian black man , 30 years old , poor, approved in public university without the use of racial quotas , raising socially because my meritocracy ..
I want Dilma , Lula and PT are banned forever because of their crimes.
What a way to silence the propagandists, Glenn!
In total; what a great article, which totally contradicts the mainstream press – which often just translates Reuters or BBC – in Europe.
Mr Greenwald, I’m convinced, especially after you latest statements, that you have a very close and dangerous relationship with PSOL. PSOL is derived from PT, which is evident if you look at its leaders. Luciana Genro, for instance, is the daughter of Tarso Genro, one of the key men in Lula’s government. Even though you’re an intelligent and experienced journalist, you do not know the realities of Brazil and the daily problems in our society. You talk as if there were two, ideologically distinct sides in Brazilian politics, but the reality is that there are merely different criminal groups, hiding behind political parties in an attempt to get their hands on the state’s resources.
I know you wish to take Snowden to Brazil, but don’t let your wish bring your work as journalist into disrepute. Don’t get your hands dirty by getting involved with any political parties.
You are stupid and know nothing of Brazil. I lived in Brazil for 14 years, and what he writes is very fair and balanced (not in the Faux News sense, either).
The only thing that I would add is that much of Lula’s success was built on the foundation of economic stability brought about by his predecessor, Fernando Henrique Cardoso. In the mid-1990s, before FHC tied the real to the dollar with a gradually declining exchange collar, inflation was running at 40% a month.
“Now, dominant layers within the Brazilian ruling class have decided they need a new kind of government, of an openly right-wing and potentially dictatorial character, to carry out drastic attacks on the living standards of the working class. This is the driving force behind the campaign to impeach Rousseff.”
Quote from “Millions join protests in Brazil demanding ouster of Workers Party government” by Bill Van Auken wsws.org
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/03/15/braz-m15.html
Whoops. Are you tacitly acknowledging that yet another “Workers Party” reference is one to a left wing, progressive party?
latest —
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/19/brazil-judge-strips-lula-of-office-amid-mounting-political-crisis
Regrettably, I found you article biased, inaccurate and propagandistic…
calling the PSDB party right wing would be an insult to those members of that party who were exiled in the 1960s…
calling the pt a moderately left wing social democratic party much like europeans counterparts…is completely inaccurate…in view of all the members with backgrounds in terrorist organizations…including the president…as currently recognized by some of their fellow members…
The upheaval is because ever since pt took power, they structured a scheme to loot the government and its assets…
the latest spontaneous events (yesterday) were triggered by the disclosure of recordings showing the president calling lula to tell him she was sending the document of appointment for him to use in case of necessity (meaning being arrested)…there is nothing vague about that…
So much so, that Justice Mendes of the Supreme Court has affirmed the legality of the appointment…
There are other issues, and I would be at your disposal if you ever would like to discuss them…in portuguese or english…
Like many of the blinkered people disagreeing with this article you say something that is half reasonable (psdb having exiled members in the 60s) and follow up with something definite which is based on assumption ‘The upheaval is because ever since pt took power, they structured a scheme to loot the government and its assets…’ Ridiculous and unfounded.
How dare you to say it is an assumption?
It is a shame that you have disregarded all due respect to evidence and scrutiny.
Vaccari Neto, PT’s treasurer, was arrested and convicted for setting up a billionaire corruption scheme that flooded the government coalition (PT, PMDB, PP) with funds for their political campaigns that came from Petrobras.
He and tens of others confessed to money laundering and graft.
Plea agreements are coming in hundreds, Swiss banks (SWISS BANKS!) are cooperating and sending money from corruption back to Brazil, and you are still blinded. It is a shame.
It is a bit more complicated. There is a difference between the “old corruption” (folks like Collor, Cunha, etc.) and the PT. The PT, besides individual acts of graft, also set up a scheme, as indicated by Eduardo, to
hijack the political system. This, of course, has historic traditions in Brazil, especially in the less developed area–as the Sarney family, who hijacked the state of Maranhao, and has been a feudal landlord of the place for generations. Still, the last time this was done, it was the fascist state of Vargas–also in the name of protecting the poor.
David,
The scheme has been proved. Many of the accused, who don’t have what in Brasil is called privileged legal venue, have already been condemned.
The politicians, who have the privileged legal venue (they can only be prosecuted before the Supreme Court) benefit from the slowness of the judiciary. Eventually they will be prosecuted.
It is also worth mentioning that jose dirceu, delubio soares, joa paulo cunha, amongst other politicians and “civilians” were condemned in a criminal action that was nicknamed “mensalao”…They were sentenced and went to prison…
If you read the sentences will find that the Supreme Court Justices found the actions of those people to be a systematic looting, organized crime style group…
I find those facts neither ridiculous nor unfounded…
But then again…that has been the strategy of those who try to defend the indefensible…
Glenn, I get your point – One would NOT want NBC + ABC + FOX on “the same side.” And yes, the class division in my native country is appalling. I hate it. I go back to Brazil to visit my loved ones, and I see it, and I hate it. I want a country with better education and better health services and yes, essential social programs such as Bolsa Familia.
In my opinion, however, you seem to be guilty of the same blindness affecting many of my PT friends. Those of us who go to or support those protests are not necessarily the über wealthy. In fact, the sheer numbers of people in the streets should make that claim hollow.
You acknowledge that the PT is guilty of widespread corruption, but seem to minimize it by arguing that corruption is widespread. Indeed, it is – and, those of us from the center of the aisle, those of us who don’t like Aecio, despise Cunha, and yet are ashamed and upset at the PT government – are furious. We are also furious at Dilma’s decision to appoint Lula as Chief of Staff. Tell me please, why would she do that if not to shield him? Sure, I’ve heard the official explanation – some nonsense about “Lula not being available.” No, I don’t buy it. I doubt you do either.
Just for you to put my testimonial into perspective: In the US, I am an enthusiastic Democrat. I voted for – twice – and strongly support President Obama. I hate the tea party. Trump makes me ill. I voted for Hillary in the primaries, but would happily vote for Bernie if he were to be the Democratic nominee.
In Brazil? Give me the choice between Aécio and Lula and I’d rather vote for Tiririca (and as I write this I wonder – is Tiririca involved in something too?)
Beth, indo alem do q Greenwald falou, e com muito mais clareza q muitos dos nossos amigos vivendo no Brasil, eu penso em meus amigos como amigos, não como petistas ou pemedebistas ou crentes ou nada disso. Pq? Pq meus amigos são mais q um simples rotulo, não são unidimensionais, cada um preenche sua parte de minha vida de maneira diferente. Se vc rotular seus amigos tao planamente, vc deixa de admirar as outras nuances q os fazem especial a vc, pensa nisto.
Sigh.
We didn’t say everyone who goes to the protests is “über wealthy.” We cited polls and other data proving that the protests are whiter and richer than the average population. We said that MOST – not all – of the protesters are drawn from the same classes long opposes to the PT; that includes much of the middle class.
No. The point of highlighting how widespread is the corruption is to demonstrate that the anti-PT demonstrators don’t care about corruption because they want to replace Dilma and other PT officials with those who are at least equally corrupt and, in many cases, more so. Their actual agenda is driving PT from power; “corruption” is the pretext for doing that.
How do you root out corruption without taking out the corrupt officials? I get what you’re saying about the opposition being “at least equally corrupt,” but, say you get rid of the corrupt PT officials, wouldn’t corrupt opposition officials who took their place have an incentive to temper their own corruption for fear of the exact same thing happening to them? Corrupt governments are unsustainable, you’d think that both the ruling government and opposition would want to root it out to varying degrees. The question is how deep the roots go, and who is more successful at rooting them out. I think the protests are legitimate in that vein, because at least it’s reflecting that corruption exists. Corruption is all too often ignored or overlooked or swept under the rug (particularly in Latin American countries) in order to avoid looking bad but it really only makes things worse. Regarding your comment about the protester demographics, similar things were said about OWS, so that argument alone is sort of pointless.
@ Glenn. Glad to see a native Brazilian, David Miranda, on the by-line. I know you’ve squatted in Rio for some time now with the hounds, and speak good Portuguese and all, but still …
@ Beth Souza.
I’m guilty of supporting Obama in 08 as well, Beth … but by 2012 I had learned a terrible lesson: In addition to their own high crimes and misdemeanors, the Obama admin. has covered-up, codified and institutionalized every egregious criminal act by the previous Bush cabal and thwarted all attempts to expose them. *e.g. see the founding of The Intercept.
Do you really believe Donald Trump, who makes me ‘ill’ too, would be making a policy platform of *torture* for God’s sake – ‘waterboarding … and a whole lot worse’ – if President Obama had prosecuted the known-known gov. officials who clearly tortured ‘folks’? … I don’t think so.
I don’t think you understand what is PT’s history and political base.
You imply that the same demographic that always supported and opposed him continues to do so. But that’s not the case at all.
Historically, PT had most support in the industrial areas in South-southeastern states. In his first successful election he won that part of the cointry and lost all the northeastern states, which are poorer and have more pronounced oligarchic/patronage politics. This is the opposite now: the strongest anti PT sentiment comes from the south and southeast, PT loses in all places that were their historical base of support – including Lula’s ABCD Paulista.
Brilliant article. Well written and quite informative. I live in the UK and was totally unaware of this situation.
You guys did an awesome job here, I am very impressed about how deep and precise was yours description of Brazilian situation right now. There’s a lot of non sense wide spread by our corrupt and coward media, unfortunately we still suffering to stand this social pyramid which is Brazilian society, and there too much behind these crused agains corruption where only the left-wing are guilty while nobody from the right wing was formally jailed… And believe me most of these politicians who has been asking for dilma’s impeachment has no moral or ethics to even look to her biography.
Glenn,
I’ve respected your work in the past but unfortunately you’ve lost me here. As someone who’s lived in Brazil and is married to a Brazilian I’m intimately informed as to the current situation. Your article implies that what is happening is a coup. This is ridiculous. The people of Brazil are fed up. This moment was inevitable, with the maturation of their democracy and the rise of social media it’s simply time for Brazil to finally face the endemic corruption within their government. The protests and anger are being driven by Facebook. By Twitter. This is not a Globo conspiracy. If Globo wanted to cause a coup they could have exposed the corruption years ago. The corruption is ridiculously obvious. Politicians in Brazil, from lowly city posts to state posts to Brasilia, are stealing millions and millions. As an outsider who is fond of the country it makes me mad. Imagine a hard working middle class citizen of Brazil. They’ve been holding in this anger for their entire lives and this is the first chance they’ve had to let it roar.
As to your complaint that Dilma and Lula are being singled out… I say, Great! It’s pointless to keep chipping away at the little guys. Real change will only be accomplished by scaring the hell out of the entire system. Besides, Lula and Dilma, as you stated in their biographies present themselves as a new breed of politician who stands for the poor. But in reality their scheme to turn Petrobras into a piggy bank (a scheme that can only be considered organized crime) was the biggest corruption scheme that this country has ever seen. The brazen-ness and amount of money are shocking. I mean we’re talking billions. (and since you live in Brazil you know this.) Basically, their hypocrisy and manipulation of the uneducated class, makes them the worst offenders of all.
Lula and Dilma need to go down. Don’t worry, this is only the beginning. The rest of the offenders will soon follow. But the system will never change without this moment. The Brazilians know this. The world’s financial markets also know this. You SHOULD know this. Frankly, this article smacks more of bias and “conspiracy” than anything I’ve seen on Globo.
Regards,
MB
Glenn had to re-do his homework. He prefer to take the easy path of protecting the minorities and poor.
My feelings exactly.
You’re comment lacks a wider perspective betrayed by phrases like ‘imagine a hard working middle class citizen…’ And ‘manipulation of the uneducated class’. Simplistic at best.
I’m happy to broaden my perspective: The endemic corruption not only harms the middle class but does more harm to the lower class who suffer from lack of education and basic government services. Services that are denied/stolen through corrupt officials. I admit it may be impolite to refer to an “uneducated” class but… the poor of Brazil, as a result of corruption, have very little access to education. The point of my above post is that government corruption is the evil here and floating theories of a coup, soft or otherwise, is a dangerous distraction. This movement is a chance to begin a new chapter in Brazilian democracy. Changing the culture of corruption is essential for Brazil to move forward. Isn’t this good for Brazilians on the left and right?
Thank you,
MB
I’m not sure you understand how a soft coup works. The strategy for a soft coup is to exploit (and generate) popular discontent that is largely genuine. It’s not a coincidence this is happening in the middle of a major economic crisis. Notice this is an international crisis due to the price of oil, which also affects countries like Venezuela, with similar consequences.
If a government favored by the Brazilian business class were in power, the dynamic would be quite different.
