MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazil opens vast Amazon nature reserve to mining
Brazil stripped a vast Amazon nature reserve of its protected status in a move that could expand mining in the region, in a decree published on Wednesday. The four million-hectare reserve is home to indigenous people but also rich in gold and manganese. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesStupid idea, disgusting Law. Just the beginning of more destruction of essential rain forest.
Aug 25th, 2017 - 07:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Brown envelopes passing around ?
Aug 26th, 2017 - 10:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0Talking of brown envelopes, they don't even bother with them any longer - they're too small to fit the wads of cash being distributed....a couple of days ago, news channels showed a video recording, taken by the right-hand man of the now ex-governor of Mato Grosso (to be used at a later date, if necessary, to defend himself) where he hands over R$ 600,000 (about US$ 200,000) in bribes, to each of 7 or 8 state deputies, in payment for having voted favourably for a State project. You see them stuffing the banknotes into their coat pockets, into backpacks, cardboard boxes...one of them, a woman, even complains when her R$ 600 thousand came up short...eventually she agrees to receive the balance later....when approached by the press to explain the money, some denied it despite being caught on tape, another said it was to pay off some old campaign bills, and the rest invented absurd reasons to try to justify it......must be a tremendous coincidence that the value paid to each one was the same, and within 10 minutes of each other, in the private chambers of the ex-governor's aide.
Aug 26th, 2017 - 07:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Brazil should gradually be sold in pieces for colonization and economic growth.
Aug 27th, 2017 - 03:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Depressing news. Once they let the mining companies in, what are the chances they will obey any kind of laws or environmental regulations when they can just bribe the government to ignore it? The damage is likely to be much worse than advertised.
Aug 29th, 2017 - 11:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@JB
RE your post in “Venezuela begins systematic purge of the regime's opponents”:
How much evidence is there really, that Lula did all that, or was any worse than the presidents who preceded him? They all seem to have had their hand in the till, and that condo he was convicted for was pretty modest compared to other bribes we've heard about.
Haddad certainly doesn't sound great, although I doubt it was his fault the exam questions were leaked or badly designed. Who was the best mayor of SP?
And I don't think you are the most unbiased person to judge the PT politicians. How many other people of Lula's background have risen to become so rich and powerful? There must be some competent people in the party just by the law of averages.
But yeah, someone new and not involved in the scandals would be best in many ways. The advantage is they would not be only worried about saving their own skin and ought to be more willing to do something about the corruption. The downside is they would also be inexperienced and untested. You don't know what you would be getting.
@DT
Aug 30th, 2017 - 05:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0There is tons of evidence. Sufficient to make him a defendant in 6 federal cases. The testimony from dozens of different people who signed plea bargains, all confirms the accusations, not to mention the loads of incriminating documents that were found during the searches of Lula’s home in SBCampo and his Atibaia country home…which he alleges is not his…but all the evidence suggests exactly the opposite. As last resort, his lawyer’s defense has boiled down to that he is politically persecuted, and that he is the most honest man in Brazil…While the majority of politicians are content to receive a bribe here and there, Lula went about creating a criminal organization to produce them.
Ok, the leaks may not have been Haddad’s direct fault, but he appointed the people directly in charge and his attempts to fix the problem were pathetic. The best mayor of SP, that I recall, was a Jose Vicente Faria Lima (1965-69), who before becoming mayor, was a Brigadier in the air-force. He was a no-nonsense, hands-on man, with good administrative skills and a vision of the future.
All former top PT politicians have either already been convicted and are in jail (all of Lula’s closest collaborators), or under house arrest, and just about all the other high-ranking ones still in power, have been accused of corruption in the ‘Lavajato’ / other investigations, and are waiting to be indicted. Not saying politicians from other parties aren’t crooks, but no-one stands out as a suitable candidate, PT or otherwise.
Quite a lot of people from Lula’s union days, from similar backgrounds, were placed in obscure jobs in the Federal Government that no one has ever heard of, or even knew what they did, but they all earned exorbitant salaries for doing nothing…today they are all ‘well-off’, but Lula’, being the head of the criminal organization, is the richest. Sure, there are smart people in the PT, but most are involved in corruption and not worth their weight in shit.
Wow, you must have been up late.
Aug 30th, 2017 - 03:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I know Lula has been convicted over the triplex, and is accused in several cases, but aren't those for taking money himself? And since the corruption remained hidden with previous presidents, how do we know they didn't do the same? It certainly seems to have been going on a long time, and to have involved all the major parties (see your post above for example).
