Brazzil

Ya, I don’t know – it seems to be too easy an out to throw blame around into the international community, world lending institution and the like, and Lula´s nascent position as president. I agree that agrarian reform is badly needed throughout Brazil, however, some measures have already been taken. In Para for example, Lula signed a degree 3 months ago to create two new extractive reserves (projects along the lines of what Sister Stang was working on). The two new reserves have created homes for thousands of Riberinhos; lands that they can develop in a sustainable manner and lands legally recognized by the State. Yet these lands, and those living on them still face myriad threats. Murder, intimidation and assaults in Para are the direct result of lax (or under funded) policing and greedy self-interests. Coronels run the state in a manner they see fit, and not according to the laws. The rest of Brasil doesn’t seem to care.

It’s estimated that 80% of the wood extracted from Pará is harvested illegally, from public lands, or conservation reserves and without authorization from Ibama. The CPT believes that there are over 25,000 Brazilians working in salve or slave like conditions. Living in debt bondage, working under the gun.

There is a large enforcement issue here at play. Certainly we need to take a holistic approach to solving the problem, (international lending institutions need an overhaul, too) but there is little to no time for too much bickering and idealizing. There are lives in danger right now, and the only way to protect them and their rights to a future is to crack down on the illegalities in the region, and those who turn a blind eye to them. Securing (I don’t wish to come across as saying there is a need for military intervention, or anything too over the top and extreme) the state so that people can speak freely, raise concerns without threats of death, and utilize the judicial system in an opened and fair way is the first step in solving the problem, after this is done, we can then look to the larger picture. Nobody will ever be able to solve the problems in this region if those most affected are too afraid of speaking their minds.

Is there now a Portuguese version of Fox News or Washington Times in Brazil? Never mind Burbach, you come Berzerkly and to you anything other than Fidel Castro's "Granma" newspaper is the "right wing press".

Despite the hyperinflation that existed in Brazil 20 years ago, I believe life was better under the military regime back then. Does anyone here even know what Brazil use to be like 20 years ago? Violence and insecurity have been the fruits of the PT movement. Not to mention the destruction of the environment.

It was the Military that opened up the Amazon as part of their development/protect the boarders scheme."Integrar para não entregar" was their moto.They built the trans Amazonia, and a number of other roads to populate the region, in part for development, and in part to populate the area for national security.

They also developed a number of projects throughout brasil (such as Angra1) without taking any environmental assesment into thought.

The military, during the Stockholm summit of 72, viewed any environmental discussions about the Amazon, or brasil in general, as a threat to Brasil´s security and sovereignty. They had ZERO plans for conservation. All the environmental laws that Brasil now possess were brought in by Collor and his successors.

I can´t talk personally about the security issue during the dictatorship, but when you had folks fleeing to other countries for safety, operation CONDOR hunting down communists and leftist across the globe to assassinate them, as well as the DISAPPEARED in Basil - I have my doubts that it was all that safe back then.

to the poster ´20 years ago´

You do realise the PT have only been in power a couple of years, to blame rampant enviromental destruction and high levels of violenceon the PT is like blaming your mother for the dumbing down of your whole state because of your minsucle IQ.

PT needs to take the land and farms and divide it amongst the campesinos.

for too long and the last 2 years especially, PT has been sucking up to oligarchic interests and the interests of the world bank, IMF, and the gringo.

for such a powerful country like brazil, it is sad that brazilians cannot even govern and enforce local laws in a state like para, against a bunch of thuggish oligarchic timber barons, land thieves, and soya farmer.

but the governor of PARA is also a soya farmer, so his personal interest must also prevent him from clamping down on the oligarchic land thieves, timber barons, and soya farmer.

maybe a fool like lula needs to learn something from hugo chavez. does he not have any backbone to take strong and decisive step for the poor masses of brazil?

lula and PT is always seems to be sucking up to the timber barons, land thieves, soya farmer, oligarchic interests, the gringos, the IMF and the world bank.

time to put the PT out of business and create a new and a more radical socialist and marxist party, to kick the oligarchies ass and divide the land for the campesinos.

but, i know that won't happen, as lula is a spineless and gutless imf, gringo, and oligarchic loving fool, who has forgotten his working class background. what a shame for brazil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: time to put the PT out of business and create a new and a more radical socialist and marxist party

Maybe Brazil's Capital should be moved to Harare! Robert Mugabe could run everything and just put all owners of private property in Brazil against a wall and shoot them.

As an outsider looking in it seems to me that Brazil should change the wording of the flag to 'Order not progress', order being the social order which remains the same as ever, to the detriment of the progress of your great country.

I've just finished reading Peter Robbs 'A death in Brazil' and what he describes just reflects your articles. Murder, fraud, corruption, poverty. Does anything ever change? I suspect not until the poor see even the smallest improvement in their lives, the politicians have the conviction to challenge the social order and the Colenels, their associates and hired thugs feel that there is the remotest chance of being caught, and convicted.

The good old days of fascism…I always love to see the fascists come out and reminisce about the good old days…f**k YOU ASSOHOLE.

Okay, there's been a democracy for about 10 years after years of mismanagement, fraud, corruption, etc. Lula's been in for two years…He's not going to get 0.10% done of what needs to be done, even if he stays in office another term…Why do people expect decades of problems to be solved overnight?

I been to the slums and walked um many times. I see the forest going. I see the citys destroyed.

I AM A PROUD BRAZILIAN AND I TELL YOU GUYS DO NOT BLAME US FOR DOROTHS DEATH I AM VERY SORRY FOR HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS BUT SHE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AND IN THE WRONG TIME WE DO NOT NEED MISSIONERIES IN BRAZIL BRAZIL IS THE LARGEST CATHOLIC NATION IN THE WORLD OUR COWNTRY IS ALLREADY RELIOGILY FORMED OR CLOSE TO BY THE WAY I NEVER HEARD NOTHING ABOUT MARCELO AND ANTONIO TWO BRAZILIANS CAB DRIVERS THAT WAS BRUTTALY MURDERED AND ROBED IN THE AMERICAN STATE OF NEW JERSEY I DID NOT SAW THAT ON THE NEWS FUNNY ISN T