Brazil Elections

The way I see it at the moment is that in a very broad scale we are immersed in a cycle of decline (not to mention the fact that the space-time we inhabit is STS). Inside that cycle there are still opposing negative and positive forces, but they operate under the constraints of the overall decline. So there is likely no one with angel-like morality calling the shots, but there are gradations of conscience and behavior that express how much they are aligned with the positive or negative forces. Add to that that countries and institutions are formed by a myriad of people and even the best efforts can be a mixed bag of good, not so good and just plain terrible.

It has been particularly difficult for me to recognize that the Workers' Party is actually the best we have in this country with any chance of governing it, because there is so much you could use to condemn them.

This is the reason I still read local right-wing media, because just as their counterpart the left-wing media can not be trusted to make unbiased analyses, especially since one of their parties is in power, or so I think. As we have more knowledge on a specific subject, it becomes easier to see who is distorting the facts. By the way, I think mainstream is worse than the clear right-wing outlets, both because of their reach and how insidious they can be.

Paraphrasing the Cs, even Putin is not perfect, he is just the best we've got.


Edit: there is also this pertinent quote from Session August 16, 2014:

Quote

Q: (Puck) So we have a question about BRICS. Do the BRICS leaders have a genuine interest in improving the collective future for humanity?

A: Partly, but as with everything in your realm, there are mixed motives and cross purposes.

I also find it hard, trusting the left-wing media entirely...The problem, as I see it, is that the onslaught of lies and deception disseminated during the elections was alarming. Did you see the right-wing (I should just say fascist) protest this weekend on Avenida Paulista?

http://vimeo.com/110697471

These people look like violent beasts, see how they swear and threaten the few who dare to oppose them. Also, see how they love the military police. I undestand that we live in a STS world and every leader is more or less biased toward egotistical aims, but at the same time I find more resonance with Dilma and Putin than with Obama and his puppet in Canada, for example. Is it just wishful thinking?
 
Courageous Inmate Sort said:
voyageur, the Belo Monte issue is, I think, a good example of the contradictions that plague Lula and Dilma's governments. From what I can remember, all you wrote is true. I'm not sure whether this is a result of the Workers' Party compromise with big capital (my opinion so far) or whether all the publicity against Belo Monte is political maneuvering against the Workers' Party (the opinion of the left-wing alternative media).

There is an interesting documentary about it with english subtitles: Belo Monte Announcement of a War

There is also an interesting article from John Perkins (of Economic Hitman fame) Occupy the Dam: Brazil’s Indigenous Uprising.

As for the ownership of the dam, there is this: Who owns Belo Monte?
[...]

Thanks for these links, Courageous Inmate Sort, and for the many other pieces of information you've included.

Things are never so simple, or maybe they are, yet was happy of the outcome that was looking so tenuous in Brazil. One thing that got me further thinking was what latulipenoire mentioned in response to what you were discussing below in relationship to the left media (with C's quotes too):

latulipenoire said:
I also find it hard, trusting the left-wing media entirely...The problem, as I see it, is that the onslaught of lies and deception disseminated during the elections was alarming. Did you see the right-wing (I should just say fascist) protest this weekend on Avenida Paulista?

[video link]

These people look like violent beasts, see how they swear and threaten the few who dare to oppose them. Also, see how they love the military police. I undestand that we live in a STS world and every leader is more or less biased toward egotistical aims, but at the same time I find more resonance with Dilma and Putin than with Obama and his puppet in Canada, for example. Is it just wishful thinking?

I happened to watch the other day, Gilad Atzmon, discussing in a video presentation what he referred to as the 'Cognitive Elite and the Bell Curve', or on SoTT called 'Gilad Atzmon: On cognitive partitioning'. He discusses the economic loss of the production economy resulting in a fracturing of the more historical bell curve, such as in Europe's past, although this may be limited in the scope of history. What he gets at, osit, is the elite occupying the far right margin (call it FRM) of the bell curve, as in the one percent or a fraction of a percent, or the uber pathological percent. He than describes the new left gatekeepers set up off center in the left margin - controlling the left margin (call it LM). The far left margin is poverty. So the left gatekeepers, consciously or not, are in this post production world of material consumption carrying out the work of the the FRM's. The FRM's are funding them in many ways (like are present corruption of sciences), shaping their politics, their social networks and dismantling the medical and social safety nets (all the things the LM helped at one time to build). They have in fact changed the way economics functions, the laws, the courts and are shielding any further advances the LM might make to the right margin of the bell curve. The people on the LM, i.e. most of us, often seek our information or receive guidance from the smart people of the left margin (doctors, lawyers, educators, academia, etcetera) or the people who once used to help left people/families/workers in their social prior struggles. The older bell curve model he describes as being more balanced and even-keeled - at least that was the illusion anyway with some reality to it as far as a collective economic social society works.

So what Mr. Atzmon posits seems interesting, and I've done it no justice in recounting, so I would have to consider it a great deal more.

In terms of what the C's said:
Q: (Puck) So we have a question about BRICS. Do the BRICS leaders have a genuine interest in improving the collective future for humanity?

A: Partly, but as with everything in your realm, there are mixed motives and cross purposes.

As far as things seem in Brazil and elsewhere, wherever money is involved, whatever the banks, particularly due to this current bell curve fracturing, which seems to exist all over the west, the FRM's will continue to keep it the way it is, and even the left will play their role, often without knowing they are doing so, or because people in the LM do not understand the fracturing and how what was once their (our) reality will be very difficult to obtain again. BRICS may help, it may help to foment a return to a better bell curve, a more collective social economy, yet the FRM's seem to always be in a predatory mode applying their game theories and countering.