How are the other parties doing compared to the PT? Do they have anyone major left who hasn't been convicted or accused? It will be interesting to see who is convicted and who is let off, like Temer has been so far.
It's kind of sad if there have been no better mayors since the 60s. That's 50 years ago! I guess if people go into politics for the bribes then you don't get good people, and certainly not honest ones.
Lula giving sinecures to his friends wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but rather people who have risen on their own merits. Apart from Lula, are there any more people in the PT who came from a poor background than in the other parties? Rousseff certainly didn't.
Good news at last
Aug 30th, 2017 - 05:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0On Monday, following widespread criticism, the government revised the decree, prohibiting mining in conservation or indigenous areas.
The latest decision follows an outcry from activists and celebrities.
The federal court in the capital Brasilia said in a statement it was suspending “possible administrative acts based on the decree” signed by President Michel Temer.
That is good news. I hope they stick with it.
Aug 30th, 2017 - 08:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@DT
Aug 30th, 2017 - 09:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yeah, slept at 3:30 am. Exactly, Lula’s 6 indictments are for taking bribes for himself (cash & property) ; these are easier to prove than the cases in which he used his influence in the BNDES, also for gain, especially the PT’s…these investigations haven’t yet been opened - officially - but they should make the PB corruption pale in comparison. It’s unlikely that presidents prior to Lula will be investigated, and even if they are, and are condemned, punishment will probably be no more than a slap on the wrist and a fine, due to their advanced age.
Corruption has always been a way of life in Brazilian politics, but only recently has the population, as a whole, woken up. The PMDB, which got into bed with Lula in 2007, to avoid the latter being impeached over the ‘mensalão’, along with the PP, have virtually no one at the top that isn’t facing charges. Temer is managing to sidestep the accusations by opening the coffers (by funding projects of interest) to those who support him. Lula was the only one from his background that rose from ‘relative’ poverty to millionaire…due to his political acumen, but unfortunately he used it for personal gain.
Rouseff came from an upper class family of immigrants from Romania, but at the age of 15, attracted by the communist philosophy – her father was a member of Romania’s communist party - she abandoned her studies to join the guerrilla movement. She even married one of the older guerrillas…typical story of a not-too-bright a person, abandoning a potentially productive life, attracted by ideals that aren’t what they claim to be. And she lied about her curriculum to get into PB.
Many of the PT’s founding members (ex-guerrillas) were educated, attracted to communism, and they saw in Lula, the populist political appeal that they needed to further their ideas…he went along with them, but just or more important
important than the ideal, was becoming rich, to compensate his “poor” childhood..
3:30 am, ouch! I hate staying up so late that you can feel the dawn coming, but I guess you don't get that in SP, even in summer.
Aug 31st, 2017 - 11:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0If they don't investigate presidents before Lula, how will you ever know whether Lula was really any worse? If all the top people in PMDB have also been charged, it doesn't seem like there is much difference. And Temer was charged with trying to cover up the corruption, so it's obvious he is involved in a big way too.
Wkipedia says Rousseff's father was from Bulgaria and that she was introduced to Marxism at high school, but didn't join the socialist party until she was 19. It doesn't mention her lying to get into Petrobras though, what happened? And her story may have started out typical, but didn't end that way: abandoned her potentially productive life to become a revolutionary, tortured and jailed for it, gave up her extremist views and settled down to have a productive life again, then rose in politics to become President, and finally impeached. It's a much more interesting story than most, with a lot of ups and downs.
Do none of the PT's top people come from the trade union movement then? What about Lula's ministers or whatever you call them in Brazil? They are all from an educated background?
@DT
Aug 31st, 2017 - 08:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The presidents prior to Lula have been cited in 'lavajato' plea bargains; Sarney: accused of corruption/using his influence in PB, but to a far lesser extent than Lula...will probably just pay a fine; Collor: impeached in ‘92, lost his political rights for 8 years, then returned to politics / currently a Senator - has been indicted in the 'lavajato', and being in his late 60's, will probably go to prison. FHC : accused of some vague, minor irregularities, will probably be let off the hook ; both he & Sarney, in their 80’s, faded into the background after leaving the presidency, different to Lula - they had no personal ongoing political project, as Lula does; whatever their crimes, they are piddling compared to Lula’s…he just couldn’t let go of the bone, remaining active and controlling Dilma as best he could.
