MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Radical wing of Brazil’s ruling party exposes weakness of presidential candidate
Brazilian opposition presidential candidate Jose Serra strongly questioned the ‘radical’ positions of hopeful Dilma Rousseff, from the ruling Workers Party, who after publishing and signing her government program in internet was forced, just a few hours later, to make important rectifications. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesHow partial is this article. That Brazilian media present news in ways that favor its preferred candidate - namely, Serra - doesn't surprise. But why would an international news website do that? There is no need for that, most Mercopress readers are not going to vote in these elections.
Jul 09th, 2010 - 07:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0See the bias in the wording of the article: “exposes weakness”; “taking advantage of Lula da Silva’s trip”, etc.. Taking at face value Serra's comment on the issue over an openly pro-Serra newspaper - the “prestigious” Estado de São Paulo - is not of impartial either.
My comments:
* There are no 'shockwaves', this incident took place yesterday and died out - even for national the media - yesterday.
* The program isn't radical for the ruling party. It reflects an agenda it tried to pursue earlier this year in Congress. So saying that party took advantage from Lula's absence to pursue a different path is plain wrong.
* What the article vaguely calls “social control of private media” is actually a project for impeding media monopoly. A similar project has already been approved in Argentina, in both the Congress and the courts, and was praised by Frank La Rue, a UN expert on freedom of expression. Such project would correct some wrongdoings from the past. For instance, the Globo group - the largest media chain in Brazil - built its monopoly during dictatorship years, with the support of the dictatorship regime and in violation of laws the dictatorship itself had implemented.
* Serra himself has been having difficulties controlling his coalition as was clearly demonstrated by the fiasco the was his attempts at choosing a running mate. In this, the DEM party, his largest ally, threatened to abandon his coalition and some key figures within it called Serra a 'incredibly divisive' candidate. I haven't seen anybody over here questioning his ability to run his coalition or attempting to denigrate his political leadership as was done in here against Rousseff.
Forgetit87
Jul 09th, 2010 - 07:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0As I said before to other readers...
This “News Agency” is designed for a purpose....
Just try to find out who the Owner, Editor, Journalists, Offices etc. are.
Nothing, Nada, Rien!
This “Agency” only exists here, but is “quoted” on many conservative sites all over the planet.
Strange ...Huh....
That does raise one's eyebrows, Think.
Jul 09th, 2010 - 07:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0Yes it does....
Jul 09th, 2010 - 08:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0My “theory” is that this so called “News Agency” is tan information office of British geopolitical interests in the South Atlantic.
Thats ok with me... we live in a free country:-) but....
What worries me is the amount of “quotes” and “citations” they are getting on Internet.
I have noticed that a constant “Thread” in their “News ” is to downplay any progressive development in South America.
We would be better off with British management seems to be their subliminal message:-)
That Mercopress is an agency that works for non-South American interests seems clear to me. For instance, there is in here an obviously disproportional focus on the Falklands/Malvinas issue, something that is of only small significance for the areas this website is supposed to cover - the South Atlantic Armerica and Mercosur.
Jul 09th, 2010 - 08:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0As an Argentinean I noticed that too :-)
Jul 09th, 2010 - 08:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0And then..... If you check their archives.......
Two recurrent popular themes are “Chavez, the Evil Dictator” and “Cuba the Devil's Island”
Not very South Atlantic places....
In Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela itself, the media lean heavily to the right. It would be easy for a news website such as Mercopress - a website that seems to serve non-South American interests - to draw news from such sources - sources that are biased to American and European perspectives - without actually having an independent coverage. And since most Mercopress readers hail, apparently, from Europe, they just absorbe these news with no critical stance, since they have no actual contact with the countries about which this website publishes news.
Jul 09th, 2010 - 08:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0Looking at this news again, I see even more strangeness. For instance, the allegation that Rousseff's programs shocked Lula himself is nowehere in Brazilian media outlets. And neither is Dutra's supposed allegation that his party won't give Rousseff the independency Lula has enjoyed. And actually it would be shocking if he said something like that in the middle of the election campaign. And then again, most readers will accept what this website reports because they don't live in the country, they don't know how things are.
Your analysis concords fully with my opinions....