Yes, the protests come in the middle of a global economic crisis–much of which has left Brazil unscathed. When it became clear that the Chinese economic slowdown WOULD hurt Brazil, the Dilma government decided to ignore it, as part of their reelection campaign. The drop in the price of oil should have BENEFITED Brazil.
Jose, a coup, soft or otherwise, implies that a faction wants to replace the current leaders with another specific faction. This is not what is happening. There is no specific faction that has been tapped to step into power. This movement is a call for corrupt leaders to step down and for new elections to be called. By using the word “coup” or implying the word “coup” it de-legitimizes the very real sentiments of the millions of people in the streets. Words matter.
To imply that Venezuela is the victim of an international soft coup plot doesnt exactly make your claims about Brazil sound plausible. You also seem to ignore that Brazil is being the result f a stunning judicial and police reform that is taking down corruption on a scale hard to fathom in the US and Europe. Businessmen and Politicians across the spectrum are being targeted and not just in Brazil.
The scale of this change and the scandal it is exposing is on a par with Watergate in its importance and the changes it will make in Brazilian public life. The fact that Dilma and Lula choose to resort to cliched and passé slogans about coups and fascists sadly shows just how far they have lost touch.
Same here Micah, gringo married to a Brazilian, recently moved to the US but closely following the situation.
I agree with you 100%.
Glenn, with all due respect. What’s your solution then?
I would rather have these crooks out and put some faith in the future than close my eyes and turn away as most have been doing.
Also, it is difficult for me to call it democracy when you get penalized if you don’t vote.
Dilma and Lula are attacked viciously and systematically from the right, but their failings leave them vulnerable on the left as well. The people, influenced to bewilderment by the rightwing media, are manipulated to and fro. In US terms, it is like the Republicans, Fox News and the Bernie people teaming up to destroy Obama and Hillary.
To the authors: I take issue with your depiction of the political turmoil of the U.S. as the “out-of-control circus unleashing instability and some rather dark forces, with a positive ending almost impossible to imagine” being “confined to one politician.” It is important that we do not allow the mockery that Trump creates daily to keep us from an awareness that it is ALL a mockery. All. Of. It. The political system, the climate modeled for citizens by our political leaders, the unethical flow of sums of money the average citizen cannot even fathom and the self serving behavior of the vast majority of all pols would be truly circus worthy if it were not actually a travesty of criminal proportions. I appreciate that your comparison is meant to point out the particularly heinous behavior of Trump; however, what if he were no longer a factor? Would the description of “out-of-control circus unleashing instability and some rather dark forces, with a positive ending almost impossible to imagine” not still be accurate? It is the distraction Trump creates that is the biggest travesty of all for it allows ever single pol, at every level, to point the finger at the horror of Trump…as they continue being the ring masters of their own circuses.
Our reporting literally every day highlights the corruption and other bad acts of the US political system generally. We didn’t suggest it’s confined to one politician. We said the *specific* circus caused by Trump is.
You also wondered where the response to Trump the bad man is (don’t count on large media to do it). From day one:
https://www.google.com/search?q=clown+nose+new+york+daily+news&espv=2&biw=1258&bih=771&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3v8a4pM3LAhWI5CYKHXPuBG4Q_AUICCgD
Salon just adds three heads to him, before lighting into words.
There are globalist forces that don’t want this populist candidate, and non-initiate, as president.
With all respect, there are some misconceptions in this article. Dilma Rousseff did not fight for democracy. Actually she fought for a proletariat dictatorship, as even her partners once confessed. Also, media groups until recently supported workers party, because government was their biggest client for advertisements. There are no groups behind protests against government. What is happenning here is a brazilian spring. People are going to the streets against corruption, no matter whose corruption is. That is the truth. The team of judges from Curitiba are serious people. Their job is much like what have been done in Italy, against mafia some years ago. It is your right to question what i am saying, but, for the sake of the truth, check it out. Sincersly, Milfont.
I enjoy your reporting, but this story is way off base. Whatever you may think about the current situation, it was totally fomented by an amazingly unfortunate economic policy beginning with Lula. Lula presided over what should have been a sustained golden age for Brazil. Worldwide commodity demand was insatiable, but rather than looking to invest government surplus into infrastructure, a diversified economy, and better education, the profits were siphoned off to the political class and their crony capitalist pals. Dilma seems likely to share the blame in this. It IS the people vs. Dilma. People that are fed up with the corruption and short-sightedness that PT has come to represent. This is not a coup by foreign, wealthy, or shadowy private interests, this is a natural response to a woefully inept body of government.
“…the propaganda coming from Brazil’s homogenized, oligarch-owned, anti-democracy media outlets ”
As opposed to our media outlets which have proven themselves as guardians of democracy?? Glenn, I have deep respect for you after what you did for Snowden, but common men… Something stinks in Brazil, and it goes well beyond well known corruption stories,…and it smells more like another version of “Regime change” which has devastated Africa and the Middle East.
Not saying Lula & Rousseff are not corrupt to the core, but dig deeper buddy. This is not as straightforward as it looks.
The Huffington Post and its readers in the US don’t get what is happening in Brazil!!! Here are my comments about the article I just read that attempts to explain the situation in Brazil.. more of a reaction to the comments of readers…
—-I love reading these comments.. I am a Brazilian and have shared much of the skepticism that all of you are expressing about both the US and Brazil. The people, in both sides of the political spectrum, are incited by political rhetoric and the media. In Brazil, as in the US, both political sides are corrupt, no doubt. The difference is that in the US there is a need to maintain the patina of morality, to satisfy puritan imperatives. What Americans don’t understand is that the law in Brazil cannot be used effectively to promote or thwart graft. Brazil is a high context culture, where meaning is always found between the lines… rules are implicit and law is but a smoke screen, a formality to appease foreign onlookers (lip service), and the naive. In the late 19th century, when the British owned the world, it was the same. To this day, when someone or an institution overtly complies with decorum and western centric (Americentric) codes or stipulations, such as safety precautions and label copy on industrialized products, it is just for show.. the expression used by Brazilians to describe these needless formalities is called “Pra Ingles ver”.. which means, for the British to see… what actually happens is that when the British (in the late 19th century) would walk away after inspecting all the Ps and Qs, the Brazilian “jeitinho” or Brazilian way, which is that all rules have exceptions, is the default MO.. people go back to complacency and things are done “half assed” again. The body politic in Brazil appear unsophisticated to American eyes, because they don’t manipulate the law to suit their ends, like in the US… and this is because the law is worthless in Brazil, another formlity for the English to see.. hence the ubiquitous corruption. so why use the pretext of the law.. it is ceremoniously unnecessary (I am not condoning this by the way). in Brazil. Brazilians are more pragmatic with their shamelessness.. they don’t presume to position themselves as being morally right, or being on “the right side of history” (taking the high road), and acting within the confines of the law by changing the law to suit them.. they just ignore it… they get the same results; there is no need to meet the puritan imperative of hiding behind laws to enact corruption. This article was very precise about the danger of manipulating the population by using the oligarchic media.. this is what is happening, the catch is that Brazilians are really fed up with all politicians, not just the ruling PT… people really want Dilma and Lula to be ousted, as well as the right and centrist politicians… what remains to be seen is how after the king is decapitated, what leadership will emerge… I am more of the opinion that if the population is able to instill fear in the politicians by allowing institutions to investigate them, expose them and oust them, that this might put an end to the institutionalized corruption… having said that, I am very happy that the PT was able to raise the lives of millions out of poverty… but that does not mean that they can run amuck and pillage the country.. Enough is enough!!!
Your article is very good at showing how manipulation operates in Brazil, but it leaves a few important things out that I truly believe are worth mentioning:
1) The economic scenario that allowed Lula and his party to promote social justice was developed under the two terms of his predecessor, which was a right-wing politician. Lula wisely used that scenario to boost something that was already taking place before him. I am not someone who is inclined to see things as a matter of right or left, but I think that is an important point that was not clear in your article;
2) Yes, it is true that the most powerful media outlets in Brazil tend to side with those who want to destroy what is left of president Roussef’s government. Yes, it is also true that those same outlets are very competent at being the first to bring news that depict the current government and the Worker’s Party as filled with corrupts. But the Worker’s Party did not hesitate to spread the notion that popular social programs would be abolished as soon as the right-wing parties took power again. When that sort of threat spreads among people who barely have anything to eat, are not very educated, and usually are concerned about politics insofar as those in power provide them with basic things, it is not very difficult to rally support from the lower classes. And in Brazil, the number of people in the lower classes still outnumbers those in the upper classes;
3) Speaking of that, yes, that are lot of right-minded people (and companies) that are tired of left-oriented government and politicians., and just want to get rid. But let’s not forget that ex-president Lula was elected by all segments of society, all tired of corruption everywhere. There was a vivid feeling at the 2002 election that maybe, if the Worker’s Party took control of the country, things would be different. And they were, to a certain extent, and Lula was elected for a second term and left the office with high approval rates, as you mentioned. But that was possible only because the majority of the Brazilian population believed in the idea of a better country and a government free of corruption, led by “real people, workers from the people.” That belief was what led the Worker’s Party back to the office in 2011 with Dilma Roussef. But the corruption scandals that took place during Lula’s terms and the huge one that has been associated with Rousseff eroded that belief, even among people from the lower classes, as you pointed out. So the feeling of frustration that has taken place in Brazil has to do with that: the idea that the people trusted the Worker’s Party for so long because they pledged to be different, and it turned out that they were doing basically the same thing. As in the demonstrations of 2013, it is very difficult to find a single Brazilian who is prone to defend any particular politician, and most avoid to be labeled as supporting one party over another;
4) The social gap and the unequal distribution of income in Brazil is notorious. It is what the elites and right-wing parties have preyed on in the past, but it is also something that the Worker’s Party uses as a weapon in the present. Many of the speeches since president Lula’s times in power are mainly aimed at the poor, and they emphasize how the party took the “rich and corrupt” and start governing for the poor. That sort of speech, at the very least, deepens the horrible social gap and fuels the idea that, in Brazil, society is irrevocably divided and cannot be united. It is “us” versus “them”, and there is no other way;
5) The judge that revealed the phone calls recorded by president Roussef and Lula may indeed have violated a number of laws. That remains to be seen. But the content of the calls are not as vague as you make them to be. There are no world-domination plots being schemed, but there are at least two very, very suspicious allusions as to how Lula was planning to defend himself against the legal accusations he was facing. Granted, it does not undeniably prove that he is guilty of anything. But the fact that he was offered a position in the government at the very moment that he was running the risk of going to jail is not exactly help to remove all the stains to his image. In other countries, someone being investigated by the national police would probably be required to stay away from politics until investigations were over; some politicians and parties would even voluntarily step down for fear of causing even more damage to the government. In Brazil, he got invited into the game right away;
6) The word “democracy” is widely used in the Western world to talk about choosing one’s government by means of some sort of voting system. It is also used to imply that the government represents its people and works for them—or in their interest. But when a people finds out that its government has not been ruling for them as promised and has instead been privileging personal interests, why is it not democratic to question the legitimacy of that that ruler? I do not favour Roussef’s impeachment because (other than being unable to truly know all the facts) I think the legal way is always the best one, and so far there is no real evidence that the current president has broken any laws. But I also cannot help wondering why it is not democratic to remove someone from power if the people realized they were deceived. Since corruption seems to be endemic in Brazil, the voting system condemns the country to carry the burden of corrupt leaders term after term after term, and the population cannot do anything because of “democracy.” How democratic is that? Maybe in a better world the people, besides voting to choose their representatives, would have to trial a president’s term in office and evaluate if he or she did what he or she really promised to do and acted accordingly to the power . How democratic would that be?
To sum up (hell, have I written too much), Brazil’s democracy is still very, very young and, because of that, immature. Slowly, people are starting to realize that they have been manipulated all the time, and are being manipulated right now. The “fight” between Brazil’s three Powers is showing it to the population, who is now becoming more aware of how they (and their demonstrations) are used in the disgusting game of politics, especially after the possible illegal act by the federal judge. Your article is very efficient to show that what is happening in Brazil is not as simple as “the people vs. the government.” But I believe it should also have made clear that it is neither about “the elites vs. the poor” nor “the right vers the left.” In fact, at this point, no one truly knows what it is about.
I agree that Cardoso laid the groundwork for Brazil’s economic improvement in important ways, and that credit often goes to Lula (that’s true everywhere: whoever is president gets the credit for positive outcomes even if it’s not their policy). But Lula used those benefits well to provide opportunity to parts of Brazilian population that had none.
As for the rest of your points: I don’t agree with all of them but they’re all thoughtful and nuanced and important and I’m mostly responding to highlight it and encourage people to read it. Comments like yours are why I continue to be a huge believer in the value of comment sections and reader participation.
