Brazilians do not scare easily, but a media narrative saying so paves the way for northern acceptance of a return to fascism. by Brian Mier In the seminal book, Manufacturing Consent, Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman depict the commercial media as “powerful ideological institutions that carry out a system-supportive propaganda function, by reliance on market […]
City, State and Federal Governments abandon victims of Paysandu fire and building collapse By Benedito Barbosa On May 1, a former federal police building that was occupied by squatters caught fire and collapsed on Paysandu square, killing an undetermined number of people and leaving 455 homeless. 34 days later, dozens of families are still sleeping […]
Unions claim partial victory as top PSDB insider and Shell executive resign from Petrobras leadership by Brian Mier On May 30th, as a trucker’s strike that paralyzed the country for 9 days began to wind down, Brazilian petroleum workers initiated a 3 day, nationwide “warning strike.” Their demands were: 1) the immediate firing of Royal […]
The increases in gasoline, cooking gas and diesel prices can not be treated merely as a tax issue. They are the result of a management problem in Petrobras, which has been operating exclusively to serve market demands. In October 2016, under endorsement from the Temer government, company president Pedro Parente adopted an international pricing policy […]
72-hour national warning strike started at 12:01 AM. Petroleum workers have been holding assemblies and protests for two months to halt Petrobras privatization and change its pricing policies. By Rosely Rocha “Everyone on the street on this May 30th to lower prices for fuel and cooking gas!” This is the rallying cry of the Petroleum workers’ […]
Ex-President Lula has more voter intention than the sum of his 13 closest rivals in the new poll. Even if there were a second round, he would beat any other candidate. In an unprecedented situation in Western history, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva continues to lead all presidential election polls by a wide margin from behind […]
“The Brazilian people are anxious for reductions in gasoline, cooking gas and diesel prices,” says Petroleum workers union leader José Maria Rangel By Andre Accarini The warm up for the petroleum workers’ strike, scheduled to start on Wednesday, May 30th, is now underway with paralyzations, demonstrations and protests across the entire Petrobras system. Petroleum workers […]
By Larissa Jacheta Riberti* I have been writing for a truck driver’s trade newspaper for the past six years but would not risk making a thorough analysis of the current strike. However since many opinions (most notably by people on the “left”) circulating on the social media are beginning to make me feel uncomfortable, I would like to […]
by Paulo Kliass* Truck drivers tend to be conservative, but their demands are fair. About the coup, Petrobras’ price policies meet investors wishes but don’t serve the needs of the nation. Note: Petrobras is commonly referred to in the media as a state oil company, but it was partially privatized during the Fernando Henrique Cardoso […]
Manifesto to the Brazilian People The Frente Brasil Popular* (Brazil Popular Front/FBP) denounces the persecution and injustice against Lula and defends his right as a candidate in free and democratic elections 1. A man is being unjustly persecuted because, together with the Brazilian people, he proved that it is possible to build a free, just, […]