Jul 09th, 2010 - 09:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0My view (please correct me if I’m wrong) is that the British public likes to “think” that they are independent minded and well informed.
So, after picking their info from, in average, 3 to 4 domestic sources (most of them owned by the same person, Rupert Murdoch), disqualifying the few independent voices as “irrelevant freaks”, “communists” or “traitors” they move on to “international sources”.
Here is where the MercoPresses” of this world come in.....
Britons get their domestic implanted ideas confirmed.
All under control.
The apes are making noises but we still have the keys of their cages.
It’s comforting to go to sleep knowing that you are a little bit better than the others by being British!
Try this little funny experiment:
Google exactly the following, (with quotation marks): “Argentine oil drill to penetrate near Falklands waters”
scroll down and click on “repeat search to see all similar results” or something.
You should get about 2770 hits from Rupert Murdoch’s “Independent Newspapers” all around the globe.
Amazing Huhhhh....!
#1 Forgetit
Jul 09th, 2010 - 12:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I could agree on the role of Mercopress, Globo´s political influence, etc.
“what the hell is LA balance”, you asked.
I deeply disagree on the need of balance for the region. Just as a recent minor example: NK has been demanded to put a democratic norm for Unasur from Chileans legislators. Just forms, but as example.
Everything that averts autocratic temptations is good for me: here in the region or in EEUU, GB or elsewhere.
To have rightist and leftist alternance in goverment is useful not only for us, take a look on Obama´s attempts to regulate Wall St.
Progressives or right wingers.
Neither like Chavez and his rampant corruption behind the progressive speech nor O Globo´s interested influence.
Suppose that principles aren´t for be used according your political preferences.
I can´t express myself well in English, but surely I am not colonized by media agencies: had political participation in Argentina time ago, travel a lot to Santiago and Curitiba. Talking from peasants to hi politicians. Receiving worldwide news from all kind of agencies via net.
Save the only-one-speech for your comrades, thanks.
(9) Pheel
Jul 09th, 2010 - 01:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Permission to comment Sir,
I agree, in principle, with most of what you say (except the Wall Street regulation part) but........
You know as well as Mr. Forgetit87 and I know, that this “conciliatory” “alternance” discourse has been used before in South America just to get elected and then....... well..... say no more.
You cannot blame people for not taking that bait every time.
We at the left of the political spectre have evolved quite a lot in the last 50 years.
I must say that it is difficult for me to see any evolution on the other side.
Just my humble opinion,,
Ni rosca ni piñas today :-)
10 Think
Jul 09th, 2010 - 02:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0ok, Sir, just answering bad mood questioning.
Thanks a lot of middle class brazilian friends and clients, felt that had an accurate idea who OGlobo, Serra, PMBD, Lula, PT and Rousseff are, with their pros and cons, but the approach “the only one is ours” that Forgetit put first, made me angry, i´m sorry.
Some pretended leftist politics dream with their own OGlobo o Clarin, just a change in propierty, not in seeking truth.
That is a bait too, for those who sincerely react against media monopolies.
Feel that tolerance, consensus and diversity are key for our survival.
And as San Martín put to Guido in those days: “Independents, even though we have to live naked as our paisanos, the indios”.
Have a sunny 9 of July.
:-)
Jul 09th, 2010 - 03:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Pheel,
Jul 09th, 2010 - 06:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You talk about the usefulness of goverment alternance between right- and left-wing parties. I point to Chile. After Pinochet stepped out of power, Chile was ruled, from 1990 until the beginning of this year, by a center-left coalition. This coalition succeeded in doing that through democratic means, i.e. fair elections. And I haven't seen anyone pointing to some imbalance in or within Chilean institutions in that period. As a matter of fact, Chile is, together with Uruguay, the most socially liberal democracy in Latin America and one of the least corrupt societies in the continent. It is also the most successful in reducing poverty during that period (1990-present).
So your point about the necessity for a left-right balance in the holding of power, seems quite abstract to me. Some Brazilian journalists have raised this point, for instance Eurípides Alcântara of Veja magazine. But of course Veja is the most imbalanced media outlet in Brazil - imbalanced in favour of right-wing politicans and ideologies, that is.
It all cooks down to true values....