Rodrick, I quite disagree with your assertion: “In fact, at this point, no one truly knows what it is about.” See the social and economic profile of Right Wing supporters (most of them are belong to high level income classes); they stand against most social programs (as Bolsa Família, Racial equality measures, and so on). Thus, it’s quite clear what that struggle is about: the privileged minority or. the other 70% of Brazil’s population, who came to share a tiny fraction in our national resources (Higher Education, Formal Jobs, Rising Wages).
Second, it is true that former president FHC won the fight against inflation, but his government didn’t know how to transform fiscal estability into economic growth: the rate of unemployment soared and poverty as well. Thus, the economic success of Lula’s government owes anything to the former president.
Sooo what part of the US Government isn’t under clouds of corruption….
Hey guys, how about you cut the race bating crap unless you do the same for the Elitists in Africa, China,… it’s not the Skin Color!
And why do you use the Tea Party analogy?
The circle firing squad of NYT, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, Huffpo, Politico, Atlantic,… against Trump would be a much better analogy because they also incite riots and even blame the victim afterwards.
Well done. So many direct hits in this article – good job. But where’s the Lava Jato (Petrobras “Car Wash”) scandal in this article? Where’s the probably-criminal network surrounding Dilma’s re-election? Yes, the Congress attempting to impeach Dilma IS itself super corrupt — which in no way frees the president from her own incompetent involvement with Petrobras.
I say “well done” because this article DOES get it right : Brazil IS deeply divided racially and socio-economically, with PT actually lifting millions out of poverty. But while that is the main criteria for the right to essentially hate PT, these historical divides have no direct bearing on the grotesque depth of PT’s corruption. Globo et al are having a field day — served up by Lula’s arrogance and PT’s failure to maintain that almost sacred trust socialist powers must maintain: hospitals are decaying even further, schools are decaying beyond measure, the economy is decaying with no hope in sight. As bad of a picture this article paints — it’s much worse!
I love reading these comments.. I am a Brazilian and have shared much of the skepticism that all of you are expressing about both the US and Brazil. The people, rich and poor are incited by political rhetoric. In Brazil, as in the US, both political sides are corrupt, no doubt. The difference is that in the US there is a need to maintain the patina of morality, to satisfy puritan imperatives. What Americans don’t understand is that the law in Brazil cannot be used effectively to promote or thwart graft. Brazil is a high context culture, where meaning is always found between the lines… rules are implicit and law is but a smoke screen to appease foreign onlookers (lip service) and the naive. In the late 19th century, when the British owned the world, it was the same. To this day, when someone or an institution overtly complies with decorum and western centric (Americentric) codes or stipulations, such as safety precautions and label copy on industrialized products, it is just for show.. the expressions used by Brazilians to describe these needless formalities is called “Pra Ingles ver”.. which means, for the British to see… what actually happens is that when the British (in the late 19th century) would walk away after inspecting all the Ps and Qs, the Brazilian “jeitinho” or Brazilian way, which is that all rules have exceptions, is the default MO.. people go back to complacency and things are done “half assed” again. The body politic in Brazil appear unsophisticated to American eyes, because they don’t change the law to suit their ends, like in the US… and this is because the law is worthless in Brazil.. hence the ubiquietous corruption. so why use the pretext of the law.. it is ceremoniously unnecessary. in Brazil. Brazilians are more pragmatic with their shamelesness.. they don’t presume to position themselves within the confines of the law by changing the law to suit them.. they just ignore it… they get the same results , minus the puritan imperative of hiding behind laws to enact corruption. This article was very precise about the danger of manipulating the population by the oligarchic media.. this is what is happening, the catch is that Brazilians are really fed up with all politicians, not just the ruling PT… people really want Dilma and Lula to be ousted… what remains to be seen is how after the king is decapitated, what leadership will emerge… I am more of the opinion that if the population is able to instill fear in the politicians by allowing institutions to investigate them, expose them and oust them, that this might put an end to the institutionalized corruption… having said that, I am very happy that the PT was able to raise the lives of millions out of poverty… but that does not mean that they can run amuck and pillage the country.. Enough is enough!!!
cite: “There is no question that PT is rife with corruption” , this comment swipes in ten words all the elaborated sociopolitical analysis. There are no excuses for robbing the hard-earned money of the citizens , I invite the author to just for a second to consider the possibility that Latin-Americans are (finally) starting to value ideas of fiscal responsibility. ( Disclaimer : I am Argentinian , here in my country we have similar corruption problems)
south american analogue; unfortunately makes calvinism and norther european origins look good
Too bad there wasn’t more about the role of the NYTIMES reporter,Romero, who has a long history of anti left governments in Venezuela as well as Brasil and the moderate one in Argentina. He is no one to quote Fortunately the left trade union CTB and even large elements of the center right CUT understand their fate if the PT IS turned out by the coup. And the author himself may have to pack his bags. Lot at stake
Can’t wait for the Olympics. Could have had the games here in Chicago. We could riot over ketchup on hot dogs and thin crust or deep dish pizza.
I LOVE YOU
Para ler a versão desse artigo em Português, clique aqui.
Brasilo needs more socialismo.
This is really a ideological critique of the government’s critics. Brazil has succeeded at times because it has disavowed far left populist approaches.
The kind of wealth that’s moving in NYC and London is global: from India, China, Gulf States, Russia, etc — the kind of money that requires bodyguards and bullet proof glass…. a group even less interested in human rights than the wealthy white Brazilians you’re sneering at now. Your whole racial angle — oh these terrible White people — is quickly becoming obsolete. Latinos are certainly not interested in BLM. But then I certainly don’t have to explain this to anyone raised in South FLA, do I?
You are completely clueless about Brasil, erik. You do know Mr. Greenwald’s partner, Brasileiro David Miranda, co-authored this article, right? Are you really so arrogant that you think you understand the complex mixture of African, Indian and European cultures and politics that make up Brasil without even having traveled there, apparently? You have the right to opinions about how it is to live in New York and be white (I think?) but beyond that, shut up, read the article and listen. (There was no white bashing in the article but apparently you decided an article about politics in Brasil was all about you.)
Straight to the point: the authors of this piece on Brazil are not only misinformed, they are blatantly biased and treat the country, its institutions and people as clichés associated with less developed countries. What you see on the streets today IS the reaction of a people fed up with their president and those around her. A beyond-reproach federal judge leads an operation that has brought to surface a corruption ring where current president and former president Lula have participated in. Since being directly implicated in the process both have simply confronted the law with a total disregard for the Brazilian people. As the probability of an impeachment grows, citizens of all social and economic classes unite for a common goal, senate and house representatives that once supported the government understand they must be on the right side of history, financial markets recover from years of extended losses, hope can be seen in everyone’s faces. On a specific note, to criticize an impeachment process as something inherently non-democratic is silly to say the least. As you compare Brazil and the United States, I dare all to say Nixon and Collor de Mello were unjustly punished.
I won’t be around in 50 years but I honestly believe Brazil provides a window on the future of the USA. Minus favelas possibly. Improvised housing isn’t allowed here. See OWS for more info….
But Glenn, why are you so rough on the white + well-to-do? Wouldn’t that describe your demographic? I wish I could drop what I’m doing and move to Rio….
Most upper-middle class whites are nice, stop beating them up! A handful are psychos, ok. Couldn’t the same be said of the less well-off? Complicates the narrative slightly but let’s face reality and deal with it.
Then move down there with your ‘projimo’ if you find the Whites’ so agreeable.
Thank You
As an expat living in Brazil since 2010 I agree with the authors of this article. The Brazilian people are aware of the opposition power grab and the media’s distortion of the facts but people will never go back to the non-democratic years of the past. Dilma, with all her faults, is one tough lady and I would not bet against her. Unlike America where voter suppression is the norm, here in Brazil voting is required. The 99% hate the 1%. As such, unless there is outside intervention, the PT party is likely to remain in power. For every Lula there are ten people ready to step into his shoes. My take on the situation is a matter of who is the least worst corruptor. In the meantime, all the roads in Brazil need repairs, there is no interstate highway, the education system is woefully inadequate, health care is great for those who don’t get sick and, of course, corruption is still the political norm. But with all it faults, it is the Brazilian people and their spirit and national pride that makes this country so attractive.
Finally!!! Someone puts the finger in the wound!!!! The Uniform Media at Brazil aka TV Globo and its slaves sisters, (another networks, newspapers and so..) determines the public opinion (alias, the “published opinions”) due its massive power as a political network owned by riches, whites oligarchs!!!
Then what it needs is even more nationalized companies, even more socialism.
No, no, no, no. What Brasil really needs is some of that good Ol US and European style privatization inflicted upon it, so that the poor and middle class working people cannot afford housing, electricity, gas or water, or even to take a short train ride.The people should submit, and surrender to the subversion of their democracy, and give up their freedoms to become slaves to the elite, and just accept inequality and social injustice.They need more fear and state mass surveillance and oppression inflicted upon them, so that any dissent to authoritarian, far right wing rule can be wiped out.They should accept without questioning or doubting anything that is said by the powerful corporate led media just like most Americans do.
The Clintons have certainly learned how to deal with Rich, Powerful, Politically empowered foes – become them; embrace them; accept their bri…er, contributions. Ignore the dirty, dirty poor until Election Time. America is at least as corrupt as Brazil- they are just better at hiding it. Even the Obama Administration is appallingly bereft of ethics.
Where are all the left’s bag buttons and folding tables this time around?
Obama came highly recommended by the progressive left–are they now hiding under rocks because they detect disapproval by the public at large? We were counting on their educated recommendations for this new election cycle.
Well they were mesmerized by the color of Obama’s skin, therefore all is forgiven.
Nobody I know is hiding anywhere. In your bizzaro world, America needs to be ‘made great again’. Sorry that red America sucks so bad, but you created that mess. In my America, the stock markets are humming, corporate profits are at an all time high. You bought into the supply side nonsense, so of course you’re angry when none of it trickled down to you. Is that the government’s fault? No. Is the media to blame? No. So why are you angry with the only institutions that protect us from robber barons? Why don’t we have six year olds working in factories anymore? Why do we have 40 hour work weeks and non-lethal workplaces? Do you think it’s a coincidence that the firewalls between us and the economic elite are under attack while the 1% took all of the money that was made ‘recovering’ from the crash?
My recommendation is to take a close look at who you on the right are lashing out at.
You’ve abandoned your followers with an unskilled H-2B bill that your god described as “an early Christmas present” last December:
“The H-2 guest worker program, which brought in 150,000 [soon to be 400,000/yr. if the budget is passed] legal foreign workers last year, isn’t supposed to deprive any American of a job. But many businesses go to extraordinary lengths to deny jobs to U.S. workers so they can hire foreigners instead. A BuzzFeed News investigation.”
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicagarrison/all-you-americans-are-fired
Manufacturers are moving to Mexico because besieged employers are now mandated to insure male workers for maternity coverage.
Janet Yellen’s quiver is empty of QEn. The markets are a smokescreen for a Fed that the progressive left refuses to audit.
“America is at least as corrupt as Brazil- they are just better at hiding it. ”
I think you’re wrong there. It’s fundamentally different. Brazil’s corruption is the old-school “steal the tax money” corruption. The system is OK, if you can keep it clean. Ours is a more dangerous form, where the lawmakers have become extensions of corporate interests that have learned that it is far more lucrative to change the rules to benefit a very small group of people who continue to convince certain voters that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, an idea that we now have 30 years of economic history that shows otherwise. You only need to look at Kansas and Louisiana to see the fruits of these trees. Funny how the last guy who was president was largely given a pass on ethics, his policies crashed the economy, lied us into war, and was off clearing brush right before the worst attack on the country. Say what you will about Mr. Obama, he won’t have to worry about travelling outside of the US after he’s done.
If you are silent about Dick Cheney, or defend him in any way, you have no right to criticize anyone else after him, he is as evil and corrupt as they come. Your rank partisanship is obvious.
For more interesting reading, see Glenn Greenwald’s Twitter timeline, as Brazilians and others interact with him about this story. Apparently, there are large pro-government rallies going on in Brazil right now.
Socialism means the People are contented, and demonstrate for their Big Government.
Socialism means that the elite did not live up to their end of the social contract. It’s the only time that it becomes useful to the average guy, as protection against forces that cannot be fought by rugged individualism.
Yes, there is!
Dear authors, this is one of the first decent texts I found on the crisis currently unfolding in Brazil. It comes as no surprise to me, that it comes from authors like you. I am a German researcher living for 11 years in Brazil and I have been outraged especially by international media who just copies and translates information from mass media in Brazil, like TV Globo, for the last weeks. German, European, US media, it doesn’t matter, it was all a bunch of badly produced copies of Brazilian political propaganda (for the right-conservative, PSDP, PMDP etc), not more but a massive shame for journalism. In an explosive and dangerous situation like the one we see right now in Brazil, these international reports only put fuel in the fire when their task is to inform and to stay out of the conflict. You guys, one more time, you saved the day, with a critical view, decent information, background (historical) facts and, well, the courage to tell people what is really going on. I really admire you guys for that. Thanks a lot. Best wishes from Brazil.
