We went to the streets

guilhermecahu 2016-03-16 22:09:53 UTC #1

This is something I wanted to share on my profile but I don't know, for some reason I think it'd be good to share it here too. There are serious things happening here and I think that sharing this can help us avoid thinking that every place in the world is beautiful and a dreamland. Things are more imperfect than you may think.

This sunday we went to the streets.

We went to tell all the politicians we're tired of so much corruption. We went to tell the current government, specialy the party governing the country, that we're tired of them and that we want them to get out and stop destroying what we have left.

Ex-president Lula is being investigated in the giant Lava Jato ("car washer") operation - that is already investigating a bunch of other politicians and big company managers - and the current president (Dilma) offered him a position in a ministery so he could escape from being investigated by the judge that is sending every corrupt to jail. He'll then be investigated only by the Supreme Federal Court that, for some reason, seems to be the least worse choice for him, since it's subject to political support and interpretation.

We're tired of all this shit.

Here in Recife, when me and my family left the protest (after being there for 3 hours), the numbers were of 80 thousand people. After it finished, the updated total was of 150 thousand. In São Paulo it was around 2 million people (though "official" counting was around 500 thousand - well it has space for 4 million people on gay parade and 4 million on carnival, and only 500 thousand on the protest covering the same area? Let's keep 2 million then). The total sum around the country counts 6 million people protesting against the government, if I'm not mistaken.

Being part of a historical moment to this country made me want to represent something. I chose a mouse, not only because of a preference, but also 'cause of how Brian Jacques once depicted the animal.

"Mice are my heroes because, like children, mice are little and have to learn to be courageous and use their wits."

So is everyone of us, brazilian or not, who faces the greed of politicians capable of destroying an entire country on their own benefit.

Now, bad news, everyone: unfortunately, Workers' Party (the party governing, from which belongs the current and the ex-president) didn't seem to care for the protests. President Dilma appointed ex-president Lula as one of her ministers anyway and now he can only be judged by the Federal Court. Right now, while I'm writing this, there are around 1,500 people on the capital of the country, in front of the building where the president, senators and congressmen work, demanding the president to renounce her post.

Honestly I just hope the army doesn't show its claws. As the requests against corruption grow, so do people who support military intervention. They're a minority, a really small minority, but it's still a dangerous thing to ask for. We had a military dictatorship in the 60s and we really do not need another one.

jessicasurline 2016-03-16 22:34:14 UTC #2

It's crazy you live so close to that! I wish your people luck! I understand it is hard to tell those who are corrupt and in power to step down so human rights may step up. Human rights is not an even playing field. The rights any of us have today has been fought for, never given. Perhaps the time of change is finally here for your country. I wish you the best and hope you stay safe!

BraveHeartTatsumaki 2016-03-16 23:58:38 UTC #3

I totally reliate with you man, because I'm from Chile. And sadly most of us who live in latin america live in literally shitty governments.
They steal, they lie, and they don't care for that, while we, the middle class and lower are the ones who have to pay for everything while they keep laughing.
From what I know our president Bachelet is kinda friend with Dilma, cause this woman has to fake to be fine with everyone. She has hadmany cases of corruption which started to come up from 2015 to nowadays, also she wasn't choosen constitutionally, why you might ask? Because she was chosen with a certain % of the votes while the rest DID NOT vote, and our politics just decided to put her in charge. Now we see the problems she has given us.
Though, as I said, it's not only here, it's seen in Peru cause I know people from there, also in Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela. Mostly because none cares about us since we're a third world countries so they think they can steal money all they want.
I totally support Brazilians in this, and I hope my people will also start fighting soon too, all those toxic just have one option, leave. I hope it won't turn into a militar dictatorship tho (If you heard about Pinochet, yep...), here we also had it in the '80 :/ And as me there others many who also support Brazil, you don't have to give up with your fight! :)!

guilhermecahu 2016-03-17 21:38:47 UTC #4

Thank you very much, @jessicasurline =)

And thank you too, @BraveHeartTatsumaki. I didn't know Chile was in a bad situation too. Have you ever heard of Foro de São Paulo? Bachelet is part of this, so is Dilma, brothers Castro, that shitty dictator of Venezuela and more. This is what's destroying Latin America. Fortunatelly things have changed now in Argentina.

I've heard of Pinochet though I don't know much about him, only that he was a dictator. I'll study more about this. Something that I know is that every single country of Latin America has had a military dictatorship at least once :/
Thank you very much for your support =) The more I know about other countries' problems, latin americans included, the more I see how similar the world is.

There are some recend news on the matter here:

Protests in Brazil after Lula appointment
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35828791

Brazil judge blocks Lula appointment to government
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35835795

Brazil tumbles like 'House of Cards' in crisis
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35831833

SirHellsir 2016-03-17 22:44:24 UTC #5

From someone with half his family in Nicaragua and a lot of friends in Venezuela
STAY STRONG

BraveHeartTatsumaki 2016-03-18 00:17:05 UTC #6

We are in a bad situation, everything is falling apart but none wants to say it in public when it's clear that this is like a pot boiling, at some point it will explode.
I didn't know about that frankly, and I like history... but to be fair, many things were taken out from what teachers can teach to the students so no wonder why I didn't know about this, I'm not leftist or any other politic side but I do know all of these things need to stop. We've had presidents of the principal political side, none of them worked, ever.
Bachelet claims that she was tortured by Pinochet in during those times but that's a terrible lie, she did escape from the country, but following a man she was in love of. But yet she was "chosen" twice (wasn't legal) and she's destroying us but you know, as every shitty president, they'll control the news so everyone think we're living in Bilz & Pap world.
I tend to look to the international and internet news portals, cause here on tv barely talk about it, they just mentioned it but thinking Bachelet is friend with Dilma, is not a surprise.
I see Ollanta humala in the Foro, you should check the things he has done to the country and he was moving militars to the limit of Chile-Peru, who knows why. But they were doing militar exercise, like wot.

Jrej 2016-03-18 08:03:19 UTC #7

It's really interesting to read all that. It 's not making the news here in France. We are all hearts with you and I really hope things will change for the best.
I'm so sick of seeing money and power rule the world. We're the ones that pay for that.
And we're in 2016! Come on!

guilhermecahu 2016-03-18 22:33:34 UTC #8

Funny thing, Dilma was tortured during our military dictatorship here - for real. But every dictatorship is corrupt and it's very ironic that she's part of a corruption scheme too. Sure she's a president in what is now a republic, but she's being as corrupt as the military was. What a shame, Dilma.

I had no idea they had such control over the media there. Here it's kinda the opposite, it's the media that wants to destroy Dilma, Lula and Worker's Party, though the population wants too. It's not as beautiful as it seems because the media also helped put down a president in the past and helped another be elected, so we'll only see the true consequences of such actions (media's + ours) in the future.

Thanks @Jrej. In the end, politics is only a way for influential people to govern for themselves. Very rare are the ones who truly govern for the people.