Anyway, what Gilad discusses might be something to listen to in terms of how Brazil may function hereafter or how it can can be manipulated by both margins without seeing; not sure. Certainly in Canada and elsewhere, we sure seem to be well fractured, it's growing, and there are the obvious Wall and Bay Street FRM types pulling strings along with their owned complaint politicians and media to play it exactly the way they want.
 
Courageous Inmate Sort said:
[Lula Da Silva]

According to him, "it still prevails," in some sectors of the country, the "mongrel complex", a characteristic that defines, according to Lula, that "you don't believe in yourself, you're always thinking that others are better than us." "In the case of foreign policy, there are people who believe that everything has to be done with the United States and Europe," he explains.

"We introduced a novelty in Brazil, we didn't want to reduce the relationship with the US, which is a strategic partner, and we recognize the importance of the European Union, but we would need to be less dependent on these two blocks," he said.

"We then decided to create other blocks. That's why we didn't let the Free Trade Area of the Americas be approved, why we strengthened the Mercosur, Latin America, South America, created the Unasur and have established a strong relationship with Africa, the Middle East and China. Because what we actually wanted was to look for new partners so that we would not be dependent on the United States and Europe," he said.

Well said, Lula!

I've been reading about Dilma's past, and found it really interesting. Even her wikipedia page says a lot. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilma_Rousseff

It's very interested to see how much she went through. Having been put in jail and allegedly tortured during the US-sponsored dictatorship, like many other "dissidents", the fact that she's in power today and keeping the US at bay as much as possible is quite an accomplishment. She may not be perfect, but she strikes me as someone with a conscience and strong principles, and that's a lot compared to most modern leaders. OSIT.
 
Was reading an article by James Petras http://www.globalresearch.ca/lies-and-deceptions-on-the-left-the-politics-of-self-destruction/5438105 and have not been actively watching what has been going on since Dilma Rousseff took over as the new president. Petras's article is pretty long and moves from nation to nation. The part he writes about Brizil is a section called 'Brazil: Budget Cuts, Corruption and the Revolt of the Masses'.

Perhaps some living in Brazil can comment on what he writes with the reality of the moment, yet sadly he does not paint a promising picture, and he may be focused only on some things and not on others:

Petras said:
...Elected to a second term, Rousseff faced a major political and economic crises: a deepening economic recession, a fiscal deficit, and the arrest and prosecution of scores of corrupt Workers’ Party and allied congressional deputies and Petrobras oil executives.

Workers’ Party leaders and the Party’s campaign treasury received millions of dollars in kickbacks from construction companies securing contracts with the giant semi-public petroleum company. President Rousseff promised “to continue to support popular social programs”, and “to root out corruption”, during her election campaign. However, immediately after her election she embraced orthodox neo-liberal policies and appointed a cabinet of hard-right neo-liberals including Bradesco banker Joaquin Levy as Finance Minister. Levy proposed to reduce unemployment payments, pensions and public salaries. He argued for greater de-regulation of banks. He proposed to weaken job protection laws to attract capital. He sought to achieve a budget surplus and attract foreign investment at the expense of labor.

Rousseff, consistent with her embrace of neo-liberal orthodoxy, appointed Katia Abreu, a rightwing senator, a life-long leader of agro-business interests and sworn enemy of land reform, as the new Agricultural Minister. Crowned “Miss Deforestation” by Greenpeace, Senator Abreu was vehemently opposed by the Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST) and the labor confederation to no avail. With Rousseff’s total backing Abreu set out on a course of ending even the minimal land redistribution carried out in Rousseff’s first term in office (establishing land settlements benefiting less than 10% of the landless squatters). Abreu endorsed regulations facilitating the expansion of genetically modified crops, and promises to forcefully evict Amazonian Indians occupying productive land in favor of large-scale agro-business corporations. Moreover, she promises to vigorously defend landlords from land occupations by landless rural workers.

Rousseff’s incapacity and/or unwillingness to fire and prosecute the Workers Party Treasurer, involved in a decade long billion-dollar kickback and bribery scandal, deepened and widened mass opposition.

On March 15, 2015 over a million Brazilians filled the streets across the country, led by rightist parties, but drawing support from the popular classes demanding immediate anti-corruption trials and stern sentences, and the revocation of Levy’s cuts in social expenditures.

The counter demonstration in support of Rousseff by the CUT labor confederation and the MST drew one-tenth that number – about 100,000 participants.

Rousseff responded by calling for ‘dialogue’ and claimed to be ‘open to proposals’ on the issue of corruption but explicitly rejected any changes in her regressive fiscal policies, neo-liberal cabinet appointments and her embrace of their agro-mineral agenda.

In less than two months, the Workers Party and its President has indelibly stained its leaders, policies and backers with the brush of corruption and socially regressive policies.

Popular support has plummeted. The right wing is growing. Even the authoritarian, pro-military coup activists were present in the mass demonstrations, carrying signs calling for ‘impeachment’ and a return of military rule.

As in most of Latin America, the authoritarian right in Brazil is a growing force, positioning itself to take power as the center-left adopts a neo-liberal agenda throughout the region. Parties dubbed ‘center-left’, like the Broad Front in Uruguay, the pro-government Party for Victory in Argentina, are deepening their ties with agro-mineral corporate capitalism.

