To begin with, it is not formally under an authoritarian regime.
The core of the overall avoidance attitude concerning the phenomenom in Brazil is found much deeper: the democratic world is reluctant to admit that there is a going process that will change democracy itself - and that Brazil (who could have imagined it?) is where that new revolutionary process has started.
Let us think over these propositions:
1. The Brazilian government is afraid of the streets.
Right. Vladimir Safatle, a professor at USP (university) and columnist for Folha de S.Paulo, has been so far a single scholarly voice in reporting, in intellectual fashion, the attitude of the authorities before the movement, being, in addition, able to grasp the nature of the protests and adopt an independent posture instead of a defensive bias, seen mostly elsewhere. The authorities, it turned out, lack familiarity with democracy de facto; they used to rely on inertia and cheap manipulation.2. What we see is the end of Lulism, the Era of Lula.
Right. There's no exaggeration to it. The president, Dilma Rousseff, after a long stay in the shelter, seems now too eager to hit the problem. Actually, she has now envisioned a way to take advantage of the frentic atmosphere and increase her party's status. She is bound to fail. Most Brazilians have grown unhappy with the 'misery with refreshments' formula. A strong leader - not even a strong soccer team - no longer will do the fix.
3. The elections next year will not be affected.
Wrong. Even the magazine The Economist has made the mistake of defending or predicting that assertion. But if there is one single sure thing in all this episode it is that Dilma will not longer remain in power. If she insists on changing what is not a priority for the people (after having adopted initially a posture of denial - "it has nothing to do with me"), she is likely to be out even before the end of her present term.
4. The protests will not bother the visit of Pope Francis
Wrong. The Vatican should cancel the pope's visit to Rio next month for the WYD. Many big evangelical churches are organizing massive protests against the costs of that visit, set to take place on the eve of the pontiff's arrival in Rio de Janeiro. The presence of the pope will make spirits even more exasperated and, on the other side, the pressure to protect the pope at all costs will lead to even more senseless violence on the part of the guards and police. Brazilians do care about God-related issues, but they think they can do pretty well without the institutions and formal practices, what has been transposed to the civic life.
5. The movement is weakening and protests will soon be past.
Wrong. There are many authors, columnists, all sorts of experts daily putting forward new justifications for their opinion that the movement will be short-lived. That is just wishful thinking and conservatism of the worst type, which goes hand in hand with fear. Such attempts of disqualifying the popular demands will lend more gumption to it. And, ultimately, more violence, as the state is keen on taking desperate moves.
