As your Eyewitness predicted yesterday, Lula squeaked past Bolsonaro in the Brazilian presidential sweepstakes – and is now going to serve a third term at his country’s helm. The first time around in the early 2000s he became the de facto leader of what the US and Western commentators dubbed a leftist “pink wave” in Latin America. Well, after a swing to the right with Bolsonaro and other right-wingers, the pendulum has swung again with Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Nicaragua, and Mexico all shaded “pink”.
So, does this mean we’re gonna have another ideological war in the hemisphere where the US will attempt to oust the lefties?? Not really! Apart from Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, the others aren’t really ideologically Marxist or anything like that. Their policies are more pragmatic than anything – in trying to address the widespread poverty in their countries – which could explode into violence if left unattended. In his first iteration, Lula became the darling of the international left – even as he adopted neo-liberal policies – but simultaneously attacked poverty. He was able to move 30 million Brazilians out of poverty – which expanded Brazil’s industrialisation to hold its own among the other BRICS grouping.
So, what’s ahead for Brazil?? First of all, the right-wingers aren’t going anywhere – Bolsonaro, who’s also attacked poverty – received just less than two per cent votes than Lula!! If Lula doesn’t deliver on his promises – especially to the poor – he’ll be gone in the next elections!! And that’s the way it should be in functioning democracies, shouldn’t it?? That’s the lesson for our Opposition parties – especially the PNC leader. Lula was jailed for a year and a half for corruption – but he yet came back to clinch the presidency!!
The secret is his messaging!! Bolsonaro faltered on COVID by fumfering while Brazil suffered the second highest number of fatalities after the US. Likewise, the economy of the Ukraine war disrupted supply chains. Lula’s party has a credible programme and while the country’s severely divided, there were enough swing votes to ease him in. Guyana’s at the same crossroads – but rather than presenting a credible ALTERNATIVE programme, the Opposition’s only focusing on polarising their constituency – which isn’t enough to put them into office!!
The other lesson for us is the voting system. With over 126 million voters, everything’s done electronically. So that the same evening the polls were closed, the result was declared!! Bolsonaro, like his hero Trump in the US – had made some noises questioning the integrity of the voting machines – but it looks like he was mature enough not to continue down that path.
He realises that he’ll have an even chance in four years!! Would that our Opposition was as mature!!
…for “outside” interference??
The Opposition parties been cussing out the PPP something nasty – an “illegally, installed cabal’ is the mildest !! – ever since their fingers were pried from the ship of state’s steering wheel in Aug 2020!! And who installed them?? Even though the whole world condemned their outrageous rigging attempt, they picked on the US and their Ambassador Sara-Ann Lynch!! They lobbied frantically to get her fired and the PPP be unseated!! To no avail!!
Well, even though they condemned the claimed “regime change”, the Opposition’s been working assiduously for the US to oust the PPP!! Last weekend, there was a gathering of all my friends in high (political) places from Brooklyn at a “Town Hall Meeting” to denounce the big, bad anti-black racist PPP!! Now your Eyewitness knows that because the officials gathered all had large African-Guyanese constituencies in their district – they had to pander to them.
But to what end?? On their outrageous accusations, do they really believe the US won’t ask, “Where’s the beef?”
…for men?
Was the naming of the initiative to get young men back on the straight and narrow – Men on Mission – a Freudian slip about where it all went wrong?? The acronym spells out – MOM!!
Are MOMs too soft on “their” boys??
