Jeff, you have recently posted two articles attacking Lula da Silva and whitewashing Jair Bolsonaro. I referred to your first post as propaganda, and you subsequently invited my response to the second, which was a litany of comments about da Silva by world leaders and others. This is my response.
If you reread my original comments, you will note that nowhere do I mention da Silva. I was not comparing or contrasting the two candidates--that was the job of the Brazilian electorate, and they have done it. My objection was solely to your portrayal of Bolsonaro as a victim who is doing his part to calm the situation, as well as your insistence that the mass demonstrations are a spontaneous response by millions of Brazilians who are appalled at the prospect of having a convicted criminal as their president.
Somehow, those same Brazilians are not appalled at the idea of subverting an election and denying the majority of voters their choice. Yesterday, the demonstrations took place near a major military installation ... a transparent attempt to encourage a coup. So I guess that an ex-con is intolerable, but an ex-democracy is fine?
Sadly, that does make sense--your hero is no fan of democracy either. Nor of science, given his tragic mishandling of the pandemic, which--according to conservative estimates--led to the unnecessary deaths of more than 100,000 Brazilians. His dismissal of environmental science is legendary. Lax enforcement of the law led to an 80% surge in forest fires, largely set by farmers who wanted to illegally clear the land for their own use--and that was during his first year in office.
Nor did he have much respect for indigenous rights--his term as president saw a 46% increase in illegal mining in the Yanomami territory alone. And basic human rights? Bolsonaro famously said that he would rather his son be killed in an automobile accident than be gay. Under his administration--and neglect--an estimated 56% of the Brazilian population, disproportionately Black and indigenous, faces food insecurity with little or no access to government assistance. But don't take my word for it--spend a little time reading the Amnesty International report, "!,000 days without rights: the violations of the Bolsonaro government."
Your posts are contributing to a one-sided narrative that would 'justify' ousting da Silva and voiding what is widely considered--contrary to your claim--to be a free and fair election. And if that isn't propaganda, kindly tell me what is.
