Brazil

The Brazilian Supreme Court decision jailing former president Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva for 12 years 鈥 ruling out the politician leading opinion polls ahead of October elections 鈥 has caused an uproar in Brazil, writes Zoe PC.

Jo茫o Pedro Stedile, leader of the Landless Rural Workers鈥 Movement (MST), sees the latest developments as a continuation of the coup of 2016 that forced out democratically elected president Dilma Rouseff, from Lula鈥檚 Workers鈥 Party (PT).聽

In Brazil and around the world, many were shocked by the egregious act of cold-blooded murder that took place on March 14 鈥 and that put on display the open wounds of the country鈥檚 2017 institutional coup, writes Tatiana Cozzarelli.

Across the world, people have responded with outrage, sadness and grief to the assassination of Brazilian pro-poor activist Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Pedro Gomes in Rio de Janeiro on March 14.

Brazil is one of the world鈥檚 most dangerous countries for leftist activists.

Prominent聽Brazilian human rights activist聽and聽counciller for the left-wing Party of Socialist and Liberation (PSOL)聽Marielle Franco聽was聽assassinated聽in聽Rio de Janeiro聽on March 14. The openly gay councilor聽was outspoken in defence of the poor聽and against racism.

Brazilian professor and researcher聽Sabrina Fernandes discusses former president聽Luiz Inacio 鈥淟ula鈥 da Silva鈥檚 January 24 corruption trial and the country鈥檚 forthcoming October presidential election.

Former Brazilian president聽Luiz Inacio 鈥淟ula鈥 da Silva聽has lost his appeal聽against 2017 corruption conviction last year in a major blow to his chances of regaining office.

The judgment was reached on January 24 after two of the three appeal court judges in the case voted to聽uphold the decision of a lower court.聽While Lula can still take his appeal to a higher court, the court's decision could rule him out of October's presidential election.聽

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva was sentenced on July 12 to nine years and six months jail over corruption charges聽in the Operation Car Wash investigations. The ruling came a day after the Brazilian Senate's approval of President Michel Temer's聽unamended labour reform bill, which has been heavily criticised by trade unions and social movements.

Police brutally repressed thousands of Brazilians who took the streets on June 30 to oppose austerity measures and the Michel Temer government. The actions were part of the second general strike in three months.

The 鈥済eneral strike鈥 included work stoppages by teachers and workers in the banking, metals, health care and oil refinery sector, among others.

Brazil's trade union confederations have called for a new general strike to shut down the country鈥檚 largest cities on June 30 in protest at neoliberal labour and retirement pension reforms, as well as to demand the resignation of unelected president Michel Temer who is currently embroiled in several corruption controversies.

Still from Laerte-se.


Directed by &补尘辫;听
Netflix

A documentary that premiered on Netflix on May 19 explores the life of a Brazilian transgender cartoonist who says she wants to break taboos surrounding her gender identity.

As security forces repressed anti-government protests in the capital, a military police operation to break up a protest camp left 10 civilians dead, with witnesses claiming they were killed execution-style.

None of this made it into the international media however, because it happened in Brazil, not Venezuela.