Uninformed claims by leftist US writers like Noam Chomsky that, “Latin America is the vanguard against neo-liberalism” is at best a decade late, and certainly misleading. They are deceived by populist policy pronouncements and refuse to acknowledge the decay of the center –left regimes and thus fail to recognize how their neoliberal political actions are fostering mass popular discontent. Regimes, which adopt regressive socio-economic policies, do not constitute a vanguard for social emancipation…

According to Petras, promising things seem to have not lasted very long. Way back before the election, there was some discussion of the banking sector making alliances with Rousseff (which was BRICS aligning too), yet these things above seem to point to a unraveling to that of the interests of the usual players. I know the U.S. is constantly meddling in their affairs.
 
voyageur said:
Was reading an article by James Petras http://www.globalresearch.ca/lies-and-deceptions-on-the-left-the-politics-of-self-destruction/5438105 and have not been actively watching what has been going on since Dilma Rousseff took over as the new president. Petras's article is pretty long and moves from nation to nation. The part he writes about Brizil is a section called 'Brazil: Budget Cuts, Corruption and the Revolt of the Masses'.

Perhaps some living in Brazil can comment on what he writes with the reality of the moment, yet sadly he does not paint a promising picture, and he may be focused only on some things and not on others:

Petras said:
...Elected to a second term, Rousseff faced a major political and economic crises: a deepening economic recession, a fiscal deficit, and the arrest and prosecution of scores of corrupt Workers’ Party and allied congressional deputies and Petrobras oil executives.

Workers’ Party leaders and the Party’s campaign treasury received millions of dollars in kickbacks from construction companies securing contracts with the giant semi-public petroleum company. President Rousseff promised “to continue to support popular social programs”, and “to root out corruption”, during her election campaign. However, immediately after her election she embraced orthodox neo-liberal policies and appointed a cabinet of hard-right neo-liberals including Bradesco banker Joaquin Levy as Finance Minister. Levy proposed to reduce unemployment payments, pensions and public salaries. He argued for greater de-regulation of banks. He proposed to weaken job protection laws to attract capital. He sought to achieve a budget surplus and attract foreign investment at the expense of labor.

Rousseff, consistent with her embrace of neo-liberal orthodoxy, appointed Katia Abreu, a rightwing senator, a life-long leader of agro-business interests and sworn enemy of land reform, as the new Agricultural Minister. Crowned “Miss Deforestation” by Greenpeace, Senator Abreu was vehemently opposed by the Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST) and the labor confederation to no avail. With Rousseff’s total backing Abreu set out on a course of ending even the minimal land redistribution carried out in Rousseff’s first term in office (establishing land settlements benefiting less than 10% of the landless squatters). Abreu endorsed regulations facilitating the expansion of genetically modified crops, and promises to forcefully evict Amazonian Indians occupying productive land in favor of large-scale agro-business corporations. Moreover, she promises to vigorously defend landlords from land occupations by landless rural workers.

Rousseff’s incapacity and/or unwillingness to fire and prosecute the Workers Party Treasurer, involved in a decade long billion-dollar kickback and bribery scandal, deepened and widened mass opposition.

On March 15, 2015 over a million Brazilians filled the streets across the country, led by rightist parties, but drawing support from the popular classes demanding immediate anti-corruption trials and stern sentences, and the revocation of Levy’s cuts in social expenditures.

The counter demonstration in support of Rousseff by the CUT labor confederation and the MST drew one-tenth that number – about 100,000 participants.

Rousseff responded by calling for ‘dialogue’ and claimed to be ‘open to proposals’ on the issue of corruption but explicitly rejected any changes in her regressive fiscal policies, neo-liberal cabinet appointments and her embrace of their agro-mineral agenda.

In less than two months, the Workers Party and its President has indelibly stained its leaders, policies and backers with the brush of corruption and socially regressive policies.

Popular support has plummeted. The right wing is growing. Even the authoritarian, pro-military coup activists were present in the mass demonstrations, carrying signs calling for ‘impeachment’ and a return of military rule.

As in most of Latin America, the authoritarian right in Brazil is a growing force, positioning itself to take power as the center-left adopts a neo-liberal agenda throughout the region. Parties dubbed ‘center-left’, like the Broad Front in Uruguay, the pro-government Party for Victory in Argentina, are deepening their ties with agro-mineral corporate capitalism.

Uninformed claims by leftist US writers like Noam Chomsky that, “Latin America is the vanguard against neo-liberalism” is at best a decade late, and certainly misleading. They are deceived by populist policy pronouncements and refuse to acknowledge the decay of the center –left regimes and thus fail to recognize how their neoliberal political actions are fostering mass popular discontent. Regimes, which adopt regressive socio-economic policies, do not constitute a vanguard for social emancipation…

According to Petras, promising things seem to have not lasted very long. Way back before the election, there was some discussion of the banking sector making alliances with Rousseff (which was BRICS aligning too), yet these things above seem to point to a unraveling to that of the interests of the usual players. I know the U.S. is constantly meddling in their affairs.

All very true Voyageur. Specially the part about the rise of an extreme right wing demanding the return of military rule and impeachment of president Dilma. Since the media has effectively conditioned the public to assume that everything that ever happened of bad to Brasil is fault of the Worker's Party (even in scandals involving some of the major right wing players, like Aécio), the support is going down. How much is hard to say, since the media, seems to have taken as it's mission to take down Dilma and have been spinning the facts like maestros of deception. They exaggerate the numbers of people going on fascist rallies, and make these rallies seem family friendly, just like they did in 1964. They downplay the presence of armed groups like Carecas do Brasil in these rallies and make it seem like it is a nice family moment for freedom.
 
Yeah, I read Petras' article on SOTT this morning. With regard to Brazil, the Empire is definitely interested in destabilizing the weakest links in the BRICS, as well as Latin America and all potential resistance around the world.
 
