As the first meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro is announced, Journalist Jamil Chade urges Biden to sieze a “historic opportunity to support democracy”, and not follow in the footsteps of predecessor Lyndon Johnson.
In a letter to Joe Biden, Brazilian journalist Jamil Chade warned the president of the “historic opportunity” that the United States has to act in defence of democracy in Brazil, by not supporting a possible coup attempt in the country if Jair Bolsonaro is defeated in the October election.
Chade stated: “Nobody in Brazil has any illusions about what you represent and we don’t fall for the litany that you ‘export’ democracy”, “If in 1964 the White House option under Democrat Lyndon Johnson was to authorise a coup d’etat which opened a dark night that lasted two decades, this time you will be able to follow a very different path”.
“When you won the elections, the democratic world raced to recognize the results of the polls and, thus, shield you from strong protest on the part of your rival, Donald Trump. One of the few that echoed the argument of the American coup plotters was Jair Bolsonaro,” the journalist added.
Chade pointed out that the US “was the only one to drop an atomic bomb on civilians, they cannot overcome the deep racism established since 1619, they invaded countries, overthrew governments that were not sympathetic to their interests, spied on the phones of their allies and shocked the world with scenes of torture in secret prisons. Yes, the list is long. And that’s why we worry.”
The columnist stated that “the time has come for democracy to be tested in another part of our hemisphere.”, “in 2022, you have a historic opportunity. Don’t waste it. For the love of my children, for the love of your grandchildren”.
Originally published at Brasil247
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