Brazil, after coup, back to dictatorship?

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This video from New York City in the USA says about itself:

Protest in NYC for Brazilian democracy and against the coup

21 March 2016

Video of the protest that happened at Union Square, NYC on Friday, March 18th 2016, in favor of Brazilian democracy and against the coup.

About 150 people showed up to a last minute protest that was organized last Friday in NYC. We are currently organizing future events in the city, as well as group studies to talk more in depth about the current political situation of Brazil.

By Marcelo D’Avilla in Brazil:

Body blow to Brazil’s democracy

Thursday 19th May 2016

In what amounts to a coup d’etat by right-wing politicians the entire country has been dramatically polarised, writes Marcelo D’Avilla

It was really hard to start this article. I mumbled to myself for several days on how best to approach it. I thought maybe it would be better to write it after the senate vote or perhaps now, before things get more critical and with Dilma Rousseff already out of office.

The truth is — the deed is done and Brazil faces a new era.

It’s not good not to know, it’s not good to have no political understanding, it’s not good not to have an opinion.

Our history has a lesson here, but half of the country doesn’t want to look past recent difficulties — all they want is just to be in a nice place now and they believe Michel Temer will deliver it.

A new dawn has come and probably not a very good one. Brazil suffered under a military dictatorship until 1985 and it still hasn’t overcome many of its consequences.

Those who want to keep us under their authoritarian regime are consumed by a fever that feeds the fire that keeps the rich warm.

The coup should not come as a surprise to anyone, but the support of those blinded by a digusting media campaign like that by the Globo TV, or newspapers like Folha, Estadao (in Sao Paulo) — aided by money from the greatest companies in the country — is helping to destroy the left which won the democratic election 17 months ago.

All of those who scream for the impeachment of Rousseff have no shame at the role they’re playing in the world.

They had no idea of the impact this might cause. They want the power that voting couldn’t give them — so they’re killing democracy to get their way. Ironically it already seems quite dead.

The military police use all the force and strength at their disposal to repress any left manifestations. We are witnessing daily brutal aggression against students, teachers, women and even children. The workers, the poor, those who live in really bad conditions and are willing to expose and oppose this repugnant new government are being made to shut up.

The media are not fighting for justice, for human rights, for basic needs, for dignity against political corruption.

The media keep force-feeding us the idea that the problem is just Rousseff — the president. “Now everything will be fine,” and “We will not have a crisis any more,” these are some of the words used by Temer.

In his first hours as president he already merged the ministries of human rights, women and racial equality into the justice ministry. All ministers are now white men.

That is something we have not seen since the first coup in 1964. They will suspend all the gender and sex education from the school curriculum. No more Lgbt rights and no more recognition of homophobic or transphobic crimes.

Brazil is the country where the murder rate for trans people is the highest on the planet — 49 per cent of the world’s total are committed here — a homosexual is killed every 27 hours.

Not to mention the most ignored cases are those of domestic violence against women and those that show a racist motive. It is not difficult to imagine what it will be like living here from now on.

The plan is to keep the lower classes down and quiet — like they don’t even exist. And if they try to raise their voice, beatings and repression will follow, but there will be no crime in that.

The evolution that had begun in, education, growth of social benefits, greater mutual respect among people, expansion of human rights, greater equality, reduction in violence, and the gradual elimination of corruption across the country which we might have accomplished in the 21st century is falling apart.

A dark era is upon us, democracy is dead and free expression is about to be a thing of the past. Is there any hope for Brazil? I truly have no idea.

Marcelo D’Avilla is an artist and LGBT community activist in Brazil.

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