This article is highly biased. At minimum these reporters are being naive and romanticizing the South American left parties.
The Brazilian workers party, PT, is in fact a criminal organization installed in the government. The destruction of Petrobras, once one of the biggest companies in the world, is only one of the effects of their crimes. Many of their leaders are now in prison after a fair trial process.
If you haven’t been here in Brasil, or if you’re trying to understand what’s going on here, please do not take this article as plain truth.
You completely undermine the fact that Dilma has been embroiled in scandal after scandal. That the country growth rate has shrunk considerably, inflation has risen and unemployment is hire. Not to mention the grotesque decision to name Lula chief of staff in the middle of a money laundering investigation. Other than that you nailed it….
Thank you! As a Brazilian, I just want to thank you for this.
I wish every journalist had the same sense of integrity, honesty and intelligence. Everything in his text is accurate and perfect.
Finally a well considered English language article on what is happening in Brazil. It mirrors what happened in Thailand but let’s just hope it doesn’t go the same way… Perhaps this article could be translated into Portuguese?
I am so relieved to finally find an article on the Intercept about the situation in Brasil. This is especially so after the “intercept” of the phone conversation between Dilma Rouseff and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. This rapid release or “leak” so rapidly exploited by Judge Sergio Moro resembles a judicial overreach striving to become a judicial coup. I think that your reporting redresses the balance in understanding the pervasive nature of corruption in Brasilian politics. I think the astonishing story that needs to be told (and I hope that the Intercept will accept the challenge) is to look at the way in which Petrobras has been an instrument of systematic corruption since its inception in 1953. I wonder how it has insinuated itself into the political (and the extrapolitical) process through the dictatorship years and then manged to find favorable leverage after the end of the dictatorship. How could the leaders of the left leaning parties, who had been tortured and imprisoned during the terrifying years of dictatorship, have been corrupted so that on the assumption of power they too were politically undermined by fossil fuel interests? I would like to see this disentangled by some really careful investigative reporting. This process by which officials thrive whoever is in power was personified in Edgard Telles Ribeiro’s novel His Own Man in the character of Max (“O punho e a renda” excellently translated by Kim M. Hastings). We are currently watching fossil fuel interests having their last ghastly hurrah in many countries. Brasil makes this spectacle so manifest by appearing to taint all the levers of power (military, legislative, executive, judiciary) at the expense of social and environmental justice.
The real force in political change starts here-http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/gappspaper1.pdf
!!
Excellent text! However, I’d like to add some information.
It’s true that Dilma was democratically reelected but her campaign was based on lies. She had hidden the deep economical crisis Brazil was facing at that time due to wrong choices she made. Fuel and energy prices were being held frozen to keep inflation indexes low. After election the true was unveiled and some people who voted for her felt betrayed and went on streets asking for her impeachment.
So, basically Brazil is just like America. Right down to the corporate owned, propagandist media. Oligarchy indeed. At least Brazil has Carnivale and Neymar Jr. We have Donald Trump and a million mega churches.
We’d trade our Universal Churches of the Realm of God with your Megachurches ANY DAY.
If you think your catholic preachers are masters of the swindling, they look like amateurs compared to the Brazilian ones. They target the poor and the vulnerable. I know a woman with mental problems who was convinced to donate 15 000,00 reals to one of the Universal Churches. That money was not her’s, it was given to her to pay for her cancer treatment, but the universal church convinced her that Prayer was better. The cancer spread to her body and she died a painful, slow death.
What did I lean from this article. That Power corrupts,That white privilege and wealth is not limited to America,That Right Wing Fascist hate poor people,That Donald Thump should move to Brazil,and that an honest media is no where to be found on this planet unless you consister Vice and Comedy Central news outlets.
“…its supporters are overwhelmingly Brazil’s poor and racial minorities.”
Black people were never a minority in this country, much to the contrary, and this is the axle upon which white middle class fear revolves at this crucial moment as more and more of us recognise this reality and the implications thereof.
This is an extremely dishonest and partial arcticle.
Someone should really look into the possible perhaps probable notion that the CIA et al are using the evangelical churches for cover and to influence the vote. As someone with some knowledge of SA I’ve suspected this for some time and wonder if anyone else has a similar idea.
Thanks for bringing that up. My guess is that the egomaniacal Evangers are looking to move in on the Catholic territory for the glory and the money.
The level of corruption in Brazil’s politics is so deeply rooted that all parties have more bad apples than they have good. With this, it is hard to take serious any actions taken because there is always going to be doubt as the accuser is more than likely just as guilty as the accused. So what happens? Do you have an independent third party come in and investigate? That’s never going to be allowed.
The roots of corruption in Brasil are deep, very deep. They have a term in Brasil called “Jeitinho”. There always is “A Way” to resolve something. There is no way to resolve this mess in which the masses feel justice has been served. It is obvious that Lula is up to his eyebrows in dudu as are his accusers. It remains to be seen how involved Dilma is. She has some explaining to do.
A perfect picture of the current Brazil. Thank you.
Greenwald, my god. You really is mistaken.
The election was fraudulent to begin with. Your reading of the situation is very bad.
Yes, there is endemic corruption all over political scene but PT has governed Brasil for 13 years and they have destroyed our public companies not only for bad management (the least) but for corruption.
The movements for impeachment are not being fomented by political parties but by young leaders that are sick of corruption and populism.
It is PEOPLE against POPULIST GOVERNMENT. and this is very simple to understand.
If you are being dishonest: Fuck You. If it is genuine misunderstanding: pls don’t draw fast conclusions of what you don’t know for sure.
Seems to me the problem is that Brazilian elites, regardless of party affiliation or ideological bent, aren’t paying attention how “political corruption” is properly done. I say, “look north” Brazilian elite to the good old US of A. America’s political elites just pass laws making all of their “corruption” perfectly legal– Congressperson’s insider trading to influence peddling (from lobbying to no-bid government contracts to “free trade” agreements), to the revolving door between private industry and the highest non-elected government policy and regulatory positions.
Brazil’s politician’s problem is they want to be corrupt but they forgot to put the laws in place that shield them from accountability for their corruption like their American counterparts do up north.
Ah the growing pains of a nominal “democracy”. America has it down to a science where no matter which party is in power the results are largely the same, and all the good little Americans believe they are actually influencing things via “elections” where you get to choose from the pre-approved menu of “acceptable” politicians.
I mean shit, how could I forget things like the Clinton Foundation, SuperPACs generally, “endowed” professorships and “think tanks” funded by people like the Kochs, or Saudis, or whichever assorted elites like to hang out and get invites to places like Bohemian Grove.
Brazilian elites are doing corruption all wrong and that’s why the people are probably pissed. The modern “capitalist” countries of the world are corrupt to their cores, and it only works if you keep everyone in the dark believing they live in a “democracy” of some sort. Once the shades get pulled up and you see that all the elites are in on it together then the jig is up and the elites send in the military to put it all down.
“all the good little Americans believe they are actually influencing things via “elections” where you get to choose from the pre-approved menu of “acceptable” politicians.”
Many Americans could have voted for Romney and lose Obamacare. They did not.
Many Americans could have voted for those against gay rights in the military. They did not.
Many Americans could have voted for those who were against the American Reinvestment Act. They did not.
Should I continue? No. You are just an idiot.
If only …
Back in the 60’s and 70’s, when Brazil was under military rule, I refused to read the (censored) Brazilian press, so I turned to the likes of Time Magazine and Newsweek. As a side effect, I improved my English vocabulary with words and expressions such as ‘kickback’, ‘slush funds’, ‘soft money’…
Brazil is far behind the USA: we don’t have a ‘citizens united’ to whitewash political campaign finance and probably never will.
For now, lets get rid of this dysfunctional and corrupt PT in Brazil.
PSDB as right wing? C’mon!! This, as almost every brazilian newspaper columnists, is nothing more than a left wing trying to make his dreams reality.
Never in the history of Brazil so much money was captured with the direct involvement of the president party. During the presidency of Lula and Dilma the PETROBRAS was almost destroyed. And you tried to mitigate this fact ??? really ??? So Moro can not tell what he was investigating but Edward Snowden when do this is a Heroi ??? Let me tell you something I was PT, and I will always be “left” but the level of destruction and corruption that Mr. Lula and Dilma the president, are involved, do not aloud me to go over it and “let it go”. I’m completely agree with the actions of MORO. There is no ambiguous choice here or you are Honest or not.
Moro is a judge. Snowden was a worker for a private company. Extremely different positions.
Moro should be imprisoned. There needs to be evidence but it seems there is none. Just propaganda…
No evidence? Do you live under a rock?
Hiya,
Didn’t Collor and Farias ripped Brazil treasury off r$3,5 billion? As far as I’m aware that cunning fox is now a senator. Nobody’s defending PT’s corruption here but it would be, in my view, a grave mistake to sling corruption charges against Dilma following Cunha’s lead, who’d rather bring the whole economy down to remove democratically elected government from power. So much for being honest. So, I essentially agree – combat corruption accross the board or don’t bother hiding behind the flag.
Yes, I’m sure that if some federal district judge in the United States wiretapped the President and then released the recordings to the media, nobody here would have any problems with it. . . just normal judicial behavior, really?
““The audio couldn’t be released by a federal judge,” said Monica Caggiano, a constitutional specialist at Sao Paulo University. “The Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, is the one entitled to addressing matters involving the president.” The Rio de Janeiro branch of Brazil’s bar association also said it viewed the release of the tapes, without consulting the Supreme Court, as illegal.”
Source: Bloomberg News
Get your facts straight the president wasn’t tapped. The ex-president was and he knew it but still received and made calls. He just thought he was above the law and could do and say anything
You are incredible wrong. There was no wiretapped the president. The president called a person of interest who was tapped.
Yes, he can… Tapewire the former president and turn in to public the content recorded.
So say the supreme court, btw they also alowed him to continue the investigation and prossecution.
For those who dont known, the content of the tapes became public (social and conventional midia) and there is no arguing about what was said in those conversation (centered in Mr. da Silva) compromising and even incriminating.
tl;dr
Then why post? If you can’t read a long article that’s your problem, no one else’s!
I suspect the CIA is using criminal gangs in Venezuela to help take down the country along the lines of Operation Ajax. Among other things, I suspect they are counterfeiting the Venezuelan currency. It’s a typical CIA trick. The Brazil thing looks more like something out of the book “Confessions of an Economic Hitman.” Brazil discovered large oil reserves. Within a month or so Obama shows up and tries to become “Best Buds,” but get rejected. Oil is high and the Brazilian real is also doing well. So Brazil loads up on dollar denominated debt. Oil collapses, the real collapses and now the leg breakers come in to collect on the debt. First, a pseudo-revolution to move the icky socialists out and bring in the Capitalist class. Then it’s austerity for the people while the plutocrats get rich selling their countries resources to Transnational Investors. For the rest read Nomi Klein’s “It Takes a Pillage.”
The real problem is the lack of any real economic program. In both Brazil and Venezuela the socialists elements took power without having a clue about how to govern a country.
They should have gotten a decent council of economic advisers like Randall Wray or Warren Mosler and put together a couple of five year plans. Government benefits should have been handed out with schooling and training in mind. Probably the best run country semi-socialist country was Libya under Qaddafi.
At some point I give up on third world banana republics. I mean granted, that the CIA IS evil and that the NSA likely has bugs up everybody’s…noses, but there is no excuse for this level of stupid.
100% agree. And ” Probably the best run country semi-socialist country was Libya under Qaddafi. “. Momar was a cash on the barrel-head guy. My own belief is the u.s. disposed of him (and saddam) because they were not borrowers and were willing to move away from usd for oilpay.
The 2D econ system the u.s. is pushing is near collapse because growth (aka hot potato loan fraud) requires expansion of something. Increasing population in an already overcrowded world with decreasing wages isn’t a plus. Increasing prices with the requisite consumer credit (aka shortselling your future) is a predictable dead end. What’s left? DPRK, Venezuela, Iran, Syria?. Germany hedged it’s bet on their dollar hold by demanding return of bullion (dont know if they got it or how much).
The wealthy need for the circulation economy to thrive but have in the meantime made busy on sucking the life out of it rather than replensishing it- as if they are in a sinking ship. (That’s why fed rates are approaching 0). In this scenario, something has to break. What i see is the same scenario that started WW2 when the u.s. blocked the china see to prevent Japan from getting their rubber in burma. CHINA WILL ISSUE AN ULTIMATUM.
