After Murder of 20 Candidates, Armed Forces Deploy 25,000 Men for Brazil's Elections

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Brazzil

After Murder of 20 Candidates, Armed Forces Deploy 25,000 Men for Brazil's Elections

Newsroom 01 October 2016

The gunning down of a string of candidates ahead of nationwide municipal elections this Sunday is stoking fears that Brazil's toxic politics are headed into dangerous new territory.

The main headline from Sunday's polls is expected to be the hammering of the populist Workers' Party, which many here blame for Brazil's punishing recession and sprawling corruption scandals.

Already reeling from the impeachment of former president Dilma Rousseff and her replacement by center-right rival Michel Temer, the once-dominant Workers' Party looks set to lose a slew of local seats, including the mayor of Brazil's biggest city, São Paulo.

But analysts say that a recent spate of killings around Brazil points to a darker political shift. The latest victim was José Gomes da Rocha, running for mayor in Itumbiara in the state of Goiás, in Brazil's Midwest.

Read more: http://www.brazzil.com/24088-after-murder-of-20-candidates-armed-forces-deploy-25-000-men-for-brazil-s-elections

[Judi Lynn]

1. For Disgraced Congressman Who Ousted Brazil's President Is Revenge Time

For Disgraced Congressman Who Ousted Brazil's President Is Revenge Time

Aline Piva and Laura Sholtz 01 October 2016

On September 12, in an overwhelming vote of 450 to 10, the Brazilian House of Representatives officially stripped Eduardo Cunha of his elected position and the immunity it granted to him as a member of Congress.

He was formally convicted of lying during his testimony in the House when he denied the existence of personal offshore bank accounts.

There are also allegations that he is linked to the ongoing Lava Jato scandal that is currently under investigation by federal prosecutors. Cunha had served as Speaker of the House since 2015, and is now ineligible for election until January 2027.[1]

The voting puts an end to a process that had dragged on for eleven months. Swiss authorities first provided evidence that Cunha held undeclared bank accounts in the country in September 2015, which proved that he had lied under oath.

More:
http://www.brazzil.com/24086-for-disgraced-congressman-who-ousted-brazil-s-president-is-revenge-time

[Coyotl]

2. 900 Indians Have Been Killed in Brazil Since 2003

http://www.brazzil.com/24071-900-indians-have-been-killed-in-brazil-since-2003

According to a report issued by Brazil's Missionary Indigenous Council in Brasília, almost 900 Indigenous people in Brazil were killed between 2003 and 2015, corresponding to an average of 68 per year.

The report, titled "Violence against Indigenous peoples in Brazil—2015," included a broad range of types of violence: in 2015, it recorded 31 homicide attempts, 18 homicides, 12 death threats, 13 cases of racism and ethnic-cultural discrimination, nine cases of sexual violence and eight of power abuses.

Indigenous communities are not only affected by violence but also by the lack of public services, with the death of 599 children under 5 years old caused by benign diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea and gastritis in most cases.

The number of suicides rose to 87, half of which were located in Mato Grosso do Sul, which also recorded the highest rate of murders at 36.

"Our children are dying because of the lack of medical assistance and we continue to suffer from serious abuses, including attacks of toxic agrochemicals within Indigenous lands," said Elson Gomes Kaiowá, leader of the Guarani Kaiowá community in the town of Caarapo. "The use of these products is contaminating the water we use to feed ourselves, among others."

Agribusiness, he added, also generated conflicts and violence, "Soy, corn and sugarcane are marred with the blood of the Indigenous people."

[Arby]

3. unelected president Michel Temer himself back up claims that her impeachment was politically

motivated, specifically, that Rousseff wouldn't enact the austerity-promoting, welfare-slashing economic platform Temer unveiled from his party, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), in October when he was vice president.

The Intercept's Inacio Vieira reported on the comments Temer made Wednesday speaking to investors in New York City at an event at the Americas Society and Council of the Americas (AS/COA). Here is the key comment, as noted by The Intercept:

And many months ago, while I was still vice president, we released a document named 'A Bridge to the Future' because we knew it would be impossible for the government to continue on that course. We suggested that the government should adopt the theses presented in that document called 'A Bridge to the Future.' But, as that did not work out, the plan wasn't adopted and a process was established which culminated with me being installed as president of the republic.

Watch:

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/09/23/safe-oligarchs-and-imperialists-us-brazils-new-president-admits-coup-plot

It appears the coup continues with the murder of the opposition ...

[LiberalLovinLug]

4. It will be interesting to watch

If a country so steeped in corruption to the point of almost every single elected representative being compromised, can be transformed back to respectability and honesty. I don't know if it has ever worked that way. Human nature and all. It usually takes some form of violent revolution.

[Hortensis]

5. At least 20. I didn't find a pattern of ideology (?) on quick scans,

just concern that organized crime might be getting (more) involved in politics.

Big wow whatever is happening. Best wishes to Brazilians.

[burrowowl]

6. Not good!

[salin]

7. Frightening.

Important to keep watching/reading.

[Blue_Tires]

8. Crime Lords protecting their pathetic turfs

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-29/murders-of-brazilian-election-candidates-raise-security-concerns