MARCH 2004 CONTENTS:
US's Heavy Hand Behind Brazil's Military Coup
On March 31, 1964, just declassified documents show, the American
ambassador to Brazil received a secret message from the U.S.
It stated that President Johnson had decided to send a naval
task force to take up position off the coast of Brazil and
assemble an airlift of ammunition and CS agent, a gas for mob control.
by Peter Kornbluh
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Subdued Brazil Recalls Military Coup
Among those commemorating the 40th anniversary of the
Brazilian military coup was a military group called Terrorism
Never Again. They planted 120 white crosses in the lawn of the
Congress building. They also complained that the political
amnesty given favored only those who opposed the military.
by Alessandra Dalevi
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Protestors Vow a Red April in Brazil
Students, union workers and Landless workers seem to be on
edge in Brazil. Apparently tired of waiting for Lula's campaign
promises of more jobs and opportunities, they are taking their
protests to the streets. They have decided to give the Brazilian
government "hell" as they are saying, this month of April.
by Rodolfo Espinoza
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Brazilian Cool Is Back in London
In London, these days, you can pretty much find any and every
style of Brazilian music. From samba to forró to bossa
nova to chorinho, every kind of Brazilian sound is catered
for. The creativity unleashed between Brazilian and British
DJs and this music is really coming into its own.
by Guy Burton
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Cyclone or Hurricane? Brazil Cannot Decide What Hit Her
While American weather experts analyzing satellites pictures
called a Brazilian storm a hurricane even before it hit shore, their
Brazilian counterparts preferred to treat it as an cyclone. With this
downplaying of the facts the population in the affected areas
didn’t prepare for what really was in store for them.
by Francesco Neves
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Brazil Breaks with IMF
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, despite a low
economic growth and high unemployment in Brazil is very
optimistic about the future. He said to be confident that Brazil
is going to grow this year and the next. "The worst is behind
us," he said. "We will not sign a new agreement with the IMF."
by Émerson Luiz
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TB Still a Scourge in Brazil
According to Brazil's Ministry of Health, every year Brazil has
100,000 new cases of tuberculosis. Although tuberculosis is
curable, 6,000 people die of that disease in Brazil each year.
This year, Brazilians will produce 17 million TB vaccines. Due
to new drug resistant strains, though, they need new vaccines.
by Paula Menna Barreto
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The Shame of Being Brazilian
If Brazil is unable to develop, if it was the last country in the south
hemisphere to abolish slavery, if it became the "sleepy giant"
celebrated in the national anthem—an image that is mocked in
daily conversation among Brazilians—it is because Brazil does
not know who it is, it is because we do not know who we are.
by Renato Janine Ribeiro
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TV and Morality in Brazil
The Brazilian way of dealing with emotions, especially those that
concern relationships is partially shaped by the most popular
genre in Brazilian television: the novela. Social inequality is not
addressed as such in the small screen, however. And political
problems in Brazil are always reduced to moral ones.
by Renato Janine Ribeiro
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Minas, Brazil: Land of Martyrs and Churches
Tiradentes and Aleijadinho are two Brazilian heroes from the
state of Minas Gerais. One was executed for daring to imagine
a free Brazil, the other created a world of angels and saints that is
still very much alive. Even though both died two hundred years ago,
their beliefs and accomplishments still inspire young Brazilians.
by Guy Burton
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Brazil: The Heat Is Up for Lula
Right-wingers in Washington are becoming obsessed with Brazil
as they fear the emergence of another "evil axis." Conservatives
in the Bush administration fear an emergent alliance of Cuba,
Venezuela, Brazil, and now Argentina as Nestor Kirchner works
with Lula to challenge the political and trade policies of the US.
by Roger Burbach
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Tasting Brazil…in Boston
Brazilian immigration has grown at such a pace in Massachusetts
that it has helped Portuguese vie with Spanish as the second most
widely spoken language in the state. Restaurants have sprouted
up all over. This is a boon to the rest of us, who get to savor the
flavors of Brazil without needing to travel further then a few miles.
by Jenny E. Martinez Nocito
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Abuse and Impunity in Brazil
Every 15 seconds one Brazilian woman suffers from domestic
violence (beatings, spanking physical torture) in Brazil. That
translates into 2.1 million cases a year. Is spite of this, Brazil is
still one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
that does not have a special law dealing with the problem.
by Adital
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Modernity in Brazil: a Privilege of Few
In Brazil, processes of development and modernization were
almost entirely implemented within the nation's urban centres.