Wallstreet has been trying to make inroads into the chinese currency for very selfish purposes at the expense of America. Wallstreet/NYC is a separate country and doesn’t give a # about mainstreet.
This is why republicans always promote division, conflict and war and why democrats go along – albeit dragged and kicking – for the ride.
It’s Nomi Prins for “It takes a Pillage.” Naomi Klein’s book is “The Shock Doctrine.”
thanks.
The name is Naomi Klien. You lose a huge amount of credibility when you can’t even get the name of the author you are quoting right. Just saying…..
I have credibility?
When did that happen?
That is right. 100% agree.
And
THe judge Moro dont create a crusade against PT. The judge Moro are persecuting all corrupters, including the right-oposition,
Its confuse, yes, I think. But is the good fight, that avoiding blood.
Since wednesday, the people who are in favor of the coup are attacking who is not. Now, the people can’t express your opinion, or saying things against the people who are anti-Dilma. The simple act to wear a red T-shirt (PT’s color) is reason for violence or to be attacked. It’s a big mess and now, is very dangeours, seems like fascism time.
It’s both ways, uh? Don’t forget that, even reporters where attacked and hurt by pro-PT groups
Reporters from Globo. Barely register as people since they’re the ones inciting the hate from the Right Wingers.
I was going to answer you with this:
”
“Barely register as people”.
This, right here, is the crux of the problem. If you cannot see people as people, whatever background they bring, you already bought into some propaganda or another. In such situation, anything you say that promotes division instead of empathy is working in favor of someone higher up in this, and they may not really have your best interest in mind.
If you already believe there are exactly two sides to this mess, then, againg, you already bought into some propaganda or another. I would excuse a gringo, like the authror, for immediatly reaching for such goto explanation, but it’s nowhere near that clear-cut.
I just wish we could all throw our individual pride into some trash can, as to not let that be a factor, and join the side that, really, really, uniquivocally, just want every single crooked politician face due consequences, as impossible as it is to believe that (given it’s not far fetched to believe evere single one in office have dipped their hands into something or another).
The author can say this is “utterly naive” all he wants, but what, exacly, will change if we just pretend no corruption ever happens and let it carries on? It needs to start somewhere. And, yes, I am aware how hard it is to believe that once it does, rules won’t simply be changed mid-game, while there is still a large portion of this continental-wide conga-line of implicated to meet due process. The only is to send a clear and consistent message about these practices, whatever color they tell their supporters to wear in the streets…
”
… but then I stopped at that point, re-read it, and concluded I’m far, far too cynical of the entire Politics to actually believe those words. So I’m not sure what to conclude of this. Maybe that I just despise everybody, from the “alledged” subset of politicians that happen to be crooks, all the way to these people that let themselves become tools of the former. I should probably include myself in that, since I went and posted this.
Look, at this point I just wish this won’t end in armed intervention by any group, rhetorics for such action simply moot to me.
So sad that people with absolutelly no insight into our country gets to writte such a shortsided story and actually make people with even less information feel like they have a clue of what is happening here. This country has been ravaged by corruption for years (maybe forever) and for the first time we have someone in the judiciary sistem standing up to it. For the first time we have proof of what we always knew was going on, for the first time people are going to jail for corruption. And this is what this country is fighting for! For corruption to not go under the rug like it was always the case.
This government in place has taken corruption to a whole new level, bankrupted the country’s largest company and has institucionalized corruption to a level of a criminal organization.
If any of you are interested in the truth, take a quick listen, or try to translate the transcripts, of the last phone calls made between people in power at the moment. The tapes are legal, btw. As has already been said even by our chief attorney, who was put in place by the current government. Call him biased, if you dare. And even if they were not legal. We come to a discussion of what is legal versus what is moral. And when the country is being mocked by its government, I will go with what is moral, what is right.
In this calls you will find:
Ex-president Lula, geting advised by a professor to become a minister to scape prison. Only to later have the call with Dilma working on rushing it.
The chief of PT party talking to the then Chief of Staff, aking for him to push the ministry position, as he thinks Lula is about to get arrested. Also suggesting that they get some paid millitants to stay in front of Lula’s home and use violence if needed.
Listen to Lula say how the Supreme Court are cowards, and how the judge investigating him should be afraid.
Listen to Lula, his wife, his son, the mayor of Rio (also from PT) mocking the people of this country, mocking the poor, the rich, the rising middle class, the protester. Basically mocking eveyone, feeling superior and infalible.
Also look around for the pictures proving that the home he says is not his, is actually his and has been paid for by the bigest private sector agents of the corruption in Petrobras. His wife has prescription drugs on her name there, the boat is named after Lula and his wife. The smal paddle boats are named after his grandchildren. All so illegal he has denied to owning since the begining of investigations.
I will only stop here with the list, but if you just look it up will see how much worst it can get.
On the protests I will only say that the people protesting against the government are doing it of their own free will, while the pro government are getting paid by the PT party, R$35, btw, a fact they are not even ashamed enough to hide and put up in their own website. SHAME!
And finally if we are talking about the legitimacy of the impeachment,she is charged with commiting fiscal fraud last year, with very compeling evidence. Actually she does not even deny what she did, just claims it was necessary. She is also now being charged with obstruction of justice, with the ministry offer to Lula. And if you want to even go further, most of her campain was funded with coerced money from corrupt private sector company wanting to keep their influence in the government, of that we have about 10 sworn in testimonies validated by our supreme court.
This is Brazil fighting to change the status quo and no longer accepting this kind of behavior! This is the country fighting for a chance to be better! It might not be all of the solution, but it has to start somewhere. Nomore impunity!
The authors are not claiming that there should be “no more impunity”. On the contrary, it’s obvious if you read the whole article that everyone they write about is guilty of corruption of one sort or another. In any case, one of the authors is, in fact , Brazilian, one of the others is the partner of said Brazilian and both live in, and have lived in, Rio for years.
The authors are clearly biased, translating to americans: globo = fox, anti-PT = tea party, white and racists.
How big is the house?the boat?Is this small potatoes corruption,or millions?
The prescription drug thing might be an attempt at character assassination?
We Americans are generally clueless re South and Central America.Zika virus!Yes,we’ve heard that.And pollution at the Olympic sites.
Fearful stuff.They like us cowed.
The concrete stuff they have against Lula personally is small potatoes. The whole scheme his party and the plutocrats were running were in the order of billions of dollars.
Besides the dollars, the conspiring that Lula and Dilma and the rest of their party is carrying out to evade justice is quite serious, employing the presidential office’ entire machine.
Great response to this article! I’m glad I read the comments to get a more balanced account of what is going on.
I get that the protests are fueled by people tired of corruption. Are you concerned that the right are going to take advantage of the peoples’ anger to push their agenda (al la Klein’s Shock Doctrine)? When the dust settles after politicians have been ousted/convicted/jailed, I wonder if things might play out just as the article intimates.
WOW! Criticising Judge Moro’s leaked wiretap without mentioning the events that led to it is irresponsible journalism, at best.
Here are some of the omitted facts:
1) Ex-president Lula was about to be arrested due to overwhelming evidence of corruption, money laundering, among other crimes (even his own lawyer admitted so).
2) Sensing his imminent arrest, he and the ruling party concoct a plan to have president Dilma nominate him Chief of Staff (I kid you not). The nomination grants him qualified immunity.
3) But the immunity is only valid after the official nomination, leaving a legal window for his arrest. So, hours later, president Dilma writes him a “Nomination Term”, a de-facto “Get Out of Jail Free” card. The whole incident is so rushed she even forgets to sign it! (I kid you not again).
4) President Dilma then calls Lula informing of the move. Her words are: “I’m sending you a paper, which you can use in case you need to. It is the Nomination Term”.
5) The call is caught on the legal wiretap on Lula’s phone. The wiretap was previously authorized by judge Moro, with full knowledge of the Supreme Court Justice overseeing the case.
6) The government then issues a special edition of the “Official Journal” just to formalize the nomination. Normally it would take up to 2 days to be published.
There is ample evidence that Lula’s nomination served only one purpose: to avoid his arrest. If proven, this means president Dilma committed at least one crime – obstruction of justice.
Haven chosen to omit such critical events, the authors prove themselves unreliable and biased.
For true and very good insight. The article is in fact very biased and omits many important details either on purpose or via neglect.
Exactly! This ommission is unforgiveable in an article about “subversion of democracy”.
“Haven chosen to omit such critical events, the authors prove themselves unreliable and biased”
Welcome to The Intercept!
No, that is a coat that fits the US mass media – don’t try tarring the Intercept with the same brush.
This piece mixes a lot of truth with opinion, lack of opposing facts, and insinuations. Some major points of contention are the categorization of the protestors, exclusion of data showing the harm the government has done to the very people you say it helped, unemployment and diminished household incomes, rising inflation and interest rates directly related to government decisions, incompetence, and corruption, and a plethora of other points. I expected more objectivity.
The current Brazilian government is garbage and there is little hope that a political reform will happen on a large enough scale or fast enough to change that. Meanwhile, I read an article like this and feel bad for people who will believe all of it because parts of it are true.
It’s a shame. The US doesn’t really have a dog in this fight from a journalistic standpoint. Again, in my opinion, you should’ve been more objective.
Well articulated, and exactly how it has been explained to me by some Brazilians who – as you say – basically feel that they have no voice in the media. Is there any way I can get a copy of this in Portuguese?
Who owns the MSM in Brazil?I have no idea,just curious.
That aside,I do know that this govt. is on the bad side of Israel.There were a couple of diplomatic spats,one being the Brazilians refused a settler ambassador,they being long time Palestinian supporters.I never heard the end of that story as to the end result.Still ongoing?
That also makes our corrupt media hostile,so any reports in our MSM re Brazil are suspect.
With the left anywhere there is always the risk of ending like Venezuela what Dilma is doing is a case of too little too late. Racism like homophobia has nothing to do with the governement but with every one of us. I admire all the journalist from the Intercept but brasil has to ‘face the music ‘ regardless of how or when.
It’s a messy business but the only reason that this anti-corruption investigation is able to go forward in Brazil, is because unlike in many other countries, the prosecutors are independent from the executive branch.
In the US, for example, Americans need to wait for Obama to appoint a “special prosecutor”. This special prosecutor would be constrained by whatever terms the president gave them. Obviously it would take substantial public pressure to take such a step, and the initiation of such a unusual step would be intrinsically a political decision.
But In Brazil, they decided they were tired of corruption and instituted a standing “public prosecutor’s office”. The prosecutors, on an ongoing basis, can independently investigate crimes that lead to the highest officials.
Glenn,
I respect your analysis, but I feel that although you are providing deeper insight to the current crises to which most US and international media seem to be totally oblivious, your argument founders on several key points.
First, even though the current protests are at least putatively being organized by the PSDB, whenever they attempt to exploit these protests for political means, the protesters have booed and jeered them. Clearly an indication that the protesters themselves are not supporting the naked political ambitions and opportunism of other corrupt politicians.
Yes, the protesters skew wealthier than most Brazilians, but that is also true of the protests (although fewer in total number of participants) which lead to the redemocratization of Brazil. Your thesis that the current turmoil is fomented not because of popular unrest and intolerance of corruption, but because a select group of Brazilians wants “their” corrupt kleptocrats back in power, overlooks the clear intolerance of any political manipulation of what is a popular revolt against corruption.
In addition, the protestors are not happy that Temer will be in power after a kangaroo-court kabuki theater of an impeachment trial, but rather would prefer new elections to take place. If the PT still wins the elections, does that mean that the replacement politicians are in some way illegitimized as it is a “golpe”, I think not.
Yes, Globo is ridiculous, but so is all Brazilian television. Jornal Nacional is just slightly less so.
Moro damaged himself by the revelations, particularly because it was totally unnecessary to release the wires: most Brazilians were not fooled by the mewling codswallop offered up as the reason to appoint Lula as Dilma’s Chief of Staff, it’s obvious it was to avoid further criminal prosecution. But, in a very savvy political move, Moro has challenged Dilma and Lula to retaliate against him, which if carried out will confirm to most that he was on to something and create a martyr out of him which he can exploit to gain political office. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to your next President of Brazil. Or at the very least, Senator from the State of Parana.
The problem will be: who is left to govern when all of the major politicians are in jail or awaiting trial. Delação premiada has finally caused a true prisoner’s dilemma to play out and there is a rush to the door as all the good deals from the prosecution are to be had in the next 3 months. What happens thereafter will be interesting.
Brazilian society is hideously racist, this racism inspires in some of the most fanatical sectors of the white oligarchy ultimate and eventual plans for racial genocide.
Really? And you’re basing your opinion on what exactly?
