Strangest Coup Ever
While many Americans likely have a cursory understanding of the political happenings in Brazil, it is important to make sure that the American public has a complete picture of what is going on. Unfortunately, many, such as CNN, have basically used only one source for the impeachment trials in the South American government. That source. Glenn Greenwald.
Now, I would like to preface this article by showing my utmost respect for Mr. Greenwald as an investigative reporter. His work on Edward Snowden and the uncovering of the NSA spy program was a great service to our country and he should be commended.
Unlike his work on the NSA program, Mr. Greenwald has allowed his personal relationships and political leanings cloud his viewpoint on what is happening in Brazil.
As an American living in Brazil - Greenwald is also an American living in Brazil - I think it is my duty to clarify many of the misleading comments and assumptions Mr. Greenwald has made about the political situation. Let's use the interview he gave to Amy Goodman at Democracy Now! to start the conversation.
Mr. Greenwald's first response starts with him explaining how Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's currently suspended president, was arriving at the Senate to give a final 30 minute plea and to answer questions from senators. This is precisely the problem when Mr. Greenwald and others have described what is going on in Brazil as a golpe or coup. This loaded word, especially when considering Latin American history, gives listeners and readers the impression of a military takeover or undemocratic force of power in order to remove Rousseff. Yet, how can it be that Rousseff is a victim of a coup if she has been afforded all the legal provisions including the aforementioned 30 minute speech and the question and answer session?
Is it possible that Brazil does not know how to successfully stage an actual coup? Recent history of a military dictatorship would suggest otherwise.
Below are some examples of the other legal provisions Ms. Rousseff was afforded since accusations of fiscal fraud were brought upon her.
- The question and answer session includes senators of all parties including Ms. Rousseff's own Partido de Trabalhadores, or PT, and parties that have aligned in favor of Ms. Rousseff including, the Communist Party of Brazil and the Party of Socialism and Liberty.
- The sessions of the House of Representatives (Camara de Deputados) and Senate to impeach Ms. Rousseff were shown live on Brazil's largest TV station, Globo, and not done in secrecy. All members, including congressmen and congresswomen against impeachment, were allowed to publicly speak.
- Ms. Rousseff has used the services, even while suspended, of the government's attorney general, Jose Cardozo. Mr. Cardozo has been responsible for Ms. Rousseff's defense before and after her suspension.
- Ms. Rousseff has been afforded all benefits of her presidency during her suspension including a monthly food budget, housing, etc. Before her suspension Ms. Rousseff spent approximately R$62 thousand reais (approx. $21 thousand dollars) per month in food, while her country is experiencing one of its worst economic crises in history.
Furthermore, Ms. Rousseff was provided with all the benefits and provisions outlined in the country's most recent constitution written in 1988 following a military dictatorship. Moreover, the nation's supreme court, which has played the important role of checking and balancing the executive and legislative branch, is mostly made up of appointees from Ms. Rousseff's ruling party. Of the 11 supreme court justices 3 were appointed by Ms. Rousseff's predesccor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, while 5 were appointed by Rousseff herself. Currently, the head of the supreme court and the justice presiding over the question and answer sessions, Ricardo Lewandowski, was appointed by Lula.
As a party that started on the outside fighting for the working class, PT likes to constantly give the impression that they are victims, while after 13 years they had consolidated power in each branch of the government.
Don't Believe Ms. Rousseff is Victim of a Coup
Half Truths, Lies and Misinformation
In his first response, Mr. Greenwald gives the impression that Ms. Rousseff is being brave by giving this 30 minute speech, a speech whichshe doesn't have to give. Of course, this ignores the obvious fact that Ms. Rousseff, rightfully so, wants to defend her legacy as she is likely to be removed from office on Saturday. Again, where in an actual coup does the leader get to officially defend themselves?
Mr. Greenwald also fails to tell the audience that Ms. Rousseff is currently a subject of a documentary that is expected to show her in a positive light, and that her defense would make great footage for the film.
Ms. Rousseff won the 2010 with no political experience. Her previous role was that of Minister of Mines and Energy. Ms. Rouseff headed this department, while the Petrobras bribery scandal was taking place. Ms. Rousseff claims ignorance as she does with the current charge, which makes one wonder whether or not she is unfit for her dishonesty or incompetence.
Next, Mr. Greenwald goes on to say this about the interim president, Michel Temer:
"And it’s really quite a remarkable contrast with her former vice president, now the interim president, who’s about to become the country’s unelected president, Michel Temer. During the Olympics, Mr. Temer broke protocol by demanding that his name not be announced at the opening ceremony, because he was scared of being booed by the crowd. That’s how unpopular and hated he is. And yet, when the crowd actually saw him, even without his being announced, they did boo him, quite viciously. And then he hid during the closing ceremony by skipping that. And while he’s hiding, Dilma, who, of course, has a history as a fighter against this country’s former military dictatorship, who went to prison over that, who endured years of torture while imprisoned as a political prisoner, chooses to go and confront her accusers face to face and will give what, by all accounts, will likely be a very strong and aggressive and defiant speech consistent with her character and her political persona."
Let's start with the Olympics. Ms. Rousseff decided of her own accord - again, not a coup - to not participate in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, because she didn't want to be seen in a secondary (below Mr. Temer) position. Here. Mr. Greenwald, who is a former lawyer and should know better, does not disclose two pieces of information. First, the International Olympics Committee discourages political speech during the games regardless of the political party in power. In Rio, an Iranian woman was asked to leave after protesting the Persian country's treatment of women. As a host of the games, Brazil must abide by this provision. Secondly, just before leaving office in May, Ms. Rousseff herself signed a law prohibiting political speech at sporting events. Ms. Rousseff was regularly booed at World Cup matches in 2014 prior to her reelection.
Bringing the first World Cup since 1950 and the first ever Olympics Games to South America was a crowning achievement of Lula, Rousseff and PT. One wouldn't get that impression if they watched leftist protests or listened to Mr. Greenwald.
Mr. Greenwald is also disingenuous when he claims that Mr. Temer was "unelected." This gives the impression to outsiders that Mr. Temer and his party simply took over, which would qualify as a coup. However, Mr. Temer of the political party, PMDB, is Ms. Rousseff's vice-president! He has been so since 2011 when Rousseff took office for her first term. His succession follows the Brazilian constitution. Mr. Temer was elected just as much as Ms. Rousseff was. More on this later.
Mr. Greenwald gives the impression that Rousseff is popular and popular sovereignty is being usurped. He is correct in stating that Mr. Temer is unpopular in the country, but he fails to mention two important pieces of information; Mr. Temer's unpopularity is based on the fact that half of the country did not vote for the Rousseff/Temer ticket, and that Ms. Rousseff is even less popular than Mr. Temer. In fact, by July 2015 Rousseff's approval rating was 9%. Since then, it has stayed in the high single and low double digits. Mr. Temer has actually slightly higher approval ratings.
Furthermore, Rousseff's predecessor and mentor, Lula, also ran on a ticket with a vice-president - Jose Alencar of PRB - that was not of his own party in 2002 and 2006. Apparently, the issue of vice-president's of opposing parties is not an issue when it is convenient political maneuvering to win elections, but a big issue when it doesn't help one's cause.
Watching the coverage of the impeachment trial and the politics involved, I find it fascinating the left's attempts, especially when talking to those outside of the country, to frame the situation as if Rousseff is popular "among the people." Of course, that is simply not true and proven not only by data, but by the dismantling of her former political bloc. One of the problems with using populism as a political tool is that it only works when you're popular.
Read the rest of this article at Sorry Glenn Greenwald But You're Wrong About Brazil