The central government either forgot or ignored rural Brazil,
in particular the vast backlands. Modernization has generated
more discrepancies and barriers within the nation.
by Henry Andreae
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Brazil Wins. Nobody Cares.
Brazil has won earlier this month the 10th World Beach Soccer
Championship, for the ninth time in 10 years. The Brazilians were
the most impressive team and only faced a tough game in the
final against the European champions, Spain. Despite the triumph,
however, beach football is not more than a novelty act.
by Shafik Meghji
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All Systems Go for Brazil's A-Bomb
Brazil has refused to allow inspections that would reveal the
capacity, characteristics and scope of the equipment developed
by its navy to enrich uranium. These inspections would assist in
determining whether Brazil is seeking the enrichment of uranium
for peaceful purposes or is pursuing a weapons program.
by Phil Brennan
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The Brazilian Army Wants Me
In the great scheme of things, getting my military exemption
done is not an excessive millstone around my neck. But it does
seem rather pointless. As friends keep saying to me, who on
earth are the Brazilians going to fight? It's not as if the country's
surrounded by belligerent and land-hungry dictators.
by Guy Burton
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Brazil: Salvador's Dizzying Bazaar of Senses
In spite of its humble beginnings, the Saint Joachim Market has
emerged as the largest open-air marketplace in Salvador, Brazil,
and one of the largest in all of Latin America. Salvador's City Council
is considering honoring the place as a historical landmark due
to the important role it has played and continues to play.
by Guido Groeschel and José Martins
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Narcotraffic Deals the Cards in Brazil
Waldogate, the scandal that is rocking the Lula administration in
Brazil, has been under the control of organized crime since the
beginning: the video tape was released when it became convenient
to release it and its developments will only be known when
that Mafia decides that's time to throw mud on the fan again.
by Alberto Dines
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Cardoso's Legacy in Brazil: Radical Democracy
Now that Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has taken
office and continued the same fundamental economic policies
as the Cardoso administration, the emptiness of the rhetorical
use of neoliberalism has become painfully apparent. Both
Cardoso and Lula are best described as social democrats.
by Ted Goertzel
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Brazil: A TV Feud of Two Beers
Zeca Pagodinho, one of Brazil's most popular singers, is in the
middle of a noisy controversy between two Brazilian beer
manufacturers. Last year he made a hugely successful TV spot
for Nova Schin urging viewers to "Experiment". Now he is on
television singing the praises of Brahma, the competition.
by Tom Phillips
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Brazil's Melgaço: The Music of Silence
Brazilian Otacílio Melgaço has a languid, caressing, quiet voice.
Like Chet Baker's or João Gilberto's singing, Melgaço's voice is
weightless, its depth infinite, it is haunting, haunted, insular. He
teaches us the sound of stillness. Autumnal, sensual, reflective,
intimate, sophisticated, elegant, summery. A lyrical hero.
by William Frias
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Brazil: Come Tour a Favela!
In the last few years, money and investment has begun to
trickle into the favelas from Brazil. The European Union is one
international organisation that provides funds for community
and regeneration projects. But much needed Government
money, despite pre-election hopes, has been slow coming.
by Shafik Meghji
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Vargas: Haunting Brazil, 50 Years Later
Brazilian President Lula and his Workers Party may well owe their
beginnings to Getúlio Vargas. By ensuring labour was organised
to support the government of the day, Vargas was able to
reduce the incidence of adverse industrial activity. Workers
like Lula organised unions forming the basis of the PT.
by Guy Burton
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Lula Can't Start Brazil's Economy
2003 was a lost year in Brazil as the country's Finance Minister and
Central Bank President struggled to gain the confidence of overseas
investors, lenders and speculators. President Lula may be
preparing to cast the IMF as a scapegoat to blame if the government's
many announced but not implemented measures fail to create jobs.
by Richard Hayes
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Marco Pereira: A Musical Volcano from Brazil
The richness of Marco Pereira's full tone is never better demonstrated
than on "Estrela da Manhã" (Morning Star), an evocative moodscape
replete with shadowy intrigues of film-noir intensity. A perfection
of structure and a severe, yet restrained beauty of style characterize
this light 12/8 shuffle that wistfully depicts dawn on Brazil's Central Plateau.