All very true Voyageur. Specially the part about the rise of an extreme right wing demanding the return of military rule and impeachment of president Dilma. Since the media has effectively conditioned the public to assume that everything that ever happened of bad to Brasil is fault of the Worker's Party (even in scandals involving some of the major right wing players, like Aécio), the support is going down. How much is hard to say, since the media, seems to have taken as it's mission to take down Dilma and have been spinning the facts like maestros of deception. They exaggerate the numbers of people going on fascist rallies, and make these rallies seem family friendly, just like they did in 1964. They downplay the presence of armed groups like Carecas do Brasil in these rallies and make it seem like it is a nice family moment for freedom.

Indeed, the media is clearly on a mission to take the down the government, even as Dilma tried her best (as I see it) to placate the opposition by aligning the government to a more austere economic position. No matter what she does now, the alleged connections between the Workers' Party and the scandals of corruption are well established to most people who only watch and read what is expected of them. It looks like another rightist protest is already scheduled for April 12th...
 
latulipenoire said:
All very true Voyageur. Specially the part about the rise of an extreme right wing demanding the return of military rule and impeachment of president Dilma. Since the media has effectively conditioned the public to assume that everything that ever happened of bad to Brasil is fault of the Worker's Party (even in scandals involving some of the major right wing players, like Aécio), the support is going down. How much is hard to say, since the media, seems to have taken as it's mission to take down Dilma and have been spinning the facts like maestros of deception. They exaggerate the numbers of people going on fascist rallies, and make these rallies seem family friendly, just like they did in 1964. They downplay the presence of armed groups like Carecas do Brasil in these rallies and make it seem like it is a nice family moment for freedom.

Indeed, the media is clearly on a mission to take the down the government, even as Dilma tried her best (as I see it) to placate the opposition by aligning the government to a more austere economic position. No matter what she does now, the alleged connections between the Workers' Party and the scandals of corruption are well established to most people who only watch and read what is expected of them. It looks like another rightist protest is already scheduled for April 12th...

It seems pretty clear these coordinated attacks on every social sector as being simply enormous, all emanating from interconnected, yet distant financial hubs. These hubs have their backs covered by shadowy figures with huge means - with their think tanks plotting moves and counter moves, trying to attain their winning strategy of chaos. For leaders like Dilma, the late Chávez in Venezuela and right to Putin, the unified west has created a living monster turned loose and set upon each others throats.

Very sad for Brazil and the rest of the people of this planet. Everyday I'm just gobsmacked looking at the path ahead and seeing this pathological virus at every juncture.

Thanks for the local views.
 
Indeed it is depressing really all the attacks that the BRICs leaders are now facing. Dilma has been constantly attacked; first they tried to derail her re-election and then with Petrobas corruption issues. They are definitely trying very hard to instigate a "colour revolution" in Brazil...sigh!

Interesting that the rightist rally is planned on the 12th of April - this will be right after Putin meets with Alex Tsipras in Moscow on 8th/9th April...
 
Being half Brazilian, sharing borders with Brazil and just knowing that Brazil has a very important impact in what happens in Latin America and also the rest of the world, I’m trying to understand what’s happening there with this "Bolosonaro phenomenon", and I thought that it would be good to open up a discussion here on the forum.

People has been calling this man the “tropical Trump”, and it’s interesting that one of the questions most people have in mind is: is he really leading the country to hard-core fascism? Or is that just too much lefty hysteria being propagated everywhere about him? This is similar to what we were wondering before the US presidential elections about Trump.

In order to try to get a better a picture of who this man is without so much noise from LGBTI+ and far-left people yelling all over the net, I've been watching more videos and reading about him. I was particularly interested in watching him speak, so I watched interviews, short exchanges with the press, etc., comparing them with what they say about him in newspapers and all that. The truth is, I don't like the guy at all, but that's a pretty subjective opinion that is like saying “I don’t like Trump. I don’t like the way he speaks, etc…” Bolsonaro is always yelling and ranting, much like Alex Jones in a way, and he's very rude too, those aren’t fake news. Yet, is that enough to say he’s “a Hitler”, “a fascist” or a “future dictator”? I don’t think so. It does speak about a really bad character probably, but that doesn’t mean he will become a blood-thirsty dictator, like some are claiming.

Nevertheless, I finally did find some interesting videos:
  • In one video he said he is in favour of torture and that the only way of changing things isn't through votes but waging a civil war in which they’d do "what the military regime didn't accomplish during the dictatorship, killing 40 thousand people". He added, “some innocent people might die, yes, and that’s OK”.
  • On these lines, during a speech, he honoured a General who was well-known for being a torturer and was even on trial for that.
  • In what seemed like a parliamentary session some time ago, he said that the police should be able to get into the favelas (marginal places well-known in Brazil where crime is generalized, as well as poverty) and kill the criminals there. I totally understand that the situation in the favelas isn’t simple and unfortunately some violence may be required (it's still hard for me to accept this) to deal with drug dealers and all that. But, generally speaking the real big fishes aren’t even there and Brazil is known for these operations where the police just goes into the favelas and kills a bunch of people. I know, policemen get killed too because some people are heavily armed in some of these places, and that’s tragic, true. But I don’t really hear him addressing all the complexity of that situation. He even said that he won’t support ANY human rights organisation operating in these places because they condemn the police’s rightful work, which to him seems to be only through violence, no negotiation is possible.
  • Related to this, he said that when fighting “vagabundos”, which is a pejorative way of calling homeless people, the police should have a hard line strategy. He ranted about people complaining because 60 thousand homeless were killed and then yelled: “I wish they were 200 thousand”.
  • He appeared in a video holding a microphone like a machine gun and saying that that’s what he would do to “-homies-” (just trying to use a word similar to what he said in Portuguese).
  • He said that NOT a centimetre of land would be given as protection areas for indigenous people.
  • etc...
So these are just some samples of what this man says (apart from all the other rants about homosexuality for which he's more known), and this is also why I understand that people like some members of my family who live there and aren’t leftists and never supported the Worker’s Party, are now supporting it because they are scared of what may come with Bolsonaro.

