Alert: Ongoing anti-democratic protest in Brasilia 01/08/23

I honestly don’t know what these people think they are going to accomplish outside of ruining their own lives and going to prison.

I just peaked at the videos. 

A bunch of pot belied middle aged men, shoehorned in flip flops,  clad like parrots ( green yellow ) ,runing amok towards the Congress.

And the guards  on the chase, outnumbered,  who  could barely keep up, as if these were chasing hens in the chicken coop. 

Not even a lick, or a decent beatdown from our finest men in uniform.

Even Putin's  Russian Guard  could  manage to a better skirmish. 

And the invaders taking souvenirs while at it. 

Pathetic.   Lame. 

I was reading about this late yesterday. Looks like at least 6 people got hurt very bad, and over 1500 arrested. All l can say to these people is “congratulations”. Not only have you ruined your own lives, but you have pretty much ruined Bolsonaro’s reputation in the eyes of the world.

I would suggest that you spend your time trying to build up your party and attack your opponent’s policies. Those idiots who stormed the US Capital on January 6 also found out the hard way. Felony convictions never go away.

These are people delivered with the inability to recognize democracy. My partner preferred Bolsonara and although she is not happy that Lula got in, she is intelligent and respects the result, as do most of our friends.

@sprealestatebroker there could well be elements that didn't want to stop this event as was the same in Washington.

@ltoby955 The governor of Brasilia is suspect and has been suspended from office for 90 days. At least that’s what l read yesterday.

@KenAquarius It seems  a minister has also been removed from office. I think its the defense minister.

@ltoby955 it’s so strange how Brazil echoes the USA.

We have a family friend in Brazil who is a big Bolsonaro supporter. Just after the election he kept sending us texts about a “plan”. Supposedly orchestrated by someone inside the military. Just like the “Qanon” garbage that people here actually believed. I don’t suppose l should be surprised at how easily people are duped.

@KenAquarius

I feel that this is going to be Trump’s legacy, and it will last quite some time. It seems that now, any politician (usually right wing, but others might catch on) can just claim voter fraud instead of accepting a loss. No evidence whatsoever required, apparently it’s enough to just say it….so weird.

Ken, I hope you know how partisan and biased this post of your is .....

I'm not going to attempt to rebutt it here, I dont think this belongs here.

Ken, I hope you know how partisan and biased this post of your is .....
I'm not going to attempt to rebutt it here, I dont think this belongs here.
-@Inubia

Perhaps, but not when reports say the 2 defeated politicians held meetings, and both are using the same tactics.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thegua … s-congress

the defeated president’s son and Brazilian congressman, Eduardo Bolsonaro, flew to Florida and met Trump and his former aides, Jason Miller and Steve Bannon, who “encouraged Bolsonaro to contest the election results in Brazil”.

Personally, I dislike the lot so I offer no support to any of them. However, the usual victims of greedy politicians' lies and violence are always the innocent, and that includes destroying the hopes and dreams of expats.

Once violence enters politics, those involve should be dumped in a dark hole and their leaders refused from any official job, that including government employed toilet cleaners.

@Inubia l stand by what l said. The similarities are evident.

01/11/23  An update today from the US Embassy.  Please be cautious going into the weekend, and not just US Citizens, especially in places where Bolsonaristas have been known to congregate, as well as transportation centers and chokepoints:

Event: In light of the violent anti-democratic demonstrations that occurred in Brasilia on January 8, U.S. citizens are reminded that any demonstration or counter demonstration can quickly become violent without warning.  U.S. citizens are encouraged to avoid demonstrations of any type at all times.  Please review the Brazil Country Information page for additional information.

Demonstrations and strikes are common in urban areas, and may occur unexpectedly, disrupting transportation, and may escalate into violence.

