A march in defense of democracy, this Thursday in front of the Faculty of Law of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo: AFP
The Brazilians went to the Faculty of Law of the University of São Paulo to listen to a manifest denouncing the brutal military dictatorship and demanding the return of the rule of law.
It was 1977. Almost 45 years later, thousands of people gathered in the same place again this Thursday to read two documents inspired by the original “Letter to the Brazilians”.
The news “Letters for democracyThey defend the nation’s democratic institutions and the electronic voting system, which the president, far-right Jair Bolsonaro, has repeatedly attacked while seeking re-election in the October elections.
Although the president is not named in either document, analysts point out that it is very clear who they are targeting.
They highlight widespread concern that Bolsonaro may follow in the footsteps of former US President Donald Trump and reject election results and try to cling to power when polls favor his center-left rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The march for democracy, this Thursday in Sao Paulo. Photo: AFP
Bolsonaro did not sign
In a country where democracy is only a few decades old, that specter has encouraged hundreds of thousands of people – even those who previously refrained from public speaking – to sign letters. The president not only refused to do so, but underestimated the initiatives.
“We run the risk of a coup, so civil society must rise up and fight against this to ensure democracy,” said José Carlos Dias, a lawyer who helped draft the 1977 letter and the two that are read Thursday for Associated Press.
The first of the new texts, prepared by the students of the Faculty of Law of São Paulo, has been brought together over 880,000 signatures since its online presentation on July 26.
Signatories include musicians such as Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, high-profile bankers, executives and presidential candidates. Among these the former president Lula da Silva.
Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, has raised suspicions about the transparency of electronic voting. Photo: XINHUA
Entrepreneurs for Democracy
The other document was released in the press on August 5 and received less public attention, but political analysts told the AP that it is more important. It is supported by associations representing hundreds of companies in the financial, oil, construction and transport sectors.
Businesses, normally reluctant to take political positions in public, are apparently concerned that an annulment of democratic norms could be detrimental to their businesses, said Carlos Melo, professor of political science at Insper University of Sao Paulo.
“The novelty is that they have also signed sectors that have remained neutral, or even were in some way in favor of the president, because they saw themselves at risk”, added Melo. “Democracy is important for the economy”.
Bolsonaro’s commitment to democracy has been scrutinized since he became president, especially as the former army captain has repeatedly glorified three decades of dictatorship. Earlier this year, he met with Hungarian autocratic leader Viktor Orban and Russian Vladimir Putin.
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Diane Jeantet and Debora Alvares
Source: Clarin