by Bruce Gilman
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Portugal, a Brazil Colony
Wandering around the streets of Lisbon, you will eventually bump
into a Brazilian. It might be a waiter at the neighborhood café or
one of the 700 thousand Brazilian tourists who visit Portugal
every year. Portugal breathes Brazil. Portugal is, by far, the
country where Brazilian culture is consumed the most.
by Pedro Cid
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The Thieves Are Running Brazil
The attitude of President Lula is the same of a betrayed husband
who removes the couch from the living-room in order to avoid the
adultery. It is interesting to note that Lula, with all his talk about
the cursed inheritance, has not yet blamed former President
Cardoso for the earthquake jolting Brasília these days.
by Janer Cristaldo
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Brazil's Lula Has Been Calling the Powerful
Brazilian President Lula has asked Bush and other First-World
leaders to support changes in the IMF classification of government
outlays in productive sectors. Lula wants such expenditures to
be seen as investments. This way, countries would be able to
spend more while remaining within fiscal limits set by the fund.
by Nádia Faggiani
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Brazil: Domestic Abuse Ends in the Hospital
The Brazilian government has made it mandatory for hospitals
and first aid stations to report cases of violence against women.
In the future, the public health system will be authorized to perform
abortions in cases of risk of life or rape. Assistance to female victims
of violence should be increased by 30 percent in the next three years.
by Paula Menna Barreto
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Brazil: One More Year for School Basics
Increasing the number of years of fundamental education in
Brazil should make it easier to establish equivalence between
Brazilian students and those from other Mercosur countries.
While fundamental education lasts eight years in Brazil,
it lasts nine in Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, and Paraguay.
by Marina Domingos
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A Brazilian Voice Charms the World
Maria Rita's—Elis Regina's daughter—début was one the best
selling albums of 2003 in Brazil. An incredible feat considering it
only had two months to achieve the mark, and every sale is
well deserved. Here's hoping that she is appreciated abroad
as well so we can have a chance to see her on stage soon.
by Ernest Barteldes
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Brazil, a Stone in Microsoft's Shoes
Brazilian authorities have in several occasions praised the
open-source operating system known as Linux. Linux is
the best-known alternative to Microsoft's Windows and Brazil
is its poster child. Brazilian top technology officials talk about
creating, in South America, a "continent of open source."
by Émerson Luís
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Coca-Cola's Dirty Little War in Brazil
Says Laerte Codonho, president of Dolly Soda, a Coke competitor
in Brazil: "All I can say is that Coca-Cola itself said that there is no
competition in Mexico because they assassinated the competitors,
killed them, eliminated them physically. And these are the
same people who control Coca-Cola in São Paulo."
by Anamárcia Vainsencher
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Portugal's Júdice: A Poet Is a Loner
"It was in the '60s that a distancing between Brazilian and Portuguese
poetry occurred. This came about naturally with the evolution of
both societies: Brazil grew in the direction of industrialization.
There was, a double rupture, social and aesthetic distancing
Portugal from Brazil. Only recently there has been a re-approach."
by Glauco Ortolano
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An Ambassador of Brazilian Letters
"International literary meetings are indispensable, not only so that
we can leave the provincialism of the Portuguese language since
we write in a country that hardly reads our works, but also because
we need to spend more time with other creators. We need to know
from one another without facing the limitations of national boundaries."
by Glauco Ortolano
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Brazil Spurned by Hollywood
Brazil's Cidade de Deus was shunned because it did not fit into
the make-believe world of cozy race relations which you find in
American films nowadays. Hollywood tries to portray a society
where segregation and prejudice play no role. Spend one day in
any big American city and you see how hypocritical this is.
by John Fitzpatrick
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Impressed by Lula's Work
Brazil's strong performance is clearly bearing fruit: a broad-based
economic recovery is underway that should strengthen during
2004, employment is on the rise, exports have expanded at
double-digit rates, and vulnerabilities have been reduced.
This leaves Brazil well-positioned to benefit from the global upturn.
by Horst Köhler
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The High Price of Fame in Brazil
A common enough fate had befallen Brazilian singer Carmen
Miranda that had also been shared by Bidu Sayão, Carlos
Gomes, and several other of their fellow citizens: that of a
tangible and totally unwarranted resentment for having made
it big abroad without their country's approval or consent.
by Joe Lopes
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