Actions to Take:

·         Review your personal security plans

·         Monitor local media for updates

·         Avoid crowds and demonstrations

There have always been claims of voting irregularities, many of them substantiated, in the USA and many other countries since ancient times.  Have you already forgotton the "hanging chads" or all the dead Chicagoans who voted for JFK?  The "legacy of Trump" will be the proven conspiracy of government employees (FBI, DOJ, and others) with major media to suppress investigation and discussion to a level that even Goebbels would be proud of.  1984 was not supposed to be an instruction book. 

My wife just came in to report that the news is saying there were CIA agents instigating some of the mayhem in Brasilia... what I am complaining about is still trying to blame Donald for a whole lot of things he did not do but others did, even after all that evidence has come out but so many people are still denying it.

Ideas and ideals are unimportant

Either Trump did or did not try to overthrow the US, the same for politicians in Brazil.

The only thing that does matter, at least as far as this forum goes, is the safety of expats.

Assuming for the moment Trump was involved in any way, that may shine badly on US expats in Brazil. Even if  Trump's lot had absolutely nothing to do with it, US expats should be mindful of the possibility others will blame Americans anyway.

01/11/23 Assuming for the moment Trump was involved in any way, that may shine badly on US expats in Brazil. Even if Trump's lot had absolutely nothing to do with it, US expats should be mindful of the possibility others will blame Americans anyway.
-@Fred

Not just US expats:  a lot of Brazilians don't distinguish one kind of foreigner than another.  There's no reason to be paranoid, just good reason to be alert.

Hello everyone,

Hope you're well and thank you for your messages.

I remind you that in the forum rules it is forbidden to spill over into politics.

I can understand that Brazil is going through a rather tense situation with the last elections, but this should not be an occasion to give or even communicate these own aspirations (but if you are interested in this kind of debate, you can do it in a group via private messaging).

If you need more information, do not hesitate

Mickael

Team Expat.com

@Mickael I think in this particular case that the last events and their causes is directly in the interest of any expat person.... :-) they should be able to talk about  it...

cheers!

@Mickael I think in this particular case that the last events and their causes is directly in the interest of any expat person.... :-) they should be able to talk about it...
cheers!
-@Michel Duce

If not taking political sides, that's what the thread is about.

Once sides are taken, the thread will become a pointless bunfight.

Hello Michel,

I completely agree with you. It is of utmost importance to deliver local news to expats.

However, instead of debating over political issues, this event/news can be shared in a more informative way.

Mickael just wants to prevent any conflicting situation that may arise here due to diverging political views/interests

I thank you for your understanding.

Yoginee

Expat.com team

01/12/23 @Mickael; @Yoginee. Sound point in principle, but the line between evenhandedness and partisanship becomes almost hopelessly blurred when the violence and lawbreaking are all, or at least overwhelmingly, on just one side.

Nevertheless, the important message of caution has been delivered and received, and can still be read if needed. If you think it wise to lock this thread to further comment, you'll get no objections from me. 😃

I am not taking sides per se. Simply noting the similarities in 2 situations. As far as my being “biased” l actually voted for Trump in 2016. I thought it might be worth a chance to give a political outsider a chance.

on third thought, it might be more descriptive to call it the "Jason Bourne Legacy" ....just sayin'......

There have always been claims of voting irregularities, many of them substantiated, in the USA and many other countries since ancient times. Have you already forgotton the "hanging chads" or all the dead Chicagoans who voted for JFK? The "legacy of Trump" will be the proven conspiracy of government employees (FBI, DOJ, and others) with major media to suppress investigation and discussion to a level that even Goebbels would be proud of. 1984 was not supposed to be an instruction book.
My wife just came in to report that the news is saying there were CIA agents instigating some of the mayhem in Brasilia... what I am complaining about is still trying to blame Donald for a whole lot of things he did not do but others did, even after all that evidence has come out but so many people are still denying it.
-@Inubia

Could you name some of this ‘substantiated’ voting irregularities, and did they matter in the grand scheme? I mean, if there were a few thousand irregular votes cast in a country with 200 or even 300 million inhabitants,  that would make no difference at all, do you agree? Also , organizing elections in such large country is a huge undertaking, with a lot of people helping out. I’m talking tens of thousands at least. Don’t you think it would be extremely difficult to ‘cheat’ with all these people involved in it? Of course it would be possible, but I would need to see pretty compelling evidence.

