Noam
Chomsky and other intellectuals signed a manifesto warning of the use
of the justice system to "eliminate" progressive
politicians.
Noam
Chomsky and several other intellectuals signed a manifesto in defense
of Brazilian democracy and warning of the possible victory of a
“fascist, racist, misogynist, homophobic candidate who calls for
violence and armed repression,” in a clear reference to leading
candidate Jair Bolsonaro.
The
manifesto argues that the attack on Brazil’s democracy began with
the parliamentary coup against democratically-elected Dilma Rousseff,
of the Workers’ Party, and then reinforced with the
disqualification of leading presidential candidate for the October
elections, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
“These
are steps in a plan to prevent the Workers’ Party, to that which
they belong, from implementing a model of redistribution of wealth,
reduction of social, racial, and gender inequalities that in these 16
years has been a successful alternative to the neoliberalism of
global crisis,” the manifesto reads.
On Oct.
7 Brazilians will head to the polls to elect a new president. Jair
Bolsonaro, a far-right lawmaker is currently leading the polls
although support for Workers' Party candidate Fernando Haddad is
increasing. According to the latest Intellectuals, Haddad grew three
points in relation to the last poll and currently has the support of
25 percent of the electorate while Bolsonaro remains at 28.2 percent.
The
people of Brazil will also elect 27 governors, 54 senators, and 513
representatives for the Chamber of Deputies.
Those
who signed the manifesto, including Amnesty International’s former
Secretary General Pierre Sane also warned the international community
that international financial capital and mainstream media of “using
judicial power...to eliminate through unjust prison sentences the
politicians who are seen as obstacles in the agenda set by the
markets.”
Signatories
are also concerned about the fact that Brazil did not heed the calls
by the United Nations Human Rights Council to guarantee Lula’s
political rights.
“Our
concern is deep for the consequences that facilitating the victory of
the fascist candidate in Brazil can have in the country and at an
international level, where leaders of the most belligerent
ultra-right rise and even govern with votes motivated by the 2008
crisis and the murderous austerity of which neoliberalism is
responsible,” the manifesto concludes.
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