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A little about the protests of 2013.
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Philippe Nick
Brazil and 2013.(Media Corruption)
What kind of country is this?
“In the slums, in the SenateThere's mess everywhere
No one respects our ConstituitionBut everybody believes in the progress of our nation
What kind of country is this?What kind of country is this?What kind of country is this?
In the Amazon river , araguaiabaixada Fluminense
Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais,and in the Northeast, everything's in peace
I'll rest when my death comesBut the bloodshed goes on and on
Staining papers, truthfull documentsTo bosses and kingpins' relieve, I say:
What kind of country is this?What kind of country is this?What kind of country is this?
This 3rd world thing, if it's just a joke, leave it aloneBut Brazil will become rich
We'll earn thousands of dollarswhen we sell the souls of all our indians
in a auctionWhat kind of country is this?What kind of country is this?What kind of country is this?”
by Renato Russo
! In a world-wide perspective, because of world-wide media, Brazil is seen
as a stunning tropical country, filled with paradisiac beaches, and beautiful
woman who walk around semi-naked. That is all true but the problem is that this
reputation haunts the people who actually live in the country. Why you may ask?
Because of all this bad fame of being the king of carnivals and soccer nation
some major issues have been left aside and ignored by our government. The
impressive brazilian government that is so worldly known for its corruption that it
tried to implement a new law that hindered the Public Ministry to investigate any
suspicious activity in within the congress. The government has disappointed the
nation once again by spending $3.5 billion dollars in stadiums for the 2014 FIFAʼs
world cup when the infrastructure of most cities is falling to pieces. Some of the
main highways where commercial transportation is suppose to take place are
completely inaccessible, leading cities to become scarce on food and health
products.
Current Account Balance (US$)
! This explicit exploitation and continuous abuse on peopleʼs lives was on a
thin line impatiently waiting for a breakthrough revolution. Brazil taxes every part
of the value chain so by the time consumer's receive the product, it has been
taxes various times. It's quite a
challenge to figure out the total
value of tax. For cars, federal and
state taxes count for 42% of the
end-consumer price. For imported
Nike sneakers it's as much as 66%
of the consumer price. Besides this
tax rate it has among the highest
inflation in the world according to
the “World Bank” at 6.63% in 2011.
However, the real rate of inflation in
cities like Rio and SãoPaulo is even higher. During my stay in Rio de Janeiro
from May 10th until August 10th I got to observe the transition from a chaotic city
filled with unsatisfied citizens vastly changing into a united nation fighting
together for a better home country. I witnessed the awaking of an entire nation
against its overpowering system, it was truly beautiful and a remarkable memory
which I will bring with me to the grave. In June 1st of 2013 a raise of $0.20 in the
bus and subway prices went into effect. 19 days later, the streets of 438 cities in
Brazil were occupied by its people protesting not just against the fare raise, but
also at the well known corruption that grows inside the brazilian government.
Organizers of the nationʼs biggest protests in almost two decades had vowed to
remain on the streets until fares were lowered. Here are some lists of the main
causes, goals and achievements from the protests:
! Main Causes of the Protests:
• Increases in bus, train and metro fare in some major cities
• Multiple issues regarding infrastructure, education and health care among other
public services
• High cost of living
• Increasing government funding of major sports events
• Feeling of alienation from government decisions
• Multiple scandals of corruption, embezzlement and overbilling in the
government
• Multiple reports of abuse of special benefits conceded to Brazilian politicians
• Controversial law in discussion by National Chamber's plans limiting the powers
of the Public Ministry to investigate criminal activities, among other reasons
! Main Goals of the protests:
• Improvements in public transport with less cost to the population (subdued June
24)
• Increase of government effort and funds to improve other key services including
public education, national health care and transport infrastructure altogether
(subdued June 24)
• Less priority to fund major sports events (subdued June 24)
• Revocation of controversial law in discussion byNational Chamber's plans
limiting the powers of the Public Ministry to investigate criminal activities in the
government (subdued June 25)
! Results from Protests:
Reduction in the prices of Public transport (Metro, Train and Bus) (Governments approved June 2013)
Revocation of (Bill - PEC 37) that hindered the Public Ministry to investigate (Congress approved June 2013)
Destination of petroleum royalties to Education (75%) and Health (25%) (Congress approved June 2013)
Criminalization of all forms of Corruption and Embezzlement as heinous crimes (Congress approved) Pending
The end of Secret vote in Congress for forfeiture of office (Congress approved)Pending
The end of all Taxes in the Public Transport (Metro, Train, Bus and Ship) (Congress approved June 2013)National Pact to improve Education, Health, Public Transport (Government established June 2013)
National Pact to Fiscal responsibility and control of Inflation (Government established June 2013)
Implementation of federal Plebiscite to Politic reform in the country (Government established) Pending
Revocation of (Bill - PDL 234) "Gay cure" authorizing sexual orientation conversion therapy by psychologists (Congress approved July 2013)
! Unfortunately these protests have been receiving a vandalism reputation
because the main stream mediaʼs been working really hard to give it a bad image
but it is important to know that there is a large range of people who are present
during the protests and the majority are 20-30 year oldʼs university students. The
Globo, one of the main channels
followed in the culture, used the
soccer idol Ronaldo on television
defending the governmentʼs actions
of investment on stadiums, or in his
words “You stadiums to have a
World cup. You canʼt put on a World
cup with hospitals.”
