Brazil

Latin America Refuses To Send Ukraine Weapons, Despite Western Pressure

January 30, 2023 Ben Norton, Geopolitical Economy Report. Resistance Report Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Latin America, Russia, Ukraine, Wars and Militarism, weapons

Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia have refused to send weapons to Ukraine, despite pressure by the US and EU. Latin American left-wing leaders have urged peace with Russia and called for neutrality in the West’s new cold war. Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia have rejected requests by the United States and European Union that they send weapons to Ukraine. The commander of the US military’s Southern Command (Southcom), which operates in Latin America and the Caribbean, revealed on January 19 that Washington has been pressuring countries in the region to arm Ukraine. Southcom wants Latin American nations to “replace [their] Russian equipment with United States equipment – if those countries want to donate it to Ukraine”, said Army General Laura J. Richardson.

Buenos Aires Hosts Historic Meeting Of Latin American And Caribbean Leaders

January 25, 2023 People's Dispatch. Educate! Brazil, Caribbean, CELAC, Latin American, Lula da Silva

The 7th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) will be held on Tuesday, January 24, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which currently holds the pro tempore presidency of the bloc. The upcoming summit is considered historic especially since it marks the return of Brazil to the regional integration mechanism after three years, and will see the participation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who played an important role in the creation of the body. In December 2008, Brazil hosted the first summit of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (CALC) in Costa do Sauípe, Bahia, an event which helped establish CELAC three years later. The Buenos Aires Summit will also have participation of the majority of the newly-elected progressive leaders leaders of the region. In addition to Argentine President Alberto Fernández and Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Bolivian President Luis Arce, Chilean President Gabriel Boric, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Honduran President Xiomara Castro, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, among others, have confirmed their participation.

Brazil And Argentina To Advance South American Currency

January 23, 2023 Kawsachun News. Educate! Alternative Currency, Argentina, Brazil, Global Economy

Alberto Fernandez and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are preparing to relaunch the strategic alliance between Argentina and Brazil this week in Buenos Aires. The two will meet for the first presidential meeting between Brazil and Argentina in more than three years. Immediately after, the VII Summit of CELAC will take place in the same city. The forum that brings together the 33 countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region and which, since last year, has been under the presidency of Argentina. The event will mark the return of Brazil to this mechanism of dialogue and regional consultation. According to a statement published by the two presidents, there are multiple areas in which the two countries will work together to improve the quality of life of their citizens; “such as the fight against hunger and poverty, health, education, sustainable development, climate change and the reduction of all forms of inequalities.”

The Role Of The Brazilian Military In The Coup Attempt

January 22, 2023 Pedro Marin, People's Dispatch. Educate! Brazil, Coups, Lula da Silva, Military

The far-right mob that invaded the federal building, Congress, and the Supreme Court and vandalized government buildings at Three Powers Plaza in Brasília on January 8, demanded a “military intervention” in Brazil. They had set up camps that had assembled in front of army barracks throughout the country since November demanding the “military to overturn” the election of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (known as Lula). On November 11, 2022, the commanders of the armed forces released a note giving the coup camps a safe haven—not only physically but also legally. It is important to note two elements of that document: first, the commanders stated, through an illogical interpretation, that the camps in favor of a coup were legal because the protesters were peaceful, and that “both possible restrictions on rights by public agents and possible excesses committed in demonstrations” would be reprehensible, despite the fact that demanding the military to stage a coup is a crime (Article 286).

When The People Have Nothing More To Eat, They Will Eat The Rich

January 20, 2023 Vijay Prashad, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. Educate! Billionaires, Brazil, Class Struggle, Fascists

On 8 January, large crowds of people dressed in colours of the Brazilian flag descended on the country’s capital, Brasília. They invaded federal buildings, including the Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace, and vandalised public property. The attack, carried out by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, came as no surprise, since the rioters had been planning ‘weekend demonstrations’ on social media for days. When Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (known as Lula) was formally sworn in as Brazil’s new president one week prior, on 1 January, there was no such melee; it appears that the vandals were waiting until the city was quiet and Lula was out of town. For all its bluster, the attack was an act of extreme cowardice. Meanwhile, the defeated Bolsonaro was nowhere near Brasília. He fled Brazil prior to the inauguration – presumably to escape prosecution – and sought haven in Orlando, Florida (in the United States).

The New World Economy

January 17, 2023 Jeffrey D. Sachs, Orinoco Tribune. Educate! Brazil, Global Economy, Lula da Silva, Multipolar World

Belém, Brazil – I inaugurate this new series of columns in a New Year and a new beginning for Brazil with the inauguration of President Lula da Silva. His well-wishers poured out across the country in a revival of hope for Brazil after four years of disastrous rule under his right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who had fled Brazil for Florida on the eve of Lula’s inauguration. Bolsonaro left behind a mob that rampaged government office buildings before being arrested in large numbers by the police. The mob tactics will not stop Lula, nor will they have a long-term effect in the US, where Donald Trump’s similar maneuvers on January 6, 2021, were also shut down. In both cases, demagogic politicians used social media to rile up a mob; in both cases, the mob was put down within the day. The real issue, in my mind, is not the mob, but the deeper changes in the world that are generating growing tensions in world politics and economy.

Bolsonaro Supporters Attack The Brazilian Government

January 11, 2023 Brian Mier and Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report. Educate! Brazil, coup, Fascists, Jair Bolsonaro

On January 8, 2023 thousands of supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro attacked and vandalized that nation's Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace in the capital of Brasilia. Bolsonaro claims that election fraud was responsible for his defeat by Lula da Silva in the 2022 election. His supporters had demonstrated previously after the election and used social media to publicize their gathering in the preceding days and weeks. Black Agenda Report Executive Editor Margaret Kimberley spoke with Brazilian based journalist Brian Mier of Telesur English who provided analysis of these events.