Hahahaha! You psicho.. Are you Brazilian? Probably not. And if you are, shame on you for saying such ridilous things about your country. I dare you to find a country were jews and muslins get along so well, where the chinese feel no need to creat a chinatown and seclude themselves. This is one of the countries that better integrate races and cultures, and this is something we are proud of! Our past might have created social differences, which require change, but no nation is more accepting then we are!
White supremacism is an obvious factor in the current economic and political constitution of Brazilian society; by constitution I mean the invisible one that governs everyday lives, not the evident dead letter one that is daily defecated upon by all and sundry within the obscenely, pestilentially corrupt political ruling classes.
“When you tear yourself away from the news to go to the toilet, the risk is not that Brazil will have changed when you get back in front of the TV, but that yet again it will be business as usual.”
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/18/brazil-judiciary-democracy-sergio-moro-impeach-dilma-rousseff
Voila: http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/05/22/408813624/expats-find-brazils-reputation-for-race-blindness-is-undone-by-reality
This is the proof
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/o-brasil-por-tras-da-aquarela/article25830183/
This article is in Portuguese (and from a year ago) but it explains that this entire movement was organized planned and executed by networks partially funded by the Koch Brothers. It mirrors the networks set up here.
The only difference is that here the population wont support them going that far (openly calling for military intervention) – there this does not disqualify someone from respectable debate.
http://www.cartacapital.com.br/blogs/outras-palavras/quem-esta-por-tras-do-protesto-no-dia-15-3213.html
Here’s an article in the New Yorker that claims the Koch brothers are funding criminal justice reform:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/01/25/new-koch
Daniel, you know that Carta Capital was bankrupt before Lula became president, right? That they owe their survival to Lula? That they will probably be out of business in less than a year if PT leaves the government?
There are many other inaccurate or just blatantly false statements. My question to you is: why would anyone do that? You ave money, resources, people. Why don’t you report? Why the need to side with crooks and people that have destroyed the country’s economy, people’s dreams but, most important, the national left-wing image?
Look, although GG is right in many regards, this is not a well-balanced reading of the situation.
For one, it overlooks or does not give enough attention to the subversion of democracy that is carried out by Dilma e Lula. Also, it uncritically take side with arguments about the legal implications of Moro’s procedural decisions, when in fact even that is quite ambigous.
Finally, the conversations released – not leaked, very wrong to say that – are not just vague. They show an unmistakable attempt that Lula was doing to use his political power to try to prevent the corruption cases from going forward. He expressely talks about how the government can intimidate judges and prosecutors and that sort of thing.
Botttom line is, the right wing and elites are indeed exploiting the situation.
But PT has given more than enough reasons to lose legitimacy. Judge Moro is a supporting actor in this drama and both sides exploit his aura without merit. Even if what he did is indeed technically outside his authority – it would be no more than a technicality regarding the organization of judiciary. And if he deserves to be disciplined and punished for that, so be it. He doesn’t matter.
But none of that changes the fact that in the center of all this is a serious subversion of political power by PT. The party engaged in serious criminal conduct to benefit themselves and the worst capitalists in the country. The criminal economic elite in Brazil benefitted greatly from PT. And it has been revealed for all to see that they are conspiring against the criminal proceeding and turning the very office of hte president into a instrument for that purpose, to benefit nobody but themselves. An irregular “leaking” does not de-constitute these facts, at least not in the real world.
The situation is ambigous and the opposition is wrotten, absolutely. But the president of the country is caught abusing its power, for corrupt purposes, and undermining democracy. That is much worse than anything judge Moro may have done wrong.
And here we see the typical example of a white rich person defending their Folk Hero, who can do no wrong. The conversation illegally released is not only vague, it’s extremelly vague, and although a judge is allowed to release information about a case if he sees fit to do so, he was not the judge of the case anymore, so his actions are illegal.
Fucking prick! You know nothing about me you asshole.
Your ad hominems are pathetic and you clearly don’t know what your talking about. It is totally false that the he was not the judge the case. He still is the judge of the case, even though Lula will not be part of the same case going forward.
And, look, Judge Moro has some heavy handed tactics, but he aims his tactics on heavy weights. He was able to dismantle a huge criminical organization and put in the jail one of the richest man in the contry, something which up until now had never happened in the history of the country.
It is an utter embarassment that social movements or certain “leftists” would close ranks with Dilma e Lula when they have been caught in criminal activity, abusing power, subverting democracy and are, at this point in time, serving no one but themselves and their plutocratic friends. They are not serving the people, their are not advancing social rights, they are not even carrying out a leftist or populist administration any longer. Their very base of their party is opposing Dilma’s austerity measures.
Opposing the right wing is not the same thing than defending Dilma e Lula, on contrary, defending them gives legitimacy and ammunition to the right wing because it proves that social movements and way too many “progressives” are nothing but an instrument in the project for self-serving political power of PT, this will demoralize the progressives forces for decades, and rightly so. This is a mistake. Lula and Dilma don’t represent progressive ideals and don’t deserve to be defended by anyone who is honestly progressive.
“Look, although GG is right in many regards, this is not a well-balanced reading of the situation.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Catching up: you then say that Brazil’s “elite” hate Lula, ignoring the fact that Dilma’s re-election campaign had record contributions from banks and construction companies; that Odebrecht and OAS did whatever was necessary to please Lula; and banks keep having record profits since Lula was first elected.
This article is crap! What is going on in Brazil isnt the rich vs the poor… Its the hard working middle class, the tax payers vs big corruption. I love the picture showing a black woman pushing the stroller… Like she’s not paid a good salary for her job. Do you know how expensive it is to have a nanny in Brazil???
Poe’s Law can be a bitch.
I’d never heard of Poe’s Law but that comment was an jaw-dropping exemplar! Thanks for the link.
If you can’t afford the parts,don’t buy a Cadillac????
Hows the air up there on Olympus?
You funny.
Mr Greenwald, surely there are many true afirmatives on your article. But there are, also and in a large amount, the same kind of simplification you have appointed on others articles about the brazilian crisis. It must be said that these who are against democracy – and there are some – are not a significant group. As you say, “large segments of the population are genuinely angry”, especially thouse who, like me, once had believed in some words of hope, of changing, of overcoming the deep poverty and, mainly, of respect to the law and to the ethic principles in modern societies. And finally, think about it: many are saying now in Brazil that removing a president from office after a process of impeachment, according to the law and the Constitution, is a “coup d’etat”. These people must, to be coerent at least, go to the streets and defend the restitution of the presidential term of Fernando Collor (who, as you know well, was removed by a impeachement process – was it a “coup d’etat ? – led by many who are now saying the the street protest are a attempt against democracy).
How many Brazilians showed up to protest on the 13th? estimates I’ve read say up to 3 million. I’m sorry, but the notion that this mass of people were exclusively mobilized by oligarch-manipulated mass media is an anemic argument.
And not one mention of the World Cup protests under Dilma? How many thousands marched on Planalto then? And of her political maneuvering to place Lula in her cabinet, a move that would partially shield him from the ongoing probe, even if the stated intent is only to benefit from his popularity to remediate her record-low popularity. Are these polls not to be trusted?
Has the latest spate of public demonstrations have been just some spontaneous phenomenon manufactured by O Globo?
You seem to repudiate the whole of Brazilian media, though the argument is muddled by your focus on the handful of US-based journalists that, as usual, do a perfunctory and pathetic job at depicting LatAm. Fair enough. But which is it, are they both incompetent? Is everyone on the payroll of Eurasia Group?
Glenn, as someone who has testified in front of the Brazilian senate to document U.S. espionage of Petrobras, I am somewhat uncomfortable with your entanglements in Brazilian politics and that government entity in particular for you to remain an unbiased objector.
Maybe Dilma and PT have simply become the unfortunate targets of long boiling anger, in fact that happens to be my personal opinion, but to dismiss the entire swath of the Brazilian middle class that has mobilized merely by implication? Really?
Great article Glenn. I agree with everything you say…almost
To anyone I talk to, angry feelings about our political leaders have reached the highest level since I remember.
However I dont know anyone who is seriously saying that this government should be removed by force.
Despite the push and pull from all these forces, at the end, we expect the law institutions to handle the situation and decide the outcome.
Where is that a danger to democracy?
Regardles of what protesters want, the government has been burning, since 2008, any growth capacity we had, due to incompetence, corruption and the vision of a powerful central government that could be the main economic growth agent while promoting better wealth distribution.
We are still on this road and I believe it will lead us back to the days of the hyperinflation.
Glenn knows how it’s like to live and work in Brazil since the 80’s.
Equality among all people is an acceptable range of differences of power. Right now the divide is catastrophic. Hell awaits. This divide is a creation by a virtual 2D printer for currency. Dimension 1 is printing pricing and loans for the circulation economy. Dimension 2 is the printing of certificates of ownership for the ownership economy. To cause the chasm between the them to be of powerful effect, someone needs to be able to print freely and at will. This print-to-loan-to-own game was on the chopping block with presidential order 11110 which would have grounded the usd to silver thereby shutting down the printing press. That effort ended November 22 1963.
The right wingers will give the world wars to conquer to own more. The left wing will give us business for jobs for profits for the accumulaters to buy more to own more- either way the world is screwed as long as that 2D printer remains in operation.
There is a new 3D printer in the works to replace the 2D but the moneychangers don’t like the 3D printer.
1. life support is an entitlement
2. comfort is guaranteed earnable and like health care, the rake of productivity is limited to 15%.
3. wealth is achievable but has limitations. If you don’t like it, find another planet.
Great article. It explains Brazil’s current situation better than most things we see here.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO APPLAUD THIS ARTICLE ENUF.
FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY an English-language article that accurately explains the current situation in Brazil. I’m astonished to see it.
I’m sure you’ll get a lot of idiots from Brazil attacking it. I’m Brazilian also-and have despaired at the inability to find any accurate depiction of what’s going on in Brazil anywhere in the Anglo press. Not even today’s article in Jacobinmag by Sean Purdy is as fair and accurate and complete as this one.
Well done to the authors. And well done to The Intercept for publishing it-and finding the right authors to put it together.
Yes indeed, and if you want to see the other kind of coverage, just look to the NYTimes International Business section, which is loaded with tripe like this:
“In Brazil, judges have wide latitude to define both the direction and scope of criminal inquiries, and Judge Moro’s willingness to pursue even the eminent and influential has made him a folk hero.”
How does one write page after page of such drivel with no sense of shame, I just don’t get it? All in the same tone and style as their ‘reporting’ on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction in 2003 – honest, earnest, thoughtful BS.
Sound like a wellplanned coup by US, as seen too often. US was caught in a massive spying in almost everything in Brazil from government, the president to PetroBraz and Aeroflight industry. And Dilma wanted to minimize all computers and stuff in Brazil, and even a new Internet-wire going outside US and to Africa. She was p….. at Obama to say it mildly – White House answer… Brazil need US more that US need Brazil. And since then – there has been a massive down-rating from US on every level, including downrating from the 3 US dominating rating bureaus. So this smell like Argentina, Venezuela CIA operations. What comes with corruptions – seems to be an illness coming from all sides of the political specter. Poor Brazilians. And lets discuss this Zika fuzz a bit later.
As Brazillian myself, I haven’t found this article respresentative. It tries to shed some light, but it does with as much shade as the other ones. The bias is only tilted to the other side.
There is no mention to Collor’s impeachment and it’s legal basis. Wich are way thinner than the one’s used for Dilma’s request. This article plays to the part of the brazilian populace that are the new malufistas (Paulo Maluf being a well known crook and corrupt politician, that had his share of success with supporters justifying “he steals but does things”). Almost all of them are crooks and corrupted, and it’s wonderfull that they are fearing for it. It’s really sad that in the end PT was more populist than a benefactor, using the fast way to stay in power rather than change the nation as they said they were doing.
ditto 2. Without sources like theIntercept we would not have even the barest of information about the forces at play around the world that affect everyone some way. The complete pictures that theIntercept provide are invaluable in providing a real understanding that can help anyone see who is really on their side.
The Brazilian political dynamics sound similar to Thailand’s political dynamics where the poor North of Thailand is pro-Shinawatra and the South of Thailand is anti-Shinawatra and pro-Monarchy. The Shinawatra clan and their political parties have won repeatedly and democratically over the last decade. Twice, the Shinawatras and their governments have been removed by the Thai military. The North of Thailand is poor and supports them while the South of Thailand is wealthy similar to Brazil. In Brazil, the North and Northeast supports PT overwhelmingly while the South where oligarchical media is based is against PT.
As a brazilian, it’s great to read this. It’s a fcking chaos in here, people are misinformed and thinks that impeachment is the solution for everything. Its dangerous just to walk in big streets like Avenida Paulista, there’s people being beating up just because they are wearing red clothes (it’s the color of PT). Sad to live in a country like this.