I have no doubt that Temer’s guilty of most he’s accused of, but as VP he played a secondary role in government - until now - and wielded far less influence than Lula / Dilma, who had 14 years at the top. At 16, in '64, she joined the POLOP (“politica operaria” - founded in '61) an offshoot of the Brazilian Socialist Party. They wanted to implement left-wing socialism in Brazil, but was divided as how to go about it - some prefered a political approach, others violence and armed resistance…Dilma joined the latter group (COLINA- Comando Libertação Nacional). Her curriculum stated she had a Master’s degree in Economy…confronted with this lie during the 2014 presidential debates, visibly flustered, she tried to justify it by saying she had registered to take the course, but was unable to initiate it ; her life may be interesting, but highly negative. She rose thru the ranks after impressing Lula with her use of a laptop (when still a novelty in Brazil) during a meeting at PB. She might have succeeded had she stayed there. Two of Lula’s union buddies became PT deputies, but did nothing worthy of note. Most ministers came from the 60's guerrilla movement
Mmm, it's true none of the previous presidents are still around and playing a major role in their party. It seems to be mostly a feature of populist presidents, I suppose because their appeal is more based on their personal qualities than their ideology, and so the rest of their party needs them to keep the voters' support. Otherwise most probably their colleagues would tell them to take a hike and stop interfering.
Sep 01st, 2017 - 12:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The question is whether the PT could still win elections without Lula, and I suspect they could. They might even be better off if he retired into the background at this point and they found clean candidates to stand. Sure they are unpopular, but so are the other parties.
Interesting that most of the ministers came from the guerrilla movement. I guess the people who felt strongly enough to fight for something were the ones who stayed in politics later. What happened to the people who preferred a political approach back in the sixties? And so Dilma basically started a masters degree but never graduated, and then put it on her CV as if she'd completed it? Naughty.
It's strange to remember that laptops were once a novelty; huge brick-like things with tiny screens. Funny how fast things change, I find it hard to imagine now how we coped without mobile phones, even though I didn't have one until I went to university, and now everyone has smartphones instead. Are they just as common in Brazil? I should think they are in the cities but I doubt you can get 3G out in the countryside?
@DT
Sep 01st, 2017 - 07:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Well, if Lula will still be a viable candidate by the middle of next year, remains to be seen...I don't think he will, not only because of the probability he'll be jailed, but because he does not want to run the risk of losing. Sure, the image of most prominent politicians is tainted by corruption charges, but the damage they have to done to Lula's - promoted as that of a simple man, honest, a people's president - is far greater than to the others. He carries-on claiming he is the most honest man in Brazil etc, but his desperate, crazed attacks on Moro and the STF have not helped his image.
The population has always had a short memory, probably getting better more recently,
but don't tink people ever consciously linked the ex-guerrilla candidates to the atrocities they too, had committed, and when the they reappeared in the PT, all promising to improve conditions in Brazil, they were supported by those who couldn't see through their lies. Dilma's buddies who adopted the political approach, as far as I know, didn't become headlines, so I don''t know who they are, but undoubtedly some of them also resurfaced later on.
I think that someone who lies so brazen-facedly about their qualifications does not deserve the slightest respect....It was no secret she had lied, but most probably weren't aware of it, so exposing her on national TV was the best way for it to come out...
Smart phones in Brazil are a fever....well over 100 million of them, and growing fast. Thanks to the privatization of the various State-owned phone companies, in the mid-90's,
something Lula fought against, tooth and nail....just one more example of his ignorance - he had to be against everything, even if good, unless it was his idea...other examples : the “plano real” and the “bolsa familia”..
In big centres, cellphone coverage is pretty good, but there are many areas in the countryside where you can't get a signal.
It's a good point that it might do more damage to Lula because of his image, and he is old to be campaigning too. I guess we will find out soon enough, and his appeal should have been heard by then too, right?
Sep 01st, 2017 - 10:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I guess unlike the military people, Dilma did go to jail and pay for her crimes. Did the other ex-guerrillas in government? Shame we don't know who the non-violent socialists are, it would be interesting to see whether there were any differences later, or if they all ended up with similar views and approaches.
After hearing about all the corruption in Brazil, someone lying about their qualifications doesn't seem that shocking tbh. And even after it came out, she still got elected, so I guess most people didn't care that much. My not-exactly father-in-law emigrated to America and put on his CV that he had a degree from the 'University of London'; obvious bollocks to anyone here - you'd put down the actual university you attended - but Americans believed it and as far as I know he never got found out.
