South America culture and politics thread

Is this thread good for general news? If so, an earthquake (7.8) has killed at least 28 people in Educator, and a tsunami warning is in effect.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/16/americas/magnitude-7-4-earthquake-hits-ecuador/index.html

edited 16th Apr '16 8:12:25 PM by Rationalinsanity

Brazilian parliament debating impeaching Dilma now.

What's happening lads? Is it a coup or justice? Do most Brazilians agree with you, or are your views the way they are because you're rich? Is there a civil war coming? Talk to me, Brazilbros.

edited 17th Apr '16 1:50:39 PM by Achaemenid

^^Wonder what that will mean for Ecuador's numerous volcanoes. Also, whether it's a coincidence that this earthquake occurred shortly after the two Japanese ones - I did have a dinnertable discussion about this.

This is fucking top political theatre here.

Archamenid, the public opinion seems rather evenly split. Half think it's a coup half think it's righteous. The crux of the debate lies on the validity of the claims levelled against Dilma, and how a lot of the people moving in for the impeachment seem to also be also corrupt to the bone, so there's a Gray-and-Gray Morality thing going on. That's what seems to be happening, but I won't debate it. I'm rather exhausted of political debates in the country which seems at the brink of a civil war (perhaps literally◊) in which you're either With Us or Against Us and the concept of justice itself seems entirely sidelined for threatics and bickering.

By the way, there needs to be 275 or more votes for the impeachment to go through. We're currently at 90 or so.

I know, I'm watching live. Thanks for the analysis. I gather, though, that independent of the coup, Dilma is very unpopular.

Lucio Mosquini just voted "yes". It's interesting, he got big cheers from the floor, as did Luiz Claudio. Are they popular politicians or party leaders?

It's brilliant TV - like the ending of *Lincoln*.

edited 17th Apr '16 2:56:07 PM by Achaemenid

It is pretty great tv.

The two most memorable moments was one particular man who resigned his seat so he could vote against his party's wishes (a guy who voted "yes") which comes across as a Honor Before Reason moment, and a guy who made a point to observe how this situation mirrors heavily the coup against João Goulart which installed the military dictatorship, and basically said he'd act then as they should have back then: Say no, and stormed out.

(I have a terrible head for names)

edited 17th Apr '16 2:59:27 PM by Gaon

There's not been a no for a while. This is insane. I'm looking forward to the next one. 113 against 28 now. Goiás doesn't seem to like Dilma.

Any reason why some people get bigger cheers than others?

EDIT: One more nao. A PT guy from Goias.

edited 17th Apr '16 3:08:28 PM by Achaemenid

No idea. Those who vote yes do seem to get bigger cheers, though.

EDIT: I lol'd at one guy stopping his speech to shout "I don't fear booing!" as people kept booing his speech (voted no btw).

edited 17th Apr '16 3:23:29 PM by Gaon

Dilma lost a lot of popular support from the states that relied on the auto industry and mining, since those were the first ones to get hit by the recession.

While Dilma's support is at the rock bottom it is hard to figure out which option is the worse one, leaving her on the presidency without much power due to the sheer lack of support but enough power to screw thing badly with stupid nominations and economic policies or take her out of there and risk letting someone who is either worse or neck deep in corruption scandals and plenty of evidence for another impeachment case.

Either way we're in deep shit, without the state being able to get its shit together and every politician here having a lot of skeletons in the closet, it will take a good while for the political scenario to stabilize and then focus on the ailing economy.

Also apparently Netflix will make a series based on the events on the same vein of House Of Cards.

Cunha looks like a smug turtle.

Also, is there some cultural reason why so many of them invoke their families before they vote?

edited 17th Apr '16 3:26:39 PM by Achaemenid

Dilma HAS been extremely unpopular for a while. That's what a lot of the momentum behind the impeachment has been about. We're not really doing so hot now right now, the job market is shit and the real has been the weakest it's ever been since i was born (i'm 23) at 1/4th the value of the dollar, roughly, for most of my life it's been at 1/2 or 1/3rd at the lowest. I get the feeling some people believe removing PT from power is going to fix everything but they seem to be ignoring ttwo facts:

1. things don't work that way

2. all of our other politicians are just as bad, and in some cases, even worse. Even if Dilma doesn't get impeached I can't see PT having another candidate as president for a while.

edited 17th Apr '16 3:27:20 PM by wehrmacht

Hmmm yes, a major catholic influence and appeal to tradition combined with our flavor of the Red Scare, it is kinda of our Think of the Children!.

The reasoning of citing their families is quite shitty to begin with but it is popular because it is the middle and lower class families that have been hit by the crisis, the latter is losing their purchasing power and status while the latter is simply being driven back to poverty.

Cunha could be the posterboy for the Smug Snake trope, seriously fuck that guy, but he is the one who has been playing the other politicians like a fiddle so far

edited 17th Apr '16 3:32:26 PM by AngelusNox

Brazil has a deep focus on "family" and familial ties. It's a running gag to observe how anyone accused of anything props a defense of "I'm a family man!" at some point, as if that instantly means you're a saint, so invoking the family for everything is not uncommon.

edited 17th Apr '16 3:32:46 PM by Gaon

Who's the guy who turned up in a military uniform? Capitao Augusto or something?

Captain Augusto Rosa, the first parlamentarian in Brazilian history to perform his function whilst clad in military uniform. Is attempting to launch a military party. He's fucking nuts and views the military dictatorship as a great thing and is as far right as you can possibly go.

edited 17th Apr '16 3:38:49 PM by Gaon

There's a rather disgusting amount of dictatorship apologetics in the country, honestly. It seems like some people have forgotten what oppression feels like already, or want to be the ones oppressing.

edited 17th Apr '16 3:41:23 PM by wehrmacht

Goodness me. Is Eduardo Bolsonaro the son of the infamous Bolsonaro senior? He had a pretty mad speech. I liked the finger guns at the end.

Bolsonaro is an absolutely disgusting human being and literally has every regressive social stance you can think of (racist, homophobic, misogynistic, elitist, etc). The fact that he has any popularity shows we still have a ton of problems.

edited 17th Apr '16 3:42:49 PM by wehrmacht

Like father like son.

His thirdborn son, and just as nuts as his dad. If slightly more composed.

EDIT: One deputy just made his vote in name of the Great Architect Of the Universe, a.k.a The Freemason short-hand for "higher powers". Well, that's a first.

edited 17th Apr '16 3:44:44 PM by Gaon

Major Olimpio sure seems like an animated guy.

Fantastic!

edited 17th Apr '16 3:51:17 PM by Achaemenid

Tiririca (a comedian-turned politician) voted yes for the impeachment.

That's something I never thought I'd type.

Wouldn't expect anything different from Tiririca.

Anyway, I have three different Brazilian channels to choose from, and I chose TvBrasil (which is great, because there are no commentators nor any news breaks - I can hear and watch all the speeches and votes).

Portuguese politics is nowhere near this level. This whole thing has a weird sports meets the condemnation of Louis XVI vibe.

edited 17th Apr '16 4:26:44 PM by Quag15

When does Bolsonaro vote? I want to see him before I go to bed.