True, the videos I watched can be fake too, that I’ll probably never know… but they seem pretty genuine to me and I can’t ignore them. Most of them are from before he started the presidency course, so also before his campaign, which means they aren’t merely controversy lines to fire up the media and get more attention either (IMO), as some have been suggesting he’s been doing.

What I do notice as a "before and after campaign" contrast is that he became a bit more moderate, actually. I can even sympathise with some of what he says in some of his most recent appearances. I can say that he might look like an idiot sometimes, but certainly isn’t one when you hear him more… he’s clever in a sense that many reporters are left speechless with his rants and can’t reply. But I think it’s mostly due to fallacies such as straw man arguments which leave people unable to answer. In other occasions, he just rants and rants and leaves no space for others to continue the interview. But, he’s more moderate, that’s true. He speaks of democracy and human rights even, using a speech that seems to be scripted from an alt-right YouTube channel (not saying that’s a bad thing, just trying to describe what his most recent rhetoric sounds like) –and it makes sense now that we know that Steve Bannon has been helping him with his campaign.

He differs a lot from Trump in the economic aspect. He basically says that people should have work and the country needs development and all that, but his idea is that the country’s resources should be exploited by powerful nations who have the technology to do it. So he isn’t a nationalist in this aspect.

He just LOVES the US (and Israel) and doesn't seem to want to hide it. He doesn’t like China (which might be one reason he gets along well with Bannon), and he’s completely against regional alliances such as the MERCOSUR (Common South Market, in South America) and abhors the Venezuelan government. Last week, Spanish SOTT published an article saying that his possible chancellor actually thinks a “humanitarian” military intervention could be a possibility. According to Sputnik, he said:

"There is a neighbouring dictatorship and we are doing absolutely nothing politically, we are not positioning ourselves against it (...) we have to act with principles, we cannot tolerate a dictatorship in Latin America, I do not discard a military intervention".

Others have been speculating that this is an option too.

I’ve been also watching some interviews that Pepe Escobar has given in Portuguese. He suggested that there’s a possibility that even the elites from Wall Street aren’t so happy about the prospects of this man now because he seems to be too “hard-core” and that's not very good for business nowadays... I'm not so sure, but it’s interesting to notice that prior to the second round yesterday WhatsApp decided to block hundreds of Brazilian accounts because they were spreading “fake news” (with big 'investigations coming out about the fabrication of fake news by Bolsonaro's campaign team), and that the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office started a process over corruption on Bolsonaro’s “economic guru”, who is often portrayed as a “Chicago Boy”, because of his ties to the economists of the Chilean dictatorship.

All in all, then, I can't say I'm not somewhat worried about what this man can do. I wouldn’t say he’s “a Hitler”, but if he truly follows what seemed to be his own beliefs previous to his “moderation” during his campaign, he doesn't seem to bring many positive things, IMHO, even if he does fight against "cultural Marxism" and all that. (And even this we don't know... to me it seems more that he took that speech in order to resonate with people. And maybe we need another discussion here about how this somehow represents a "bad response" to all the craziness that postmodernism has injected into movements that were more concerned about worker's rights, sovereignty over national resources and economy, etc. and which represented "the left" in Latin America)

Finally, considering how the war drums are being heard more and more in South America lately, with more militarisation in Argentina, lots of supposed “terrorist groups” operating in the border between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, plus calls from many countries in the region against Venezuela who ask for more “participation” in “helping” the Venezuelan people… things could get pretty dire. Some have been saying that because the US lost in the Middle East, they might now want to move the war to Latin America, because, you know, war is one of their major fuels. I’m not prone to consider this is very likely to happen, I’m usually on the side that thinks that it would be just too much… but seeing all this, I can’t help but wonder and try to read the signs properly.

PS: I’m a bit sorry for the length of this post. I wanted to share all this because it seems important and I would like to know what others see and think as well. Thanks for reading!
 
PS: I’m a bit sorry for the length of this post. I wanted to share all this because it seems important and I would like to know what others see and think as well. Thanks for reading!

Thanks Yas for this information as we sometimes suffer from the language barrier on YTube. It's certainly not long,you made a good effort in your presentation of the "Tropical Trump". At times though we cannot place much emphasis on these political campaign rhetoric.These men know the art of polarizing the electorate to achieve their goals.
 
I can't exactly say - that I have kept close ties - on the Brazilian election but here are some recent articles in the American press on the President-elect Jair Bolsonaro ... I am aware, Bolsonaro was stabbed in the abdomen during a rally and needed emergency surgery. Reviewing some video's on Bolsonaro's speeches, he reminds me a lot of the Philippine President Duterte in his mannerisms. Tough talk but he gets the job done?

October 29, 2018 - Brazil Government offers Bolsonaro transparent transition
Brazil government offers Bolsonaro transparent transition | Reuters


Jair Bolsonaro, far-right lawmaker and presidential candidate of the Social Liberal Party (PSL), gestures at a polling station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil October 28, 2018. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares/File Photo

Brazil's presidential chief of staff Eliseu Padilha promised on Monday a transparent transition to the incoming government of president-elect Jair Bolsonaro, with full access to accounts and information on measures needed to keep the country moving.

Padilha said Brazil needs to balance its budget and must overhaul its costly pension system to do that, which is not expected to happen before the new government takes office on Jan. 1. Bolsonaro has said he will undertake pension reform but has not detailed what he plans to do.

