Manifest van Brazilianen in Nederland die vechten voor democratie en tegen de coup

We, a group of Brazilians living in The Netherlands, manifest our INDIGNATION at the current attempt to orchestrate a coup d’état in Brazil.

Deplorably, the most privileged sectors of our society – the owners of mass media channels, business interests, bankers, parts of the judiciary and ultra-conservative members of parliament – have once again come together to undermine our democracy, which we won with sacrifice and struggle after 21 years of military dictatorship (1964 – 1985).


In the last 14 years, during the Lula and Dilma workers party (PT) governments, significant social transformations have taken place in Brazil. A large segment of the Brazilian population – those who were been traditionally ignored and excluded – have had their voices heard, and part of their demands have been met. This has been achieved by way of specific government mandates, laws and initiatives that are inclusive, participative and affirmative, and who work with indigenous peoples and afro-descendent communities, the LGBT population, the poorest rural and urban workers, black people and poor students, amongst others.


Public investments have been made, and national projects have been launched in the health and education systems, such as Mais Médicos (More Doctors), affirmative quotas, “FIES”, Ciência Sem Fronteiras (Science without Borders) and “PRONATEC”. More public universities and technical schools have been built, thus enabling the inclusion of millions of poor and lower-middle class people into Brazilian society and another step along the path towards full citizenship. The annual upwards adjustment of the minimum salary, Bolsa Família (family level redistribution of income), civil partnership for homosexual couples, the recognition of the social names and gender identity of transsexuals and transvestites in the civil service, and legal professional recognition of the work done by domestic workers… All of these extremely important initiatives are the result of social movement and civil society struggles that were implemented during the four mandates of the Lula and Dilma governments, despite constant attempts to boycott these processes on the part of right-wing opposition. Campaigns to discredit and demonise progressive government continue.


President Dilma Rousseff was re-elected in 2014 with 54 million votes. The current parliament – elected during the same period – is made up of a majority of ultraconservative, LGBT-phobic, misogynist, racist and neo-fascist members of parliament, financed by capitalist interests, who consistently attack the rights of the working class and of the “excluded majorities”. This parliament is plotting the impeachment of the democratically elected president, in collusion with the vice-president of the republic, Michel Temer (PMDB) (mentioned in Federal Police investigations for corruption crimes), his political party ally and speaker of the house Eduardo Cunha (repeatedly accused of corruption by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office), as well as the right-wing opposition party PSDB. This is a COUP D’ETAT against the president, because there is no legal basis or proof of a crime of responsibility.


Media and political institutions have propagated hateful discourse against an inclusive project for Brazil, identified primarily with the PT, but aimed at all left-identified groups or people. This hate is classist, racist, sexist and LGBT-phobic and is rooted in Brazilian society. This discourse and the public policy shaped by it need to be stopped immediately and reversed. Social movements and organised civil society in Brazil and abroad are in constant mobilisation in the streets in defence of democracy. This mobilisation – which our group is a part of – has highlighted the misogynist nature of attacks on the president and we CONDEMN them vehemently. These attacks are taking place on a daily basis in the streets, in parliament and the hegemonic mass media – with a significant role played by the Globo Corporation.


We OPPOSE the plotting against the constitution and the hateful parliamentary coup d’état attempt against the democratic, legal State in Brazil! Those who orchestrate the coup d’état do not have the legitimacy to ignore the 54 million votes that elected the Brazilian president. Politicians, personalities and the foreign media have also covered the severity of the Brazilian political context, giving support to civil society’s denouncement of the antidemocratic and authoritarian character of this coup. We demand competent and democratic institutions that are truly representative of all the Brazilian people.


NO TO THE COUP D’ETAT!


– Yes to the continuity and strengthening of social, inclusive and workers’ rights!

– Yes to immediate changes in the government’s neoliberal economic policies towards social development policies that are public, participative and centred on people’s needs!

– Yes to legal and safe abortion! 

– Yes to political reform! 

– Yes to juridical reform! 

– Yes to tax reform! 

– Yes to agrarian reform!

– Yes to demarcation of indigenous and quilombola lands!
– Yes to a just, egalitarian society with social welfare for all!


#DilmaFica (Dilma stay!) and respect for democracy!

#SOSCoupinBrazil Amsterdam, 1st May 2016

In MANIFESTO of Brazilians in The Netherlands struggling for Democracy and against the coup d’état (Braziel)

(Updated to most recent version on May 16th, 2016)