The one-sided propaganda from most of the British and American media regarding these events (especially from NPR and the BBC) in Brazil brings to mind this line:
“An old Soviet joke was that “there is no information in Izvestia, there is no truth in Pravda,” Izvestia meaning information and Pravda meaning truth. Thus, the Russian populace regarded the major publications with a great deal of cynicism. The papers were, however, information transmission belts, so people would try to decipher what was going on by reading them.” – [Soviet media wiki]
What also came to mind was this story from 2013:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/09/nsa-spying-brazil-oil-petrobras
“The revelations are likely to further strain ties between the US and Brazil ahead of a planned state dinner for president Dilma Rousseff at the White House in October. Bileteral relations have already been muddled by the earlier release of NSA files showing the US agency intercepted Brazilian communications and spied on Rousseff and her aides.”
Meanwhile in Washington, foreign policy wanks wonder: Can comprehensive mass surveillance and network infiltration be effectively used to destabilize a country and implement regime change without resorting to crass militaristic methods? A victory for the neoliberal version of neocolonialism? High fives for Obama and Hillary? Down with BRICS, up with obedient client states? Kissinger is chortling with glee, PNAC neocons are envious, thinking of joining the Hillary team . . .
Indeed, and the NSA/Petrobras story had interesting timing, given that Petrobras was trying to conduct an auction of its offshore leases. It’s not something they would have wanted breaches of confidentiality on, and the bidding did encounter difficulties.
http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21588392-single-bid-vast-field-shows-weakness-brazils-state-led-approach-developing-its
Thank you Glenn, Andrew and David. Brazil’s upheaval has been in the Western press quite a bit and while I knew that Dilma is considered left, and that she had been tortured by the military dictatorship that the U.S. helped bring to power, my background in Brazilian politics and history has been otherwise quite limited.
This article clarifies things well and fills in many missing pieces of important information, and allows readers to better grasp what they read elsewhere.
How appalling that virtually the entire Brazilian establishment media is behaving as Fox News does. Who needs government censorship when virtually all the corporate, wealthy media is of one accord and willing to beat the drums against the parties that work for the non-wealthy’s interests?
That’s basically the way it works in all of Latin America, and it gets particularly bad when the government in power is not well regarded by corporate interests. In the US, there isn’t really an equivalent. To see what I mean, you’d have to wait for someone like Bernie Sanders to become president.
That’s basically the way it works in all of Latin America, and it gets particularly bad when the government in power is not well regarded by corporate interests
“my background in Brazilian politics and history has been otherwise quite limited.”
“How appalling that virtually the entire Brazilian establishment media is behaving as Fox News does.”
Very limited knowledge of Brazilian history and politics, but hey..Greenwald said it, so there is no point to do more research, check Brazilian historians’, journalists’…views. Greenwald said it, then it must be true!
“TV stations are relatively moderate and a more important source of news than print for Brazilians, most of whom don’t regularly read newspapers or magazines”
“There are very good investigative journalists in Brazil. There’s competition among the media to expose corruption,”
David Fleischer, a political scientist at the University of Brasilia.
Maybe Greenwald can tell you whether it was the Brazilian media he is bashing that exposed vote riggings during the Cardoso administration.
truth&Freedom is a troll In previous incarnation’s he’s been banned multiple times. This version has been following me out of Greenwald’s comments, first at Segura’s recent Hillary/death penalty article, and now here.
Please ignore this troll.
Or maybe you could tell us. Or not. One thing one can be sure of, the right winger thieves don’t promote anything except the death of their targets. Right wingers don’t build. They are arsonists. They burn relationships. They are the incarnate zika virus. They steal and destroy because they haven’t the mental capacity to be creative or courageous. Right wingers operate like a colony of insects. GOT BUG SPRAY?
Where did you get the idea that PT is a party that works for the non-wealthy interests? That is seriously wrong.
First of all, the same media establishment and economic elite now beating drums against Lula was who put and maintained PT in power in the first place.
The year he got elected president, the main TV network – rede globo – ran a telenovela about a charming union leader who was eerily reminescent of Lula. Lula got elected by overwhelmingly by voters in Sao Paoulo and other wealthier sourthern states that are now solidly against him. He lost, at that time, in the poorer oligarchic northeaster states.
Lula’s government was the quintessential crony capitalist state – they hand picked national companies to be benefitted with huge amounts of government cash, many of which would turn out to be pure fraud. Their treasury policies were crafted to benefit the bankers, raising interest rates on public debt to record level, making the banks in Brazil the most profitable in the world. PT allowed the largest contrators in the country to run a criminal ring involving the major companies and major parties, billions and billions of dollars stolen through years.
The governance pact of PT was saying: everyone will get a piece: moneyed, corrupt elites can increased their corruption, as long as PT and allies get a piece and the poorest of the poor get a modicum of social assistance, crumbles.
The moneyed elited only turned against PT because they are now mismanaging the economy to the ground. There is nothing more to it than that.
The article describes PT as “center-left” and states:
Is this not the case?
He is telling you you should do your research before you accept what Greenwald wrote. And he is correct. Political parties always wave their concerns for the “people” who are victims of corruption when they are formed, but things change when they get to power. The same media Greenwald is bashing, portraying them as Fox News types were the same ones giving a voice to PT under Cardoso. Some of them were exposing corruption under Cardoso as well. Obviously, you did not do any research about Brazil history and politics. You relied exclusively on Greenwald and co. to make your conclusion.
Now please ignore that comment that demonstrates your typical ignorance.
That is one small portion of the story. It doesn’t tell you what happened from the 1980’s until now, but let me tell you, they did worked first and foremost for the wealthy interests. Crony capitalists never made as much money than under Lula’s presidency, bankers, contractors, etc, and that was intended oucome of the economic policy. Raised interest rates to make unprecedented money to bankers out of public debt, hand-picked succesful capitalists to give public money allegedly as a matter of promoting the national economy, even though much of it was later proven to be fraudulent investment.
He aligned himselves with the nasty, notoriously corrupt oligarchs that always ruled the country. Participated in a criminal ring ran by the top contractor companies to diver money out of government contracts – these are the biggest corporations in Brazil! The owner and CEO of the biggest contractor, one of the richest companies, is now in jail in the same scandal that Lula is being investigated.
That seems to be the case. But let me ask this: To what extent has the PT sold-out voluntarily party-wide, as opposed to succumbing to extortion (austerity!) by the EU and other financial elites, as happened to the socialist government in Greece?
The article is about death penalty in America, said somebody a few hours ago.
This article is about politics in Brazil!!!
Word of advice: Go to the library and do a quick review about macroeconomics. When you own money, you either repay it or you default (Argentina, Turkey, Russia…). When Germany, France..asked Greece to pay them back, they are referring to financial loans that Germans, French..taxpayers provided to Greece. It is not extortion when you ask somebody who owns you money to pay you back. You can default, this is your option, but next time you ask for money, it will cost you more. Maybe you could share your economic analysis and tell everybody else (not me) how Greece would have supported its economy without the EU help since it “succumbed to extortion”.
Please ignore that comment that demonstrates your ignorance.
Not even remotely similar to the situation in Greece.
PT did what they did when the country was doing unprecedently well economically. Lending money to IMF instead of borrowing.
This is not about political pressure from outside, it was just straight up corruption, a cunning strategy of raw self-serving political power. Lula the great negotiator and deal maker, gained and maintained power on a deal where everyone would get someting: the poorest of the poor got modest social welfare; the corrupt elite were allowed to continue and increase their plundering as long as PT and allied parties got into the deal. This was their governance model.
Lula was never a true socialist, a man of convictions. He is a shrewd politician with working class origins. He has actually been quite candid about that.
Ok, thanks. And thank you also for all the smart input. This article has drawn an unprecedented number of really smart partisans arguing rather fiercely. The same is going on on Twitter.
There are three writers on this piece, one a Brazilian national, and two who have lived there for many years. All are considered left-wing by most.
Some who appear on the left are issuing kudos; some on the right hate the piece. Then there’s others on the left, such as I presume yourself, who find it wanting.
So, all someone like me can do is read and watch. With the caveat that I have known Glen Greenwald for many years and, while we have on a few occasions had serious policy differences, not usually at the level of principle. I tend to trust his takes, but I’m still considering the whole matter the article addresses.
Thanks again.
But when it comes to Brazil, Glenn has not shown a lot of depth of understanding.
Sorry, but I find that to be most unlikely: 1. A well-informed, politically active Brazilian citizen is also on the byline, 2. Andrew Fishman, a smart journalist who lives in Brazil is also on the byline, and 3. Glenn is very quick to grasp facts and complex patterns and situations; he’s lived in Brazil for 12 years.
Ok, I think if you’re even less informed you’re going to believe who you trust. But you are wrong. Glenn shows superficial understanding and so does his partners here, a lot inacurate assumptions about demographics and the political history of the country.
For instance, they imply that PT has been traditionally the party of the racial “minorities” – as he calls it – when in fact the party’s origin is in the whiter south and southeastern states. The party lost support in all its original strongholds and now get most of their electoral support in the regions where they were weakest until lula’s second term. All of the nuance is lost here, the sub plots, the cleavages within the right and the left. Instead you get this simplistic view of just 2 political forces at play. Nice for a foreigner, but still largely missing whats really going on.
I find it rich that Greenwald, who broke the story of and has defended Snowden, objects to Moro publishing the calls that show a President appointing a minister with the EXPLICIT intention to shield that individual from a corruption investigation. Does the public have a right to know what their government is doing or not, Glenn?
I know, its actually quite shocking. After all, Snowden was a government official breaking the law to do that, whereas whether or not Moro had legal authority to do what he did is debatable. He may not even have disrespected any law and even if he did, it would have been a lot less serious than what Snowden did.
More momentous perhaps, but how was Snowden’s action more “serious?”
Were the calls obtained pursuant to a warrant?
Yes, it was authorized by a warrant. The question on the legality is based on technicalities. One: the fact that the president was on some if the intercepted calls, which according to some (not others) would have required the judge to send the material to the supreme court. Two: that 1 of the calls was recorded in the 1 hour or so between the judged ordered the end of the interceptions and the moment the phone company executed the termination.
If it’s a matter of good faith logistic technicalities, fine. But if the “technicalities” are legal, at least in the U.S. those who cite “technicalities” when a court rules against the police or government mean that the court applied the law, including our Constitution, and upheld a citizen’s rights.
Do you understand that the controversy is about a court’s decision, which PT sympathizer are unhappy about? It is not about the police, it is about the court’s decision.
It boile down to the following: elected officials and cabinet members are protected against criminal persecution and investigation. Only the Supreme Court can oversee such investigations. Lula, as an ex-president, does not have such privileges and he became the subject of criminal investigation in a case which has been going on for 2 years and has led to arrest and convictio of some very powerful people, including some of the wealthiest people in the country. The same judge authorized wiretapping of Lula and they intercepted conversations with the president. The controversy is, first, that some say that the judge had to immediately send the material to the supreme court, but his position was different, that the evidence is valid and can be used because the president was not the target. Second, there is controversy on whether the calls last call had a valid warrant, due to the time gap and the fact that Lula had just been announced as a new cabinet member. A question of timing, a matter of hours, which would make this judge’s act outside of his authority. But it is all up to debate, legally, and the entire case is deeply politicized by now. It is possible that the judge was wrong on this, but there PT and others are seizing on this to say ig is all big whitchhunt, which is ludicrous. Yes, there is some nasty right wing forces salivating over this whole scandal, but the judge presiding this case has been working seriously for a long time without any major decision reversed under appeal. This case has been unprecedented in the sense that for the first time the people on top of these organized crime rings are finally being caught. Lula and other politicians are conspiring to shut down the whole thing and were caught in the act. In the last minutes before the case against Lula would have to sent away from his jurisdiction, the judge decided to lift the “secrecy of justice” from the case, which is when all evidence and tapes on Lula and Dilma became public, showing that they were trying to stop the case and give him a cabinet position just to avoid criminal persecution in the regular courts.
You’re omitting the most important part, Diogo. The fact that Brazilian Law requires that ALL intercepted calls NOT relevant to the investigation to be destroyed.
At most, only ONE of the calls could, maybe, be argued to be relevant to the investigation (even though MORO himself said none of the tapes had any actual relevance). And yet he made ALL of them public, under the defense that the same was done to take down Richard Nixon. Except that Nixon was LEGALLY wiretapped to confirm the crime that Nixon was abusing ILLEGAL wiretaps to spy on his political enemies and dig dirt on them. The PRECISE THING Moro did.