! This is one of the many ways
of the media trying to persuade
people for staying at home and ignore what goes on during the protests. Another
technique the Government uses to oppress the situation is by giving orders to the
military police to completely clear the areas of protest and if brute force if
necessary. To counter-attack this main stream media, a group of revolutionary
idols from Brazil have created a major name (used with hashtag for following)
called “midianinja”. This is a media group formed in 2011 declaring to be an
alternative media source from the traditional. They go to the protests and live
feed through the internet anything that is happening, captures a lot of injustice
and the brutal abuse of force by the military police. Thanks to the “midianinja” we
find out who the infiltrated cops are that disguise amongst the civilians and try to
start vandalism actions causing chaos purposely. Itʼs shameful that during my
visit home I was feeling oppression taking over the streets, in one of my most
intense experiences during a protest my friend and I got separated from each
other because of all the movement from the people running away, and I was all
alone getting chased down by troops discharging rubber bullets and tear-gas
grenades at every direction. I could barely see anything and was holding my
breath until I could get away from all the smoke to hide out.
Click on this HERE to watch this student explaining why she will not go to the
World Cup and you shouldnʼt either:
Interview with Antonio Collet (56 year old resident of RJ)
1- How do you like living in Rio de Janeiro right now?
We live in a quiet neighboring district, quite distant from downtown where
protests are happening. Our area is experiencing high development in terms of
transportation, large expressways and urban facilities.
2- Have the recent protests affected your daily routines?
No, we just follow via TV and newspapers.
3- Do you personally want change in Brazil?
Yes and I do my best for it. I help people explaining about financing risks and
writing protesting texts against corruption in internet. Those are fields of my
professional domain.
4- Have you taken part of and what do the protests mean to you?
No. But as far as I know, there are two kinds of protests: the right ones
envisaging benefits (elementary teachers, bank staff workers, blue collars) and
the wrong ones destroying urban accessories and shoplifting and hurling Molotov
cocktails against police officers and vehicles (black blocks organization with
covered faces).
5- Do you think there will be an outcome from the protests? And if yes,
what will it be?
It is part of a process of claim. But there are political groups behind those puppet
people.
The same interview but with Dalmo Roger Ferreira (26 year old resident of RJ)
1- How do you like living in Rio de Janeiro right now?
I still don't know what it means. I believe it's like a dream.
I got a opportunite to work and move to Rio em 2009 and I left my job.
...now I live in Rio de Janeiro.
2- Have the recent protests affected your daily routines?
Yeah!!! ... for sure. I never had a normal day of life since the beginning of journeys of june.
There is a big difference between protests and riots and we have both at the same time.
3- Do you personally want change in Brazil?
Noway. Brazil is too big to be changed.
I only want to change myself. It's good enough...
4- Have you taken part of and what do the protests mean to you?
I can't explain easily what it means to me.
The riots are a very complex combination of social problems we have in the
third-world. I have lyrics for it...
The Party - Dead Fish
“Come on everybody let's join the party they're killing
another brother, so let's go, maybe they'll let us see!
How fascinating scene where everything come out
in a distorted way.
Come on let's go let's watch a new sacrifice,
they manipulate, i know what is better for me yeah,
they don't killed our bro. it's just a movie scenery!
now I'm fascinate, come on join us and celebrate
the new order (that you) now imposed
so now we just a little bit concerned! or just cry for a few?
While they're killing million and we can only see one or two.
What's on TV? Sometimes we do the same!
Cause we have messias who only says the truth
and we don't wanna hear the voice of pervert youth
all these children need's a dosage of reality in our institution
to learn not speak nonsense about our good system
our community is tired of been defied by this dirty punks.
(they manipulate... now I'm fascinate...) is there any answer
for what they are doing we can't also assume but sometimes”
5- Do you think there will be an outcome from the protests? And if yes,
what will it be?
I believe that any type of calculation generates rest.
I think the big bankers of the world can answer that better than me. Speak with
them that Dalmo Roger lives in a country that produces food for a country three
times bigger and I still have plenty of hungry people around.
!
! In all honesty, this movements are the result from a undergoing problem
within the community and it has mainly to do with the bare aspects of life quality
and social contrast. The message behind this paper, besides raising awareness
about what is happening in Brazil, is to give a better understanding of why
citizens are unsatisfied and what are they protesting about. The system is
evidently incapable of containing the situation and the main stream media keeps
being manipulated to prevent people from taking a part at the events, yet the
truth seems to find a way to reach whoever is interested on being involved.
Highly recommend this short documentary:
The São Paulo protests in 7 acts:
http://www.vice.com/en_ca/vice-news/the-sao-paulo-protests-in-7-acts-part-1
http://www.vice.com/en_ca/vice-news/the-sao-paulo-protests-in-7-acts-part-2
Source Links:
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestos_no_Brasil_em_2013
http://educacao.uol.com.br/noticias/2013/06/22/onda-de-protestos-no-brasil-ainda-nao-e-revolta-popular-saiba-por-que.htm
http://www.vice.com/en_ca
http://brazilianprotests.tumblr.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-24545479
http://blog.tribatics.com/2013/06/18/protestos-brasileiros-no-twitter-1708/
http://www.osensato.com.br/o-que-realmente-esta-por-tras-dos-protestos-brasileiros/
http://g1.globo.com/protestos-no-brasil/2013/cobertura/
“They drained our blood and raped our country far too long”
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