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DEMOCRACY INTERVIEW POLITICS RACIAL EQUALITY SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

Interview: Bruna Rodrigues and the fight against necropolitics

When we say that black lives matter we are saying that we can no longer accept the fact that 83 young black men die every day in Brazil Interview by Brian Mier On December 8, 2020, two members of Rio Grande do Sul’s military police entered the house of black rights movement activist Jane Beatriz […]

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DEMOCRACY ELECTION

2020 Mayoral Elections: Far Right Crumbles, Left Makes Progress

By Brian Mier On November 29th, residents of 57 of Brazil’s largest cities voted on second round mayoral elections. In a process that was certainly influenced by the Covid 19 pandemic, the nation registered a historic low in terms of voter turnout, with a 30% abstention rate. The two biggest losers of the day were […]

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IMPERIALISM LAVA JATO OPINION POLITICS

On Obama, Lula and Tammany Hall

In his new book, Barack Obama, who is the husband of Chicago machine Mayor Richard M. Daley’s former Assistant Planning Commissioner,  compares Lula to a Tammany Hall style machine boss by Brian Mier On Tuesday, November 17, former US President Barack Obama, whose government engaged in spying against Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and the US […]

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CANDIDATES CITIES DEMOCRACY ELECTION

Brazilian elections – A day of shame for the far right

As the PT and Brazilian left made modest gains, the Bolsonaro coalition imploded By Brian Mier On Sunday, November 15, over 147 million Brazilians went to the polls in the largest round of local elections in the nation’s history. One state, Amapa, had to cancel most of its elections due the fact that most of […]

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CANDIDATES DEMOCRACY ELECTION

Election Day: A Left Challenge in Bolsonaro’s home town

The Bolsonaro family stronghold of Eldorado is a bastion of conservatism but on this election day they might lose control of the local government by Brian Mier Eldorado is a small town in Sao Paulo’s impoverished Vale do Ribeira region which is surrounded by rainforest. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro lived there until he was 18 […]

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CANDIDATES CITIES DEMOCRACY

Municipal elections promise gains for left, losses for Bolsonaro

Sunday’s elections promise to provide solid, but not breathtaking advances for the Brazilian left. On the other hand, all signs show that it will be a day of huge losses for the coalition tied to far right President Jair Bolsonaro. by Brian Mier On Sunday, November 15th, residents of Brazil’s 5570 municipalities will vote for […]

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DEMOCRACY IMPERIALISM POLITICS UNITED STATES

US Election: What’s at stake for Brazil

If the US has been the number one enemy of democracy and freedom in Latin America for the past century, why would a new President make any difference? By Brian Mier In a recent interview for the Brazilian business newspaper O Valor, Tom Shannon, who was a key US State Department actor on Latin American […]

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AUTHORITARIANISM CENSORSHIP

Censorship: Rio Court Attacks Freedom of the Press

A Rio de Janeiro Judge censors 11 investigative stories about corporate data mining by veteran journalist Luis Nassif. It’s not the first time conservatives have tried to silence him by Brian Mier On August 29, 2020 a Rio de Janeiro state judge issued an order to veteran journalist Luis Nassif to pull down 11 investigative […]

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LAVA JATO LAWFARE SOVEREIGNTY UNITED STATES

US Department of Justice “clarifies” role in Lava Jato

In identical letters sent to 13 members of US Congress, Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd demonstrates that the Department of Justice’s  partnership in the corrupt, politicized anti-corruption investigation has been a matter of public record since 2016. By Brian Mier In August, 2019, a group of 13 democratic members of US Congress demanded answers […]

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DEMOCRACY LAVA JATO LAWFARE POLITICS

Sergio Moro’s Catch 22: Miami or the Presidency

Will backstabbing opportunists turn the spell against the witch who cast it? By Brian Mier On June 20th, Brazil’s right-wing extremist Education Minister Abraham Weintraub abruptly resigned and fled the country fleeing probable arrest. His destination was Miami, the purgatory of corrupt Latin American politicians and organized crime figures. Although both the Brazilian and international […]