All of this debatable. It is fair to say that he overreached when he released the tapes, but let’s not lose the context here: the case was slipping from his hands due to political maneuverings which are clearly unethical and abuse of presidential power (“distortion of motivation”) arguably even obstruction of justice. Let’s say he did indeed acted outside his authority – does that change the substance of the accusations against PT? Does that prove that it is all just a big conspiracy, that judge Moro is in bed with the rightwing? Does it make the proceedings part of a coup? We have a long record of this Lava Jato to look at and it has been mostly laudable, an unprecedented victory for the rule of law in this country, for the first time we see bigwigs, hugely corrupt power players answering for their crimes.
You go on to say that the military dictatorship was “pro-US”. It was not. It was “anti-communist”, but mostly populist-nationalist.
This is not journalism, this is propaganda. You imply you know a lot about Brazil, only to repeat later things not even PT is saying. No one disputes that the protests are spontaneous, and that 90% of the population wants Dilma to go. Several articles not only by the media you distrust but also by independent and pro-government outlets show that “classe d: and “classe e” do not go to the protests just because they live far from the city.
What does Greenwald have against pure-breed dogs?
Glenn doesn’t have anything against any doggies. He’s a dog fanatic! He and co-author David Miranda (his spouse) have over a dozen canines. Most or all are rescue dogs, tho. They seem to put their money into taking care of at-risk mutts, not on pure-breds.
I just want to leave two comments :
One directed at the authors of the piece – I have no issues with the fact that the media manipulates the population with their “take” on the news, but you need to consider that this was true when Lula came to power. To think that he was able to do that just with the help of the lower class is innocent at best. They united politically with the very party they had fought against for so long(PMDB) and that means the land owners, media owners, etc. The big money, if you will. Just look at the composition of their cabinets and vice presidents, and who they are politically. And another aspect was their position against the corruption that happened in the previous governments. Whil they did GREATLY EXPANDED(not create) many of the social and economical policies of the previous governments, they did expand the corruption as well. That is the feeling of betrayal that many of the citizens of the country feel. The corruption is widespread on both sides mentioned on the piece, and both sides have had hostile treatment by the protesters.
Second point, to Jose: That would not be a problem, if it was the company’s choice to do those investments or to pay for those fees. But what has been proven(not allegeded) is that the politicians would favor these companies in their contracts with the government, paying higher prices than normal, and that part of that money HAD TO be sent back as fees, donations, etc. to those politicians. So, technically, the company is using the money they received from the government. Basically a textbook money laundry scheme.
People really despise poverty. Especially today in light of all the luxury about. There is a BIG difference between people who scheme to rob the public and abuse them at every turn, and those who do their best to do good for all and chance across an opportunity for a windfall without destruction.
My impression of Lula upon hearing him speak and what he has done for Brazil is positive and i would consider him to be a good person.
Compare him to the snakes of wallstreet who rob americans of homes and jobs and savings. Or a snake like mitt romney- a thief type who targets people’s retirement funds. Or a pos like cheney or bush who produce fraud for an illegal invasion of a country getting thousands killed. Or a pos like bashar al-assad who shoots protesters and destroys his country.
I say you are blessed to have such a man like Lula. And though perhaps not perfect like Jesus, you could do a whole lot worse.
Glenn, who/when was mandatory voting rule implemented? If eliminated, who would benefit now?
You read my mind: I was wondering what I wasn’t being told on this issue. Thanks for filling in some blanks!
“But the street protests – as undeniably large and energized as they have been – are driven by those who are traditionally hostile to PT.”
And? What are they supposed to do? Call the military and have another coup?
“recall the key role Fox News played in promoting and encouraging attendance at the early Tea Party protests.”
And? Since when it was illegal for a private corporation to propagandize the public? You do it all the time.
“But Brazil’s plutocrats, their media, and the upper and middle classes are glaringly exploiting this corruption scandal to achieve what they have failed for years to accomplish democratically: the removal of PT from power.”
And? Isn’t it the best way to get rid of another party? They are not supposed to be corrupt in the first place if they want to stay in power.
Unfortunately Brazil isn’t the only shining left-wing hope turned sour recently – have a look at this: https://www.accessnow.org/bolivia-want-regulate-social-media-ban-anonymity-online/ And then of course there’s the continuing disappointment of Venezuela. I think the only shining South American hope left standing at this point is Uruguay … I just hope there isn’t something big about them I’ve missed.
You know, the fundamental problem with Latin America is that the base of their economy is still resource extraction; just like those small oil-patch ghost towns scattered all across the American West, when the boom goes bust the money runs out and everything falls apart, regardless of who the mayor is.
Sure, you can put all the wealth in the hands of the few (neoliberal model) or spread the wealth around to benefit the poor (socialist model) but if that wealth mostly comes from oil & other commodities for international markets? You’ll always be subject to external manipulation.
They just seem unable to develop a manufacturing sector; hence everything is still made in China, Japan, Germany, etc., while Latin America just supplies the raw materials – a dead-end economic system, no matter who runs it, and if Chinese demand falls? Lots of unemployed people, that’s what.
This was predicted, too:
“[Brazil’s] success has relied heavily – even excessively – on commodity exports, mostly destined for China. . . Manufacturing exports, and particularly high-tech exports, are crucial to sustainable, equitable development. . . ”
But for equitable development, you need a good public education system, which the elites in Brazil don’t support: “. . the education system, where low funding for primary and secondary schools and poor teacher training and supervision are chronic problems. . .”
http://www.americasquarterly.org/kingstone
One thing I’d like to figure out is if the accusations against Lula would be considered prosecutable in the US. As far as I can tell, he’s accused of receiving corporate money via his foundation, being payed high speaking fees, possibly getting other perks from corporations.
That’s certainly eyebrow-raising, and it should work against him in a political campaign (as it should in Hillary Clinton’s case), but does it rise to the level of prosecutable offenses, without an explicitly stated quid pro quo? Or are we looking at nothing more than political persecution?
The United States is careful to spread around the benefits of patronage. Therefore everyone has a vested interest in maintaining the system. Nothing rises to the level of a prosecutable offence. In Brazil, unfortunately, the clique in power becomes too greedy and tries to reap all the benefits for themselves. This gives the other side an incentive to expose their corruption. This is particularly true when the side out of power represents wealthy interests which consider that skimming off the cream of the economy is its rightful privilege. It’s therefore galling to see the interlopers engaged in corruption, and fires up their righteous indignation.
the charges are trying to link the money from speaking fees and donations to actual misgivings during his rulling of the country, that probably won´t work since both the foundation creation and the speeches happended years after he left office.
There is one fundamental element that you are missing. That the donations were also originating in deals made in government contracts, where a portion of the payment the government would make had to go to politicians and the parties. Also, that there was a crime ring of the major construction companies, with participation of PT officials, to sidestep competition rules in bids for these contracts.
It was organized crime ring involving fake bidding process on government contracts, overbilling, money laundering, kickbacks, etc.
Definetely a crime in the US too.
This is all besides the legal corruption.
What you seem to be saying is that the corporations and some politicians were engaged in unequivocal criminal activity, and that much seems clear. I’m asking about the specific accusations against Lula.
A formal indictment against him has not been made yet. But the most concrete accusations emerging is that the big contractors in this corruption ring set him up with property and real estate – that seems quite proven. Less proven in public at least is the accusation that the money these same companies gave to his foundation and speaking fees was directly tied to kickbacks agreed while he was president. Finally, the most serious accusation, is that he was aware and even approving all these deals, which seem very plausible since it has his administration and cabinet members are others in his inner circle have already been found guilty.
used to be but now is just fine given the years they have had to write the loopholes required to be free from prosecution. Consider the fraudulent evidence the dumya used to illegally invade a sovereign country and kill thousands. Consider that the geneva convention is just a suggestion and that torture is now the norm in the u.s. Or the illegal spying on it’s own citizens. Or the theft of the american economy by illegal wallstreet homewreckers.
The u.s. operates by a policy called “an agreement in compromise” whereby everything the governement does is right and everything the people do is wrong. This makes it much simpler for the prosecution as well as the judges and also fills the jails which is good for employment at the prisons, the stock of the prison companies and because of the housing shortage.
It’s not really that everything done by the government is right and everything done by the people is wrong. Really it’s that everything done by the RICH is right and everything done by the POOR is wrong. For example, it is a crime for a homeless person to sleep on the sidewalk, but it is not a crime for a banker to set up a robo-signing machine to write falsified foreclosures on people’s houses. It is a crime for the poor to accept a tip for a sandwich without paying the IRS but the rich expect to get billion-dollar inheritances without paying a dime. It is a crime for the poor to be accused of something – they’ll do the full sentence, plus some more, before being given the chance to plead guilty for “time served” – while the rich never even get charged because the prosecutors know they’ll get off and don’t want to spoil their statistics by making that mistake.
How will Rio manage the Summer Olympics if Brazil is in the midst of a military coup?
Interesting article and backgrounder…I can only speak anecdotally regarding some of my Brazilian colleagues and friends. While solidly middle class folks (so neither the core of Dilma’s constituency, nor the core of her opposition, either). Overwhelmingly they supporter her presidency, particularly the first time. But as you only touch on, they are increasingly frustrated with the continued corruption, and the appearance (at the very least) that Dilma herself is neck-deep. Even if it turns out that she isn’t involved in some way, the best one can say is that she was in way over her head from an administrative perspective, and therefore incredibly incompetent. Factoring in the subtle opposition of the press, the elite, and the US capitalistic imperialists would make it difficult for anyone to govern effectively, even more so a political novice who is only marginally competent.
Today we march for DEMOCRACY!
The process of corrupt US Influence on foreign governments is now becoming more clear and better documented. Unfortunately it is not in the past and remains policy today.
Glenn, thanks For The coverage. One quibble: you write about “western media” and “western journalists”. You do realize that you’re still living in the western hemisphere, right?
I think the point is to identify one of the actors of this situation. If you are a intelligent reader, it’s quite clear that are shades of colours.
I read “Western media” as a metonym for U.S. and European media.
Presidential political systems are inherently unstable. Brazil is organized into three independent branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. This is a very bad idea, as each branch struggles for power against the others. In the best case scenario it leads to gridlock. In the worst, it leads to anarchy.
Fortunately, South America has a proven solution: a military coup. This article doesn’t make clear why the CIA hasn’t authorized a coup yet.
Not Obama’s style… can’t solve that problem with drones or eavesdropping.
You could argue that eavesdropping on Lula and Rousseff and sending the tapes to their political opponents has been effective.
I entirely agree with your remarks on Presidential political systems being unstable. Research has proven that parliamentary systems last longer under democratic rules than presidential systems. Something that some in the Brazilian protest seem to have right is the support for a parliamentary system as demonstrated in an image from the recent protests where a group of individuals were holding a sign saying, “parlamentarismo ja”. However, I am cautious on whether the demand for a parliamentary system in Brazil is a short-term solution to decreasing the powers of the current president rather than a long term solution at enhancing Brazilian democracy. Research has also proven that in Brazil when they held a referendum in 1993 although half of the electorate did not participate, the wealthy supported parliamentary while the poor supported presidentialism. Parliamentarism had 30ish percent support while presidentialism won by a slight majority of 50ish percent. A large portion voted for neither.
It´s worst then Watergate, THE JUDGE had the iniciative to try to cut the neck of the President (they were chating, I also laugh…there was NOTHING in the conversations). People are CRAZY, imagining everything with its predjudices (the “elites HATE the fact the poor increased in life quality in BR, which is going to fall apart, as long as the finger pointers also will repent after this histeria the media created and they embraced). We have only ONE media, for everybody…one “single”, a terrible, embarassing President of Lawyers Council, and this judge, Moro, is a religious fanatic, he thinks he´s one of the prophets, a narcisist, and outlaw. The “elites”, that could travel, buy thanks to Lula´s economy policies, that spits on him…and is in and asleep ecstasy, a blind histeria. The Media (GLOBO) supprts him (the judge), and wants everything falling appart, the popullation is alienated and numb, so it´s easy for them to take the power by force. It´s sad and VERY dangerous.
When popular mass movements succeed, the business class eventually finds ways to strike back. It happened in the US after the New Deal. The problem is systemic, and it all comes back to the structure of corporations. Wealth inequality and corruption are direct results of it. What is needed is a new system on a global scale, whereby enterprises are owned and controlled by the workers in a democratic manner. That would reduce pay differences substantially.
Sometimes I feel that Glenn Greenwald is yelling in a forest, all by himself, and with no one around to hear him.
His voice is drowned by the louder voices of our mainstream media.
At least, I am listening.
Ah, God bless the youth. Keep listening and you will learn, Jason. There have been countless GG-like folk throughout history yelling in the forest. But now we have the internet. No more trees… use the tools at your disposal padawan. You are not alone.
@ GG et al – Great article, very informative to those unfamiliar with what is happening down there.