October 29, 2018 - Trump vows close ties with Brazil's Bolsonaro on trade, military
Trump vows close ties with Brazil's Bolsonaro on trade, military | Reuters

The United States will work closely with Brazil on trade and military issues following Jair Bolsonaro’s presidential election victory, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday.

“We agreed that Brazil and the United States will work closely together on Trade, Military and everything else,” Trump, who spoke with far-right firebrand Bolsonaro by telephone on Sunday, wrote on Twitter.


October 29, 2018 - Brazil's far-right President-elect eyes close US ties
Brazil's far-right president-elect eyes close U.S. ties | Reuters

Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former Army captain who won Brazil’s presidential weekend election, said on Monday he would press ahead with loosening gun laws this year and planned to visit Washington D.C. after a friendly call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Bolsonaro, who early in his legislative career declared he was “in favor” of dictatorships and demanded that Congress be disbanded,
has vowed to adhere to democratic principles while holding up a copy of the country’s constitution.

Investors were quick to cheer Bolsonaro's victory, sending Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index .BVSP to an all-time high in early trading before stock prices fell as traders booked profits following a sharp rally this month.

Markets had surged on Bolsonaro’s ascent in opinion polls, as he pledged to quickly close Brazil’s gaping budget deficit and privatize state firms. Investors said further gains will hinge on clearer signs he can deliver on a market-friendly agenda.

His election alarmed critics around the globe, however, given his defense of Brazil’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship, vows to sweep away leftist political opponents, and a track record of denigrating comments about gays, women and minorities.

Bolsonaro’s victory brings Brazil’s military back into the political limelight after it spent three decades in the barracks following the country’s return to civilian rule. Several retired generals will serve as ministers and close advisers.

“You are all my witnesses that this government will defend the constitution, of liberty and of God,” Bolsonaro said in a Facebook live video in his first comments after his victory.

The president-elect’s future chief of staff told Reuters his first international trip would be to Chile, another South American nation that swung to the political right in recent elections, and soon after that he hoped to visit the United States.

An outspoken Trump admirer, Bolsonaro also vowed to realign Brazil with more advanced economies, such as the United States, overhauling diplomatic priorities after nearly a decade and a half of leftist party rule.

GRAFT AND CRIME
Bolsonaro won the presidential race handily despite scarce campaign resources and no support from major parties as he tapped into Brazilians’ anger over corruption and crime.

In a Monday night interview with TV Record, Bolsonaro offered some of his first concrete measures on both fronts.

Bolsonaro said he would press Brazil’s Congress to loosen the country’s restrictive gun laws this year, before he even takes office on January 1. He reiterated that more widespread gun ownership would limit crime, although critics worry it could add to Brazil’s tally of nearly 64,000 homicides last year, the highest in the world.

Bolsonaro also said he wants to nominate the crusading anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro to be his justice minister or the newest member of the Supreme Court.

Moro, who has overseen the “Car Wash” trials that sent scores of powerful politicians and businessmen to jail including former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Bolsonaro, a 63-year-old former paratrooper, joins a list of populist, right-wing figures to win elections in recent years that include Trump, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Trump’s friendly call augurs closer political ties between the two largest economies in the Americas, both now led by conservative populists promising to overturn the political establishment.

In a telephone call on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Bolsonaro discussed collaboration on priority foreign policy issues, including Venezuela, tackling transnational crime and ways to strengthen economic ties.

Bolsonaro has vowed to increase pressure on Venezuela’s authoritarian leftist government to hold free elections that could stem the flow of refugees into neighboring Brazil and Colombia, also governed by a conservative president.

Mauricio Santoro, a political scientist with Rio de Janeiro State University, said he was concerned that Brazil would not soon dispel the tense and occasionally violent atmosphere that enveloped the polarizing campaign.

“It’s possible that even with his win, we could see a further wave of violence among Bolsonaro’s supporters against those who backed his opponent,” Santoro said.

Bolsonaro supporters carried out physical attacks and organized campaigns of online harassment in the run-up to Sunday’s vote, targeting journalists in particular, according to a tally kept by Abraji, an investigative journalism group.

Bolsonaro himself was stabbed in the abdomen at a rally last month and will need to undergo surgery in mid-December to remove a colostomy bag before he can travel to Santiago and Washington.

EASY WIN
Bolsonaro won 55 percent of votes in a run-off election against left-wing hopeful Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party (PT), who got 45 percent, according to electoral authority TSE.

The controversial lawmaker’s rise has been propelled by rejection of the leftist PT that ran Brazil for 13 of the last 15 years and was ousted two years ago in the midst of a deep recession and political graft scandal.

Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters cheered and set off fireworks outside his home in Rio de Janeiro’s beachfront Barra de Tijuca neighborhood as his victory was announced.

“I don’t idolize Bolsonaro and I don’t know if he will govern well, but we are hopeful. People want the PT out, they can’t take any more corruption,” said Tatiana Cunha, a 39-year-old systems analyst during the noisy celebrations.

Investors have been hopeful that Bolsonaro would carry out fiscal reforms proposed by his orthodox economic guru, Paulo Guedes.

Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index .BVSP rose as much as 3.0 percent to an all-time high in opening trade, led higher by shares of state-owned firms and blue-chips, before retreating and closing 2.2 percent down.

Brazil's currency, the real BRL=, has gained around 10 percent against the U.S. dollar this month as Bolsonaro's prospects improved.

Investors have been particularly heartened by Bolsonaro’s choice of Guedes, a Chicago University-trained economist and investment banker, as future economy minister.

Guedes, who wants to privatize an array of state firms, said on Sunday the new government will try to erase Brazil’s budget deficit within a year, simplify and reduce taxes, and create 10 million jobs by cutting payroll taxes. New rules will boost investment in infrastructure, he told reporters.