I have absolutely no idea if the voting stuff is true, but there has been no evidence so it's probably crap.

However, there are also a lot of accusations logging companies are making a very large amount of money and that's at risk once the new president gets stuck into controlling them.

You tend to find political ideals go right out of the window when corrupt politicians get sackloads of bribe money from corrupt companies.

This is an interesting listen. Brazil gets the first segment

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0dttdxg

Ken, I hope you know how partisan and biased this post of your is .....
I'm not going to attempt to rebutt it here, I dont think this belongs here.
-@Inubia
Perhaps, but not when reports say the 2 defeated politicians held meetings, and both are using the same tactics.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thegua … s-congress

the defeated president’s son and Brazilian congressman, Eduardo Bolsonaro, flew to Florida and met Trump and his former aides, Jason Miller and Steve Bannon, who “encouraged Bolsonaro to contest the election results in Brazil”.


Personally, I dislike the lot so I offer no support to any of them. However, the usual victims of greedy politicians' lies and violence are always the innocent, and that includes destroying the hopes and dreams of expats.

Once violence enters politics, those involve should be dumped in a dark hole and their leaders refused from any official job, that including government employed toilet cleaners.
-@Fred

I gave your post a Like, however I find it quite shortsighted to add us expats to the list of people suffering from these kind of shenanigans. Sure, some could lose money either through inflation or sinking real estate prices in certain areas, but we are extremely privileged, inasmuch that most of us could relatively easy pack our belongings and find a better place, if the proverbial sh*t should hit the fan. Let’s just keep everything in perspective…most of us are extremely privileged, even if it doesn’t always feel like that.

I should keep my yap shut, but something does not sink in my mind....

But the local media is giving these clique of morons more credit than they deserve....

They media call these rag tag bunches ( armed or not ) "Golpistas". 

A Golpe de Estado , is more or less, a Coup D'Etat.  That's what a Goipista is.  This is an expression lent, for most part, to members of the Armed Forces, the type of folks that have the contingent and guns.  Not these depicted clowns.   Geeeez.   

Since when Auntie Jessie and Uncle Zeke all clad in Green/Yellow are capable to actually provoke the fall of any  Government ( Legitimate or not to be fair to all parties ) ???

We are not in Prague or Gdansk, or Tunis, for that matter.  And these boomers don't represent  the will of the people.

And then, these idiots  have the nerve to invade Public buildings, film the whole mayhem, and do selfies!!! Seriously???

Thank goodness Brasilia is an ugly experiment of brutalist architecture.  Still, mayhem is mayhem ( I HATE GRAFITTI!, LET ALONE OTHER FORMS OF LOOTING AND VANDALISM ).

Little wonder they are being called on the mat, losing jobs, and being penalized. 

As we say....

You can't do the time, don't do the crime. 

Pathetic.

It doesn't look like expats will be in danger in Brazil with the current events if they keep quiet to them. As one of the people here mentioned, expats are privileged and if sh*t hits the fan, you can just pack up and go back. Getting into Brazil is a mission but getting out you just use any door you'd like.What's interesting is that next year you'll be able to travel with up to $10k US dollars in your pocket when exiting or entering Brazil, instead of R$10k reais.You'll also be able to use US dollars to pay for your things in Brazil, as long as it's person and not commercialized. These 2 things and this site below has been circulating a lot but I can't verify it's legitimacy.. anyone here knows this site? It's in Brazilian Portuguese btw.Link -->https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/ma … co-cambial

Manipulating citizens with populist false hopes and lies is dangerous on all sides of the political spectrum. We can also see that populism on the left can be very violent too. Look at the tragedy going on now in neighboring Peru.