Marielle Franco represented a progressive new left, built on advocating for Brazil’s most vulnerable citizens, making her murder doubly tragic.
Power depends on correlation of strength. The bourgeoisie and its minions use the judicial power to suit their interests as if this was a monarchy, with no oversight by society. They trampled on the Constitution in order to reach their goals. The working class has only one space where it can exert its political power: mobilization on the streets.
Reader Comments: From Louis Armstrong to the NFL - Michael Meeropol remembers; MLK was also called `Disruptive' and an `Agitator'; Eight-Year Old Football Players Kneel; My Flag - A poem by Seymour Joseph; Puerto Rico Calamity; Reproductive Health Care; Police Unions; Brazil; Resources; Announcements; and more....
Learning from the past, Brazil's landless rural workers continue their struggle for democracy and justice.
As growth slows in wealthy countries, Western food companies are aggressively expanding in developing nations, contributing to obesity and health problems.
In 2015, FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, was brought down by allegations of industrial-scale bribes, kickbacks, money laundering, racketeering and tax evasion. Its corruption extended from the decision to send the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar to cases of embezzlement worldwide. The author even interviews its bent former president Sepp Blatter.
Global capital despised Brazil's Lula and feared his return to power. In particular, the rich resented his nationalization of Brazil’s oil resources, making Petrobras the patrimony of all Brazilians. He strengthen the national bank and funded oil exploration that identified enormous oil reserves in the Atlantic off the country’ coast. Equally threatening were his efforts to establish a network of third world governments, especially in the Americas.
The ousting of President Dilma Rousseff has provided an opportunity for the proponents of neoliberalism and those who want to break union power. Most of Brazil's union centers fear that proposed government reforms will weaken unions and further the spread of subcontracting.
Presiding over last month’s honorary Gramsci conference in Buenos Aires was a sense of urgency: a need redress certain aspects of Gramsci’s thinking in light of a reactionary uptick throughout the continent. The ability of right-wing movements—in Venezuela, Brazil, and elsewhere—to mobilize mass demonstrations against progressive governments has led several commentators to orient themselves through a rereading of Gramsci’s writings on fascism.
Brazilian President Michel Temer is struggling to retain power after the release of a recording that captures him approving hush money for convicted former legislator Eduardo Cunha, his chief co-conspirator in the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff. Even before the scandal, Temer’s popularity was very low, due to massive opposition to his neoliberal economic reforms. Amidst the chaos, Brazil’s Left has a chance to topple the conspiracy of the elite.
Spread the word