Still, Fitch Ratings on Monday highlighted the “deep fiscal challenges” confronting Bolsonaro’s team, as weak economic growth and a huge budget deficit leave little room to maneuver.

“The exact details of how his administration plans to achieve (its) objectives are limited,” wrote Fitch analysts led by Shelly Shetty. “The lack of fiscal space, a high unemployment rate and a sluggish economic recovery will also likely limit economic policy options.”

Onyx Lorenzoni, a fellow congressman whom Bolsonaro has tapped as chief of staff, told journalists that Guedes would be responsible for structuring the government’s relationship with an independent, autonomous central bank with targets.

Asked about Brazil’s currency, Lorenzoni said Bolsonaro would offer businesses more predictability, but ruled out an exchange rate target. Lorenzoni reiterated his view that efforts to reform Brazil’s pension system should wait until next year.

In a separate interview with Reuters, he said the president-elect would meet with Guedes and other members of his team on Tuesday. He will oversee the transition from Rio this week and fly to the capital Brasilia next week, Lorenzoni added.

Retired General Augusto Heleno, slated to become defense minister, told reporters that Bolsonaro has a positive view of a planned $4.75 billion joint venture between Boeing Co (BA.N) and Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA). He said the Temer government may approve the deal before leaving.

Slideshow (10 Images)
Brazil's far-right president-elect eyes close U.S. ties | Reuters


October 29, 2018 - Brazil's Bolsonaro says Country will again lead Ethanol Production
Brazil's Bolsonaro says country will again lead ethanol production | Reuters

Brazil’s president-elect, Jair Bolsonaro, said in a video released on Monday that Brazil would again take the lead in ethanol production globally, after the United States took over a few years ago as top producer.

“In the past, we were leaders on this front and we will once again lead in the short term, most certainly,” Bolsonaro said in the video, recorded before his election win on Sunday. A meeting of sugar and ethanol producers is being held in Sao Paulo.
 
I’m not sure about this guy being the next hitler.

I think the media in the US used his conservative views as yet another excuse to attack Trump, and Trump likes the guy because he knows which way his bread is buttered, so a lot of what I’ve heard seems to me to be propaganda.

In my view, he’s going to be a Temer 2.0, taking the country in the same direction in a more overt manner, which isn’t good per say. But his attitude towards the western establishment makes me think that all this nonesense about him being the Brazilian Trump will simply die down.

I can see him taking the country further away from BRICS, dismembering Petrobras, growing closer with the US, Argentina, Colombia, and the EU as well as israel (something he’s made clear he intends to do). Perhaps this gives the US a larger base of operations in South America, but that has never not been the case (except perhaps in Venezuela and Bolivia). Maybe even throwing an IMF loan for some reason to further sell away the countries resources to foreign control.

So, perhaps I’m being too optimistic here, but I think it will all die down and he’s going to be another Duterte of sorts: a colorful character that we report on but that we really don’t care about because he plays ball our way. Difference being, Duterte has Russia and China right there and can threaten to strengthen his ties with them, Bolsonaro has no one and has actually announced his intention to strengthen the ties with the West.

His heavy handed militaristic method, well... from my experience and what I’ve observed, people in Latinamerica aren’t too shy welcoming and embracing such tactics. Colombia worships an ex president (Uribe) who had such a method when dealing with the guerrillas, Peru still holds a certain appreciation for Fujimori who had a similar methods. Even in Venezuela and Bolivia with Chavez and Evo Morales, although in an opposite ideological direction, people seem to cheer a heavy had approach (I’m referring to their kicking out of foreign influences from their country). And it may be more archetypical, people look up to a king who has the vision (or the looks of one) to see the enemy of the people, declare it and act steadfastly against it. So I’m not sure that his heavy hand approach will get him into trouble unless he starts rounding up political opposition in truly large numbers as Pinochet would do, for instance.

I do expect him to carry on with the trend of demolishing and incarcerating the progressive government symbols that has been going on in recent years in the region.

I did hear that the stock market in Brazil had an incredible hike in price after his victory, evidently someone is happy that his desire to make government smaller (as far as regulation of the market goes)is now officially elected.

Will this spell trouble for the poor class in Brazil? I unfortunately do think so.

So while a lot of people fell prey to the propaganda of the whole Lava Jato/Odebrecth corruption scandal and sought change by voting the only guy who didn’t have a criminal case against him, I don’t think this will make their lives easier.

There’s a great example of this just across the border in Argentina, people voted out the corrupt left and now can’t pay for electricity or food and hold one of the, if not the, largest IMF loans in history. But the alternative is Venezuela, another country who can’t seem to pay for food or medicine. So the problem isn’t political or ideological.

I hope it was clear, just my two cents here. Let’s wait and see how this evolves.
 
With all his admiration for Trump (which may be superficial) - will he be pulling the B out of BRICS?

Just an opinion but Bolsonaro would be wise to work within the BRICS framework - to boost Brazil's economy and financial interests? To drop out would be like financial suicide? Russia, China and to some degree India have been working closely on Trade Agreements.
Brazil has been working through a lot of Political problems, in the last few years, while also trying to keep it's Fiscal obligations afloat.
Russia has just sent (by request of Maduro) a financial advisor team to Venezuela, to help improve it's social and financial interests.
Putin congratulated Bolsonaro on winning the election and is willing to work with Brazil in "constructive cooperation". It's part of the team-work within BRICS.


Jair Bolsonaro said after his victory in the runoff of the election, some countries discussed with him the issue of the crisis in Venezuela.

Oct. 30, 2018 - Brazil’s president-elect says not planning military incursion of Venezuela
Brazil’s president-elect says not planning military incursion of Venezuela

Brazil’s newly elected President Jair Bolsonaro rejected the idea of supporting military intervention in Venezuela in an interview with Record television on Tuesday.