Jul 09th, 2010 - 06:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Each time I see this article.............. I get a tad emotional
http://en.mercopress.com/2010/06/05/uruguayan-president-mujica-only-asset-is-a-1987-vw-beatle
#13 Forgetit87:
Jul 09th, 2010 - 06:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I would prefer not to continue making judgements on my neighbours, but on the Chile case feel that we should take a look on how last two governments were becoming plagued of corruption.
Coming my statemente from this K-side of Andes Cordillera seems very hypocrital (sorry for my chilean friends- they are my main sources of info), but on the argument that you put I see it useful: for me Piñera is a good reinforcement of the value of alternance.
Less corruption (don´t know how Lula is performing on this, do you know? I know how NK is doing), better options (watch how Piñera has to make an effort for not be seen as a dino, defining social policies and sacking some TRex) and a excellent exercise of tolerance.
And I have a cheek-kiss from Michele as an asset! :-)
BTW, sorry for my comment about “Rousseff=question mark/future PT treason”. I believe that time will put me right, but should not have written that. :-(
Social and economical corruption are our biggest problems.
Jul 09th, 2010 - 08:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0They surround us and choke us.
Internet gives us the chance to check and evaluate rumors, facts and figures.
A “Patrician” name is not an effective shield anymore.
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastián_Piñera
Pheel,
Jul 09th, 2010 - 11:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I think it is hard to quantify corruption levels in any country. Not all corruption cases are reported to the public or to the courts. I suppose one can quantify the frequency with which the media publishes news on corruption affairs on corruption -- but as I said in the previous posts news outlets, especially news outlets in South American countries, are very often biased against certain political sectors.
I don't think the Lula administration has been doing any better or worse than the previous one when it comes to frequency of corruption scandals. But I do think the current administration is superior to that of FHC when it comes to the autonomy the Federal Police has been given in investigating such affairs.
There is a table on perceptions of corruption that measures the degree to which the population at large believe their governments is corrupto. It is callsed “Corruption Perceptions Index”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index
As you can see, corruption levels in Argentina and Brazil have not changed significantly from the time the Kirchners and Lula took office in their respective countries until today.
Think,
Thanks for the link. It explains why Piñera's popularity has been plunging these months.
Hej Guys...
Jul 10th, 2010 - 05:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0Just skimmed this thread lightly.
Not bad for MercoPress standarts..
Took 3 South Americans to produce a thread with opinions not insults.
Personally, when I get fed up with all tour problems in Argentina, I force myself to a “flash back” to 1976 or 2001 .
It surely helps....
And we are obviously in different parts of the political spectre.
Jul 10th, 2010 - 11:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0Perhaps if politicians of the world have to speak in a foreign language, they would speak less and do more, jaja.
Jup .....
Jul 10th, 2010 - 05:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 035 years ago....... you would perhaps have “arrested” me, I would probably have“expropriated” you and we both would have waged war against Forgetit87 :-)
Think here
Jul 12th, 2010 - 02:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Well lads.......
The moment finally arrived...
My account has been “Regulated” (Closed:-)
Too much “Foul language I suppose???
After too many years with censorship in Argentina I don’t “think” it’s funny so..... ....
Let’s see if they delete this farewell!
(Sending this from a new account just to say good bye to the “intelligent ones”)
Take care
That's a shame.
Jul 12th, 2010 - 10:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Mercopress purposes to regulate comments that are discriminatory. But many who have made sneering comments on certain countries of the Southern Cone seem to get a free pass. I don't think you should care all that much, though. I understand that, for you as an Argentine, it is revolting to see your country and its leaders denigrated the way they are. And this only because of a small issue - the Falkland islands issue.
But it is wise to ignore that. Argentina, in spite of its current problems, seems to be on the right track. One can conclude that when its current situation is compared to that of 10 years ago. Argentina - and most of the countries of the Southern Cone - seem to be in relatively good shape, and that is likely to continue at least in the short term. That is all that matters.
Farewell, I hope you'll return with a new account.
I ve learnt as a child that IRBs judges will always give a last penalty for british sides if they were loosing. And that they ll call that: Fairplay.
Jul 13th, 2010 - 01:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Seems that stocks plunging have been too hard to islander s humour.
Farewell, Think.
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