And I thought smartphones would be common; they're so useful and a much cheaper way for many people to get internet access. Also not surprising the coverage isn't close to complete in such a big country. Even here there are places with no reception but it's so much better than it used to be. Why was there more than one phone company if they were owned by the state? That doesn't make much sense.
@DT
Sep 02nd, 2017 - 04:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The TRF-4 (2nd instance Federal court) has confirmed that Lula's appeal will be heard by middle of next year.
Dilma was imprisoned in 1970, but did only 2 years of a 4 year sentence. The most notorious of the ex-guerrillas, José Dirceu (Lula's right hand man for many years) was arrested in 1968, but in 1969 he and 14 others were exiled to Mexico, in exchange for the release of the US ambassador, Charles Elbrick, who had been kidnapped. In exile, he went to work and study in Cuba. He was jailed again in 2012, for a couple of years, for being one of the masterminds of the 'mensalão', and more recently, due to the “lavajato” investigation.
Right, lying about your qualifications, provided not involving life-risk situations (such as claiming to be a medical doctor) is not a serious crime by any means, but shows the type of person you are. And PB should have asked to see her diploma. The fact that “even after it came out, she still got elected”, is no surprise...90% of her voters didn't even finish basic schooling.
Each State had it own phone company, all answering to a Federal agency...Having a landline in the 50's and 60's was rare, and after going to live on my own in the early 70's, I bought one...at the time it cost several thousand USD, paid off over 3 years, and I waited about 4 to have it installed...a landline was a good investment (money wise), but shortly after the system was privatized, you get get one in a couple of days, paying next to nothing...and this is what Lula was against. A lot of things in Brazil didn't and still don't make sense...perhaps the UK was similar, about 100 years ago...one thing you have to be prepared to accept, is that Brazil was colonized by a bunch of blood sucking parasites, and over the centuries, the dominant philosophy has not changed very much.
Wikipedia says Dilma was originally sentenced to 6 years, but it was reduced to 2 years and 1 month after she had already served nearly 3 years. And it isn't even clear what she was convicted of, or what she did as a revolutionary to know if that was reasonable.
Sep 03rd, 2017 - 05:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I totally agree that lying about qualifications is a big deal if it puts people at risk, like a doctor or airline pilot. And AFAIK it's not against the law, but your employer could certainly sack you if they found out you lied to get the job, and rightly so. But I don't think I have ever been asked to prove my qualifications by an employer; they trust people to tell the truth and the only documentation they ever wanted to see was my passport.
Is it really so common for people not to finish school? Isn't it compulsory in Brazil? and even if people don't think education is important, don't they care about honesty?
Ah, it makes sense if there was one phone company per state, but wow, several thousand USD and 4 years to get a phone line installed? Can't imagine what they did to make it so inefficient. The UK sure had big problems 100 years ago (starting with WWI), but I'm not sure it ever had the same problems as Brazil. And I gather that when Portugal first colonised Brazil most of the immigrants were only interested in gold and silver and making a quick buck, but you'd think the amount of immigration Brazil has seen since would have changed whatever philosophy it started with.
@DT
Sep 03rd, 2017 - 08:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The time she served is not important, but she was accused of being a member of COLINA, of the group that advocated violence….she claimed she’d never held a gun, which might even be true - I'm prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt, as I think she’d probably be a danger to herself if she had one - but having belonged to the group makes that irrelevant. The responsibility of their actions falls on all members.
In the UK, people are taken at their word, because usually they are honest….here, with the infamous ‘jeitinho’, lying to gain some advantage is not uncommon. Here you're asked to show your documents all the time....
We’ve been down the “compulsory education” road before, and while it is, that’s not how it works…either because the State does not supply the necessary means, or because there’s a lack of interest by students & their parents, and the authorities in general, don’t do their jobs. Millions being brought up without a decent education at school, or parents who don’t know any better, honesty is not high on the list of priorities. Especially with the politicians giving the example.
You’re right about colonial Brazil…the Portuguese and the locals (those who weren’t slaves) were only interested in becoming wealthy…a culture brought by the Portuguese themselves, and reinforced after the Royal family arrived in Brazil in 1808, fleeing from Napoleon, with the help of the British Royal Navy. In opposition to this ‘quick buck’ culture, that of the mainly German and Italian immigrants, concentrated in the south, and to a lesser extent in the southeast, made those regions more advanced than the rest. The northeast is extremely backwards, compared to any other region of Brazil except for the north. All because those in power seem to think that education is a waste of money, and might make people wake up. The European immigarnts came with different ideas, reason why the regions they established themselves in, went ahead.
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