"For our part, we don’t have [the plans for intervention in Venezuela]," Bolsonaro said, stressing that "Brazil will always search for peaceful means of resolving problems."

The president-elect said after his victory in the runoff of the presidential election on Sunday, representatives of some countries discussed with him the issue of the crisis in Venezuela. They voiced hope that Brazil "will take part in resolving this problem in some form," he said.

Bolsonaro emphasized that his country is committed to solving issues through talks, saying that Brazil is interested in cooperation for ending the Venezuelan crisis. "They are our brothers, who are facing very serious problems due to the dictatorship of [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro," he said.

The newly elected president said if Brazil had fulfilled its task when the left-wing Workers’ Party was in power, the crisis in Venezuela would have been resolved. "However, the Workers’ Party has always admired the government of [late Hugo] Chavez and then Maduro. So we have this situation when poor [Venezuelans] suffer and flee even to Brazil as they have nothing to eat in their country," the politician said.

Rumors on intervention in Venezuela
According to Brazil’s Folha de S.Paulo newspaper, a high-ranking official from the Colombian government announced that Bogota had offered Bolsonaro to start a military intervention in Venezuela. However, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry rejected the rumors on the alleged alliance with Brazil aimed at toppling the Venezuelan leader.

Over the past few years, Venezuela has experienced a serious social and economic crisis, accompanied by hyperinflation, depreciation of national currency and shortages of food and medicines. Many citizens have been forced to leave the country amid the difficult situation. According to the United Nations, by this June some 2.3 mln Venezuelans fled the country for Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.

On Sunday, Brazil held the runoff presidential election. With 100% of the ballots counted, Bolsonaro who represents the conservative Social Liberal Party, garnered 55.13% of the vote, while his rival, Fernando Haddad, the candidate from the leftist Workers’ Party, secured 44.87% of the vote.


Oct. 29. 2018 - Putin congratulates Bolsonaro on being elected President of Brazil
Putin congratulates Bolsonaro on being elected President of Brazil

The new leader will be sworn in on January 1, 2019.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has sent a message to the newly elected Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, congratulating him on winning the presidential race and expressing confidence that bilateral relations will continue to develop, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

According to the statement, Putin "was confident that ties between Russia and Brazil would grow stronger in all areas and the constructive cooperation between the two countries within the United Nations, the G20 group, BRICS and other on multilateral platforms would continue in the interests of the people of Russia and Brazil."

The Russian head of state "commended the considerable experience of mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas the two countries have gained as strategic partners."


October 30, 2018 - Brazil's Bolsonaro targets 'lying' press, wants crusading Judge as Minister
Brazil's Bolsonaro targets 'lying' press, wants crusading judge as minister | Reuters


A woman takes a t-shirt with the image of Brazil's new president-elect, Jair Bolsonaro, in front of Bolsonaro's condominium at Barra da Tijuca neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil October 29, 2018. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro has revisited his most contentious campaign promises, calling for looser gun laws, urging a high-profile anti-corruption judge to join his government and promising to cut government advertising for media that "lie."

In interviews with TV stations and on social media, Bolsonaro, a 63-year-old former Army captain, who won 55 percent of Sunday’s vote and will be sworn in on Jan. 1, made clear he would not waste time in pushing through his conservative agenda.

Bolsonaro, who ran on a law-and-order platform, said he wants Sergio Moro, the judge who has overseen the sprawling “Car Wash” corruption trials and convicted former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of graft, to join his government as justice minister.

Barring that, he said he would nominate him to the Supreme Court. The next vacancy on the court is expected in 2020.

Moro did not respond to requests for comment.

But Ascânio Seleme, editor in chief for the O Globo newspaper, wrote in a Tuesday blog post on the publication’s website that Moro should not accept the offer to become justice minister. He has too much work to do on pending corruption trials, Seleme wrote.

Seleme added it would also bolster accusations from the Workers Party (PT), whose candidate Fernando Haddad lost to Bolsonaro in Sunday’s vote, that Moro has a vendetta against the PT and worked to keep it from power.

The PT accuses Moro of finding da Silva, its founder, guilty of graft to block him from making a presidential run.

The guilty verdict was upheld on appeal and Brazil’s Supreme Court has rejected numerous requests to free the former president, universally known as Lula.

The Globo newspaper, in a separate article citing unnamed sources close to the judge, reported on Tuesday that Moro was weighing Bolsonaro’s offer, feeling that he could reassure citizens concerned the president-elect will not govern democratically.

MEDIA SHOWDOWN
Late on Monday, Bolsonaro said in an interview with Globo TV that he would cut government advertising funds that flow to any “lying” media outlets.

During his campaign, the right-winger imitated U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy of aggressively confronting the media. In particular, he took aim at Globo TV and especially Brazil’s biggest newspaper, the Folha de S.Paulo.

“I am totally in favor of freedom of the press,” Bolsonaro told Globo TV. “But if it’s up to me, press that shamelessly lies will not have any government support.”

Bolsonaro was referring to the hundreds of millions of reais the Brazilian government spends in advertising each year in local media outlets, mainly for promotions of state-run firms.

The UOL news portal, owned by the Grupo Folha, which also controls the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper, used Brazil’s freedom of information act as the basis for a 2015 article that showed Globo received 565 million reais in federal government spending in 2014. Folha got 14.6 million reais that year.

The federal government’s secretariat for communication, which tracks the figures, did not immediately reply for a request on how much money the government has spent on media advertising since 2014.

Neither Grupo Globo nor Grupo Folha replied to requests for comment.
 
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