Coup Attempt In Brazil Condemned By Leaders From Across The Globe

January 10, 2023 People's Dispatch. Resist! Brazil, Coups, Fascism, Jair Bolsonaro, Lula da Silva

On Sunday January 8, supporters of former far-right Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro invaded the Supreme Federal Court, the National Congress, and the Planalto Palace, the office of the president, breaking through the blockade of the Military Police and the National Security Force at the Esplanade of Ministers in the capital Brasília. After invading the headquarters of the three branches of government, the violent groups vandalized the buildings, looted the armory at the Planalto Palace, and caused tremendous damage to public institutions. Following the acts of violence, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the situation, criticized the complicity of Brasília’s public security forces in the attacks, and decreed federal intervention in public security of Brasília until January 31.

China Pushes De-Dollarization With Gold, Currency Swap Deal

January 9, 2023 Ben Norton, Geopolitical Economy. Create! Argentina, Brazil, China, Currency, Global Economy

China’s central bank has taken a series of steps to accelerate the global drive toward de-dollarization, challenging the hegemony of the greenback. The People’s Bank of China is increasing the share of gold in its foreign-exchange holdings, bucking the US dollar, which has for decades been dominant in reserves. This January, China also signed an agreement with Argentina’s central bank for a currency swap deal, in which Beijing will provide 130 billion Chinese yuan (roughly $19 billion USD) to help Buenos Aires stabilize its currency and economy. The South American nation said it is “committed to deepen the use of the RMB [renminbi] in the Argentine market for bilateral exchange”. (Renminbi is the official name for the Chinese currency, also known as the yuan.)

Bolsonarisras Invade Congress, Supreme Court And Office Of President

January 9, 2023 People's Dispatch. Resist! Bolsonaro, Brazil, Coups, Far Right

Supporters of the former president Jair Bolsonaro invaded the Supreme Federal Court, National Congress, and the Planalto Palace, the office of the president, this Sunday January 8, breaking through the blockade of the Military Police and the National Security Force of the Esplanade of Ministers in Brasília. The Planalto Palace, where the cabinet of the President also works from, was one of the key targets of the Bolsonaristas. According to CNN, there were members of the government in the building, that awaited rescue inside. Dozens of buses had arrived on Saturday January 7 to the Federal District to carry out the coup actions. Estadão estimated that 100 buses and approximately 3,900 people had traveled to the capital.

Lula Vows To Punish Perpetrators Of Brasilia Attacks

January 9, 2023 Kawsachun News. Resist! Brazil, coup, Criminal Justice and Prisons, Jair Bolsonaro, Lula da Silva

On Sunday afternoon, government buildings in Brazil’s capital were stormed by far-right cells loyal to ex-president Jair Bolsonaro who fled to Florida days before the presidential inauguration. Just after 2pm, a large group was able to trespass the Praça dos Três Poderes and illegally enter the congress and the Supreme Federal Court (STF), with chants to overthrow the elected congress and government. Bolsonaro supporters had set out for the Esplanada dos Ministérios late morning from the Army headquarters, where a protest camp against the October 30th election result had been held in recent weeks. On social media, videos showed destruction to the interior and exterior of the STF building.

Brazil: Defenders Return Embassy To Venezuelan Authorities

January 6, 2023 Orinoco Tribune. Resist! Brazil, Embassy, Embassy Protection Collective, Venezuela

This Monday, January 2, the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, deputy Jorge Rodríguez, received the keys to the headquarters of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Brazil from the hands of local social movements that, for more than three years, had protected the residence from attempts of aggression, siege, and attacks by fascism. Rodríguez, accompanied by the new Venezuelan ambassador to Brazil, Manuel Vicente Vadell, as well as the staff that works at the diplomatic headquarters, received the keys to the residence from João Pedro Stedile, Brazilian social leader. In 2019, the Venezuelan embassy in Brasília was subjected to occupation attempts by right-wing groups supported by the government of Jair Bolsonaro. This happened almost simultaneously with a similar attempt against the Venezuelan embassy in the US capital.

Brazil’s President Lula Is Back – And Bolsonaro Fled To Florida

January 3, 2023 Ben Norton, Multipolarista. Resistance Report Brazil, Lula da Silva, Neoliberalism, Pink Tide

Lula da Silva has returned as president of Brazil, the world’s sixth-most populous country. This will cause a major geopolitical shift. Meanwhile, far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro fled to Florida, fearing legal consequences for his corruption. Multipolarista spoke with Brazil-based journalist Brian Mier about what Lula’s third government means for Latin America and the world. In his speech before the congress at his January 1 inauguration, Lula he stressed that everyone has the “right to a dignified life, without hunger, with access to employment, health, education.” He said his “life mission” is to guarantee that every Brazilian has three meals a day. As president, Lula said he is a “representative of the working class” who “promotes economic growth in a sustainable way and to the benefit of all, especially those most in need.” He committed himself to the “widest social participation, including workers and the poorest in the budget.”

Eradication Of Poverty And Hunger Key Priorities For Lula Government

January 2, 2023 Igor Carvalho, People's Dispatch. Educate! Brazil, Deforestation, Hunger, Lula da Silva

On Sunday January 1, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers’ Party of Brazil (PT) gave his first speech to the Brazilian people as president at the National Congress. In the speech, he presented a brief diagnosis of the situation and conditions of the country that he will govern over for the next four years. “It’s appalling,” said Lula, about the conditions in which he receives the country from his predecessor, former president Jair Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party, who abandoned the country and went to the US just before the inauguration. “They have emptied out the resources for health. They have dismantled the Education, Culture, Science and Technology [sectors]. They destroyed environmental protection. They left no resources for school lunch, vaccination, public security.”

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