Brazilians Demand Social Justice

by Stephen Lendman

Justifiable public anger holds back only so long. On June 11, protests began. On June 17, they erupted across Brazil. Hundreds of thousands turned out. Estimates ranged up to 1.5 million.

At issue is scandalous misspending on sports. It's at a time of stalling economic growth, layoffs, rising inflation, and few opportunities for youths.

Public need are sacrificed. Billions go for construction. It's spent for the 2014 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

On June 21, FIFA secretary general Jerome Falcke said:

"The Confederations Cup is taking place in Brazil and the World Cup must be held in Brazil. There is no plan B."

FIFA media head Pekka Pdriozola added:

"At no stage has FIFA considered or discussed abandoning the Confederations Cup with the local authorities. We are monitoring the situation with the authorities. We support the right of free speech. We condemn violence."

More on what's ongoing below. Police show no mercy. Peaceful protesters are brutalized. Wealth, power and privilege alone matter. Brazil's dark side resembles realpolitik in America, Canada, Europe and elsewhere.

James Petras includes Brazil among so-called Latin American "progressive camp" nations. Their rhetoric belies their policies.

On the one hand, they reduced poverty. On the other, they "increased dependence on agro-mineral exports and investments." Venezuela achieved most social justice. Others lack "any vision or project for redistributing wealth, income or land."

"Brazil leads the way in catering to Wall Street speculators and in government anti-poverty spending on minimum food baskets."

"Poverty reduction is matched by the spectacular growth of millionaires (and billionaires) linked to the finance and agro-mineral export sector."

Moderate progressives "have the most egregious" environmental record. "Presidents Lula da Silva and Dilma Rouseff….promoted the destruction of millions of acres of the Amazon rain forest and displacement of scores of Indian communities in a decade."

Brazil accommodates US military policy. Its "overall economic performance is mixed." Manufacturing is "stagnating."

Brazil matters. It ranks sixth among world economies. It's by far Latin America's largest. It's GDP exceeds the rest of South America combined. Its population equals nearly half the entire continent.

In 1971, Nixon said, "As Brazil goes, so will the rest of that Latin American continent." Brazil encouraged other regional countries to challenge US hegemony. At the same time, it embraces it.

It does so by accommodating US military policy. It fails to condemn its ruthlessness. It's silent in the face of crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. It's more concerned about good political and trade relations than rule of law principles and fairness.

Michel Chossudovsky says Brazil reflects "neoliberalism with a human face." Scandalous misspending on sports alone explains.

In 1998, Joanna Cagan/Neil deMause's book "Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profit" discussed how influential sports organizations hold cities hostage.

They operate in a climate of manipulative team owners, "deceptive politicians, taxpayer swindles, media slants, the power of big money, and most of all, a political system that serves the rich and powerful at the expense of the average fan, the average taxpayer, and the average citizen."

So-called public servants sell out constituents. They do so for profit, power and privilege. An "anatomy of a swindle" follows.