[olh]

This article is spot on. There is an important detail that sounds like conspiracy theory and that bothers me as a brazilian: much of the extent of the economical crisis was orchestrated with propaganda by sectors of our society engulfed in corruption charges (from briberies to tax evasion) after the global drop in commodities prices and suddenly investments halted by market fear and a real crisis took place (and then a "market-friendly" politician took power to "reinstate growth", conveniently, and slowed down the anti-corruption drive).

There was a common headline at the time in newspapers: "apesar da crise", meaning "even though in a crisis", followed by the report of a new market/business sector record in profits.

I always saw my country as a place free of the type of conspiracy that vultures around US politics by pure incompetence of our own politicians to plan and execute things like that but the recent events gave me a reality check.

[andrenth]

So the crisis is not a result of a combination of incompetence, corruption and fiscal fraud, but of orchestrated propaganda?

[duaneb]

Why must they be exclusive? Propaganda is a classic justification for corruption, incompetence, and fraud. You need a place to encourage people to look that isn't where you are exploiting.

[andrenth]

Agree completely, which is why the previous government had public companies (i.e. taxpayer money) spend millions to fund "progressive" blogs and other people working on social media to speak well of the government.

But I don't think this is what the parent poster was talking about.

[brbrodude]

Rightists like to oversimplify and make it as if anyone who disagrees with them is brainwashed and stupid, I think it's a shame. The biggest problem to me is that the political crisis only use it seems will be to hand power over to the other side, without fixing or changing anything, the corruption will stay the same and the little reforms that led us here are gonna be rolled back, the new ones in power are sure to work in the way of deepening the status-quo and making it harder for this to happen again(BUT without fixing it!). There's that quote that says "never waste a good crisis"... It's exactly what's going on and the most ignorant are unable to see it because any kind of contradiction means you're "brainwashed communist PTista". So fucking dumb.

[andrenth]

I think your view of people who think differently from you is the one that's oversimplified.

This mentalitity of "everything will stay the same so let's do nothing" is harmful in my opinion. We must take down the current corrupt politicians, and if others replace them, we take them down too.

[brbrodude]

That's not my mentallity. But yeah, I agree with this, when does it start? Seems it's already gone.

[geezerjay]

> There was a common headline at the time in newspapers: "apesar da crise", meaning "even though in a crisis", followed by the report of a new market/business sector record in profits.

A couple of months ago in a conversation with a Brazilian colleague of mine, who has been living in europe for some years now, the subject of Brazil's crisis popped up. He told me that, at least when compared with the economic crisis experienced in europe, Brazil's crisis was a crisis in name only, which barely had any impact on the economy in general and disposable income of the average brazilian in particular.

Now, having read your comment, I have to say that it fits precisely with the observations made by my brazilian colleague.

[woliveirajr]

Your colleague is wrong. Deeply wrong. Crisis happens when unemployment is high (but government hides it, saying that anyone who is getting some governmental support isn't unemployed. And when prices rise. And when controlled prices are low against all the world market just to pump popularity...

There are so many wrong and deceptive comments here, at news.y, that it really makes me sad about how much illusion was sold in those 12 years of PT government, and how many years and generations it'll take to fix this up.

[geezerjay]

The thing is, Brazil's supposedly high unemployment rate peaks around 12%, which is quite close to structural unemployment.

Meanwhile in Spain the unemployment rate is around 22%.

You're unintentionally proved my point: Brazil's supposed crisis isn't a crisis at all when compared to what happened all across europe. A slight economic downturn doesn't make it a crisis.

[woliveirajr]

My point is that this "12%" isn't real. It comes from the definition of "persons looking for a job and not finding one". A very precise definition that hides:

- all persons that had a job, lost it and now are just receiving help from the government (but aren't looking for a job)

- all those who are receiving benefits from the government to receive a minimum wage, and prefer to live in that situation than tho seek for a job

- the almost 50% (I think) that have informal jobs, so aren't looking for one but don't contribute to the government providence (the gov. account that provides money to the benefits)

Yes, I agree with you that it isn't like Spain. But it's because the govn. spent much money giving social benefits without some "financial exit" ahead.

Exactly like some people calling the changes a "coup" have their reasons, but it doesn't compare with what happened (or almost happened) in Turkey.

(And sorry if I can't express myself in a better way in English)

[olh]

Too bad you got downvoted for exposing this anecdote. Not everyone views it like that (sadly).

[forinti]

What makes it clear to me that it is a coup is that the provisional government plans to implement policies and pass legislation that would never have a chance in an election.

[andrenth]

So had they insisted in the same destructive policies you wouldn't consider it a coup?

This line of reasoning makes no sense.

[forinti]

Which policies? Everyone has issues which are dearer to them.

Mostly, I find Dilma's policies insufficient. Especially social ones (there are only 14 countries more unequal than Brazil, out of 176). But I don't find them 'destructive'.

[andrenth]

Destroying Petrobras? Destroying the electric sector? Destroying the value of our currency? Destroying growth and at the same time keeping high inflation?

You didn't answer the question though. Would it not be a coup if the new president defended policies which you consider "sufficient"?

[sebastianconcpt]

And in which country do you live now?

[olh]

Brazil, the same.