Brasil’s Education crisis is not a crisis, it is a project. – Darcy Ribeiro. Across the political spectrum Brazilians will tell you that the principal problem in the country is education, yet who profits most from programmed, weaponised ignorance? Research, science, technology, culture, and education are not ideologies, but approaches and attitudes toward them in […]
By Louis Smith and Brasil Wire editors When Mauricio Macri won the Argentinian general election in 2015 international markets and investors cheered. Rating agency Moodys immediately raised Argentina’s outlook from “stable” to “positive”, JP Morgan lauded the win, dropping risk to 2011 levels. The Financial Times published an article with the typical headline Investors cheer electoral […]
On Thursday 23 August, TV Globo’s flagship Jornal Nacional news programme ran segments following the campaigns of Presidential Candidates Marina Silva (Rede), Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB), Jair Bolsonaro (PSL), and Ciro Gomes (PDT). It later trailed its invitations to these four Presidential candidates onto the programme next week. Missing was leading candidate Lula da Silva, who is now […]
In late 2013 the formation of a new Brazilian Political Party was announced, called literally Partido Novo (New Party). Initially and opportunistically presented as if emerging from the protests that had swept Brasil that June, its libertarian, minimal state messaging was in stark contrast to the demands of those on the streets. These youngsters were depicted as […]
With Lula jailed, his Workers Party vice presidential candidate, and would be substitute, Fernando Haddad is now being bombarded with legal actions from the stronghold of political arch enemies PSDB. In simpler times, São Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad’s flagship policies of implementing an extensive system of cycle lanes and reducing speed limits in the famously […]
Following his performance on Band and RedeTV televised Presidential debates, fascist candidate Jair Bolsonaro has decided to abandon participation in the further seven before Brazilians go to the polls on October 7th. If he does participate in one, it will be the exception, his campaign have said. Bolsonaro has so far performed poorly alongside his competitors, and […]
Two competing narratives on Brazil: one says Dilma Rousseff was deposed in a procedural Coup d’état and Lula’s imprisonment is to stop him becoming President again. The other says that all of the above is totally legit. One of these narratives has Wall Street and Big Oil right behind it. Can you guess which? Coup-Denial […]
The action lasted over 14 hours, leaving one dead, dozens of injured and thousands of angry citizens. As Rio de Janeiro’s military occupation reaches the 6 month mark, all analysis points to it’s colossal failure. Shootings have increased by 40%, there have been 2600 murders, and 736 people were killed by the police. The drug […]
Irrelevant fringe candidates always deliver the biggest laughs in Brazilian Presidential elections. In 2014 they had Levy Fidelix, in 2018, they have Cabo Daciolo. During the regular televised Presidential debates, which are distributed throughout the main open to air TV networks, one social media user suggested that “Chato” (Boring) candidates should be prevented by the […]
PSOL Presidential Candidate Guilherme Boulos opened the first televised Presidential debate, on 9th August on the Band Network, with a greeting for former President Lula, and denunciation of both his controversial absence and politically motivated imprisonment in Curitiba. Lula’s running mates Fernando Haddad and Manuela D’Ávila were also refused participation in the broadcast, instead holding a “parallel” debate […]